IUD Specialist
Fort Lauderdale Women Care
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Fort Lauderdale Women Care
Gynecologists located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
If you’re looking for a way to take the guesswork out of birth control, an intrauterine device, or IUD, is a great option that offers effective and long-lasting protection from unwanted pregnancy. Dr. Khadra M. Osman, gynecologist at Fort Lauderdale Women Care in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offers two different kinds of IUDs to suit your contraception needs.
IUD Q & A
What is an IUD?
An intrauterine device, or IUD, is a birth control device that provides effective, long-term protection against unwanted pregnancy. The IUD is a small, plastic, t-shaped device that’s inserted into your vagina and your uterus. To monitor its status, a small string is attached to the device, which hangs down through your cervix, allowing you to check that your IUD is still in position.
What kinds of IUDs are available?
While an IUD’s basic structure is the same, there are two distinctly different ways in which they work to prevent pregnancy, and they are:
Hormonal
The hormonal IUD slowly releases a form of progestin called levonorgestrel, which stops pregnancy in three ways:
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It thickens the mucus in your cervix making it difficult for sperm to pass through
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It can stop you from ovulating, although 40% of women do still ovulate
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It thins the lining of your uterus making it difficult for a fertilized egg to attach to it
Hormonal IUDs last for three to five years.
Copper
With a copper IUD, copper is wrapped around the stem of the device because it’s toxic to sperm — the copper signals your uterus and fallopian tubes to secrete a substance that kills sperm. A copper IUD can last up to 10 years and is considered a highly effective form of birth control.
Are there any risks or side effects with IUDs?
Since IUDs work in two different ways, there are side effects unique to each. If you’re allergic to copper, clearly a hormonal device would be better. Conversely, if you don’t want to interfere with your hormone levels, a copper IUD may be the perfect solution.
Breaking down the side effects of each, patients have reported the following:
Hormonal: The side effects associated with the hormonal IUD are not common, and if they do exist, most clear up within a few months (these side effects are the same no matter which birth control method you use that regulates hormones):
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Ovarian cysts
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Mood swings
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Tenderness in the breasts
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Acne
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Irregular periods
Copper: Some cases of increased menstrual bleeding and bleeding between periods have been reported.
With both versions of the IUD, there are potential risks that the IUD may tear your uterus during insertion, or your body may expel the IUD, but these risks are not common.
