Getting Back on Birth Control? Doctors Say IUDs are the Best Option
Photo Credit: News Whip
While many women turn to pills and condoms as their go-to contraceptive, doctors think they should try a different option. On Thursday, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced its plans to recommend intrauterine devices (IUDs) to patients who want to use birth control.
In its announcement, ACOG said it would revise its 2007 guidelines, which had instructed doctors to view IUDs as good options, but not stress them as a preference. Under the new guidelines, which were formulated after several studies, IUDs will be the “first-line” recommendations for all females.
Want to know how an IUD works? Well, it’s a small, plastic T-shaped device, made with either a copper or hormone coating, and is placed inside the uterus. The copper or hormones create an “environment” where sperm can’t survive.
The ACOG believes IUDs are the ideal choice because the user doesn’t have to use it “perfectly.” We all know that with contraceptives like condoms and birth control, it’s possible to forget or to use it improperly, but since an IUD is inserted by your doctor, there’s nothing you can really “mess up” — and those mess-ups really increase your risk of accidental pregnancy. In fact, a May study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the failure rate for contraceptive pills, patches and rings was 4.55 per 100 people, while the failure rate for IUDs was .27 per 100.
So if IUDs are the better choice, than why do only 4.5 percent of American women use them? For starters, the price is far from affordable.
“The cost varies, but an IUD device itself is anywhere from $500 to $700,” said Dr. Tina Raine-Bennett, research director for the Women’s Health Research Institute at Kaiser Permanente Northern California and the chair of the ACOG committee. Not to mention, the office visit to place an IUD could add hundreds more. In comparison, a package of birth control pills can cost $10 to $25 per month.
Some women may also have been scared away from IUDs since hearing of what happened in the 1970s. Back then, an IUD called the Dalkon Shield was sold to millions of women. Many women later reported pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), caused by infections from the IUD. After that, doctors had become less likely to recommend IUDs.
“That was one single brand,” Raine-Bennett said, “but it left a huge mark … There’s still a huge misperception, more on the part of providers.”
While ACOG can try to turn more women onto IUDs, until the cost and (albeit, unfair) reputation change, it may continue to remain an underdog in the birth control battle.
Have you ever used an IUD? If not, would you be willing to try?
Plus more from The Bump:
Birth Control: Which One You Were Using and What the Means Now
Pregnancy After Birth Control Pill
The Knot Blog
The Nest Blog
I had an IUD (the 5 year one) after my daughter was born. It was great to not have to worry about taking pill and not have all the side effects. I didn’t get it replaced though after the 5 years because towards the end I was starting to spot a lot and have mild cramping. My husband and I would need to be in the same room more than 3 minutes to warrant any daily birth control anyway!! ;o
I got a Mirena a few months after my daughter was born. I am exclusively breastfeeding and with the combination of that and the IUD, I still haven’t gotten my menstral cycle back. (And it’s been 8 months now.) I got it after many recommendations from friends but I wish I would have researched it more before I made my final decision. The side effects are not to be ignored. I still have spotting every few days (nothing crazy but annoying.) and occasionally get cramps that feel more like someone is stabbing my intestines. So painful that I can hardly move a muscle for several minutes. Also, my sex drive is non-existent. All of which are considered normal symptoms as your body gets used to the device. I’m still holding out hope that these symptoms will fade with time but I wish I had been more prepared.
I had Mirena for 2 1/2 years (following the birth of my first child until I decided to try for another baby). The comfort of not having to take a pill every day made the decision easy for me. I experienced no side effects whatsoever and was very fortunate that my insurance covered the entire cost of the device. I recommend it to all of my friends who have had children and want a reliable, effective birth control method (especially if they can get it for low to no cost). I will have another IUD after I give birth to my second child in a few month.
