IUDs

An IUD, or intrauterine device, is an effective, long-lasting, and popular method of birth control.

The device is shaped like a T and about the size of a quarter. It’s implanted in your uterus to prevent pregnancy.

There are five IUDs available for use in the US. Four types release small amounts of hormones, and the other uses copper to trigger your immune system to prevent pregnancy.

IUDs are not only 99 percent effective in protecting against unwanted pregnancy, but they are also safe. While early versions of IUDs had their problems causing a lot of women anxiety about trying them, more recent technology has made a big leap forward in providing a safe and convenient birth control option for women of all ages and backgrounds.

Your Women’s Health Specialists doctor implants your IUD during an office visit in one of the two locations in Dallas or Rockwall, Texas.

You can take ibuprofen or a mild pain medication beforehand to make you more comfortable.

Like with a Pap smear, you put your feet in stirrups, and your Women’s Health Specialists doctor places the IUD in a small tube that they insert into your vagina, through the cervix, and into your uterus.

Your Women’s Health Specialist pushes the IUD out of the tube and gently pulls the tube out. The IUD strings will hang around an inch or two into your vagina.

Some IUDs begin working right away, and others can take up to a week, depending on when they’re inserted.

How long your IUD lasts depends on the type of IUD and the individual. Some types last for 3 years, some last for 5 and 6 years, and the copper, hormone-free IUD lasts for up to 10 years.

An IUD is a good option for most healthy women who are looking for a reliable form of contraception.

It’s best suited for women who have one partner and have a lower risk of catching a sexually-transmitted disease.

You shouldn’t use an IUD if you:

• Are pregnant
• Have cervical or uterine cancer
• Have abnormal vaginal bleeding

There are many benefits to IUDs, including:

• They’re long-lasting
• They’re safe, even when breastfeeding
• There’s one up-front cost
• They work, so you don’t have to think about birth control