Intrauterine device: what is good and what is bad about this method of contraception

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

It may be time for you to stop using condoms and birth control pills.

What is an intrauterine device and how does it work

Intrauterine devices are contraceptives, means that allow you to control the onset of pregnancy. Their effectiveness is very high: when used correctly, they protect Birth Control Methods: How Well Do They Work? from pregnancy by 99%. They are even used for emergency contraception after unprotected sex.

Outwardly, most of the spirals that are now used resemble the letter T with different tails. But there are also other forms of intrauterine implants.

Spirals are divided into two large types:

1. Copper-containing intrauterine device

The principle of operation is as follows: copper supports aseptic inflammation in the uterus. Aseptic means that it does not happen due to germs and does not threaten anything. But the action of copper changes the composition of cervical mucus, which makes it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterine cavity. In addition, copper interferes with the attachment of the egg to the wall of the uterus Intrauterine device (IUD).

2. Intrauterine device with a hormonal component

These are spirals made of plastic, which include progesterone, an analogue of the human hormone that prevents pregnancy. They also interfere with sperm and egg implantation, and at the same time also inhibit ovulation in some women, the Intrauterine System (IUS).

How long does the intrauterine device work?

Spirals from different manufacturers and with different compositions are installed for a period of three to ten years.

An intrauterine device costs quite a lot: from several thousand rubles (along with the installation procedure). However, it pays off quickly and is one of the most affordable methods of contraception for women who have regular sex life.

How to install a spiral

Only a doctor can install any kind of spiral, and so can remove it. Therefore, you cannot do without consulting a specialist who will help you choose a remedy (with copper or hormones) and decide on the installation.

This is usually a simple procedure, but the complication is extremely rare - perforation of the uterus INTRAUTERINE DEVICES. Sometimes the spiral can also fall out. Therefore, in the first three months, you need to regularly visit a gynecologist, the doctor will appoint a schedule himself.

After installation, the spiral is not felt, only two short antennae are released from the cervical canal (from the cervix). These are Intrauterine device (IUD) threads that help make sure the coil is in place. Subsequently, they will also help the gynecologist to remove the spiral.

These same antennae do not interfere in everyday life, including during sex.

Sometimes, after installation, a woman may feel discomfort and dizziness, but they go away rather quickly. The procedure itself is not very pleasant, but not much worse than a usual examination by a gynecologist.

What are the advantages of an intrauterine device

The main advantage is the reliability of contraception. Nothing here depends on the woman, her partner and the mass of external factors. Condoms break, you can forget about the pill, and the spiral stays in place and does not go anywhere.

In addition, the coil can be used by breastfeeding women who cannot afford, for example, hormonal contraceptives.

In most cases, women do not notice the spiral at all.

Contrary to popular belief, the spiral can be installed in women who have never given birth or become pregnant before (but it is better to use the spiral after 20 years, when the internal organs are fully formed). Coils have a reversible effect, and you can get pregnant literally in the first month after removing the coil.

In addition, coils do not increase the risk of cancer and are combined with any Your contraception guide medications.

When you can't put an intrauterine device

There are not many contraindications Birth Control and the IUD (Intrauterine Device):

1. Pregnancy. If you want to use the coil as emergency contraception, you need to hurry up.
2. Infectious diseases of the pelvic organs (including sexually transmitted diseases or associated with complications after termination of pregnancy). That is, first we treat infections, then we introduce a spiral.
3. Cancer of the uterus or cervix.
4. Vaginal bleeding of unknown origin.
5. For a coil with hormones, there are additional restrictions, as for taking hormonal contraceptives.

What side effects can be

Apart from complications during the installation of the coil, the most common side effect is a change in the menstrual cycle. Typically, your periods get heavier and last longer. This is especially noticeable in the first months after the installation of the spirals.

Sometimes bleeding becomes too heavy and too long, bleeding occurs between cycles - in any case, this should be discussed with your doctor. Sometimes you have to give up this method of contraception.

Coils do not protect against sexually transmitted infections and, in some cases, increase the risk of ascending genital tract infections. Therefore, with a new partner, you need to use additional methods of contraception.

What happens if you get pregnant when there is a spiral

Although the helix is one of the most reliable methods, pregnancies are rarely possible. If a woman decides to keep the child, they try to remove the spiral at an early date, so as not to damage the fetal bladder and not provoke a miscarriage.