I got the iud about 2 months after my son was born. The side effects drive me nuts for the 1st 6 months (constant bleeding, cramps) but since I’ve gotten over it, I love it! Light periods almost every 4-6 weeks, light mood swings, rarely light cramps. And NO worrying about birth control!! I’m hoping to get it out soon because hubby and I are hoping to conceive #2
I would use it again, even if it was only to control my heavy periods.
No I would not get one. Taking hormones is bad enough, having a foreign object implanted in my body is totally off the table. My friend’s sister had to have her’s dug out when it “went missing” and as the post mentioned office visits aren’t cheap. She had to do it in the office without pain relief due to lack of insurance coverage. Thank god for condoms is my thought on the matter!
I had the copper IUD for 8 years (the one you can have 5-10 yrs) before we decided to try and have a baby. I had a lot of complications from it. It caused several large cysts that had to be surgically removed twice. It cause heavy bleeding and large painful blood clots, and when I finally got it removed it was infected and I am very lucky that it didn’t cause infertility.
I tried both iud’s. The copper iud which was unbearably painful. It got better after half a year for a short time then I started with severe bleeding became anemic just as I had on the other forms of BC that I tried. the pain was so bad I could barely walk, every time I had sex it was terrible. I could feel it jabbing me inside and after 1.5 years I had it pulled as the symptoms worsened continuously. I then tried the smaller iud with light hormones. Same horrid pain, out of control bleeding, stabbing. I said forget it. I went to a diaphragm with an organic spermicide (as I was allergic to the normal stuff). I wasn’t the only one with terrible symptoms. My neighbor had the iud for 3 years and aside of the extra painful cramps it was okay until her uterus swelled up to the size of a cantaloupe and she couldn’t walk or sit up anymore. The doctor told her it was impossible to be pregnant and said she had cancer! She had the iud pulled and she got better. The swelling was most likely a pregnancy that was fighting for survival while the body was trying to rid of the contraption. She had passed eggs as well so she was getting pregnant then the iud was causing her body to abort. Terrible terrible would never ever recommend the IUD in any form nor any BC with Hormones its way too dangerous and the side effects are not worth it. Condoms or diaphragms are much safer just be sure to use them correctly.
I got the Mirena 2 years ago and had it in for 4 months until my doctor had to take it out because my uterus rejected it so having an IUD isn’t an option for me.
Natural Family Planning works amazingly for me- no hormones/devices, free, easy, 99% effective, and fosters great communication with your spouse. Websites like this often confuse it with the old “rhythm method,” but it isn’t that at all. NFP is a scientific, evidence-based method. It teaches a couple about fertility and a their bodies, and it also helps greatly when you’re trying to conceive.
It’s good to see people have had a variety of experiences with IUD’s but the regular IUD and the Mirena IUD are two completely different things. Mirena uses hormones as birth control. If you are hormone sensitive it may be worth trying the regular IUD instead. If you haven’t had a child the removal of an IUD can be very painful. Also, the health care legislation that went into affect in August now includes IUD’s as a covered form of birth control!! Yay!
I got the mirena iud placed after having my son. It has been a nightmare since day 1. The procedure to put it in was extremely painful, and I was in pain and bleeding for weeks after. When I went for my one month follow up to check placement, they couldn’t find it. After an ultrasound and X-ray they found it migrated outside the uterus and I will now have to have laparoscopic surgery to remove it. I experience pain in my abdomen every day. I wouldn’t recommend the iud to anyone, ever.
I have had both iuds. The copper one I had for a year and ended up pregnant. (I now have the cutest little girl, so not complaining too much) then got the mirena and have been a lot happier with that one. Not as painful as the para guard and so little hormones I don’t go nutty.
I had an IUD for 5 years, got it replaced and after another almost 2 years it perforated and had to be yanked out. What a painful process. My friend who is 26 had the exact same thing happen and is having a hsterectomy. Google Mirena withdrawl. That is what I went through times 5 and had exploratory surgery because my pain was so bad after having it removed. The clots after having it removed were unbearable! One the size of an apple! Stay away from IUD’s if you want to have kids and also to be safe!