IUD info

[tlm5999]

How the IUD works. IUD works by causing an irritation in the uterus that prevents the lining from builing upproperly. It does not prevent conception. It causes an early abortion because most of the time the newly conceived baby can not implant properly and will be sloughed off with your period. You can get pg you just end up aborting/ miscarrying. The back up way in which it works is if the baby does implant and begins to grow the IUD is in its way and the baby will run out of room and abort/miscarry. In this instance you would be pg for a number of weeks before that happens. In the failures of the IUD as the baby grows the IUD can become implanted in the baby which would have to be removed after birth, or the IUD can perferate the uterus causing hemoraging and scarring. The models that do not contain the hormones are only 84% effective. These are some of the side effects of the IUD: a ten fold increase in ectopic pg (like I mentioned before they don't prevent conception), imbedding migrating and fragmenting of the IUD, irregularity in your cycle, and the occaional perferation of uterus or cervix. The IUDs that have the hormones have the side effects associated with the pill and other hormone based forms of contraceptives as well as these unique risks of the IUD. The effectiveness is higher with the hormones as it lessens the number of conceptions, but after that point it works the same way. Anyone that would never get an elective abortion should steer clear as that is how the IUD works.

[aaronsmommy]

I'm sorry, this information is just wrong. Everybody should pick a method that they are comfortable with and that works well for them and their partner, but no-one should use incorrect information to base their decisions on.

Yes, an IUD can prevent implantation, and if you are uncomfortable with that, you should not use one. It's primary method is to prevent fertilization though. Most methods (including breastfeeding) will have some effect on implantation.

An IUD decreases the risk of ectopic (all kinds except for the older hormonal one that isn't available anymore do that). There is some risk to pregnancies that do implant, but the majority are normal. The effectiveness of the copper IUD is at least 99%. There are some rare, more serious complications, but overall it is much safer than methods with a higher failure risk, because pregnancy is always much riskier. The hormonal ones have very low doses of hormones (and actually have a stronger effect on implantation) and most people have no hormonal side effects at all.

[BrandiJK]

Thank you for the clarification there.

I had an IUD. Personally, I did not like it as it caused spotting and some cramping (apparently, though, everything causes spotting with me). But it did what I needed it to do, and kept me from getting pg long enough for me to plan for lil'Hailey to join our family.

I would recommend it to any in need, as long as you know the side effects. I know NFP is a big deal around here, but it just doesn't work (or isn't enough) for many of us either.

[mshellebean27]

My Dr told me that it WAS NOT a form of abortion.. He said that with the copper IUD the copper makes the sperm so it can't swim. Michelle

[tlm5999]

The reason some drs say that it does not cause an abortion is because of the difference in the definition of a pregnancy. They define it as implantation and not conception. This difference in definition means that you are not "technically" pg before implantaition, so there for it does not cause an abortion. If you are part of the other train of thought that you are pg at conception, then the IUD does cause an abortion because it ends the pregnancy. This is also the reason for the difference in the effectiveness percentages for the IUD 84% (pg at conception) 98-99% (pg at implantaion). It is true that the copper does affect a sperms motility but it in no way prevents it from reaching the egg it just slows it down. The copper IUD is also used as an "emergency contraceptive up to five days after intercourse and that in no way affects the sperm, it prevents implantation in the event you conceived. One of the reasons the periods can be heavy on occasion, (speaking of women that have differences between cycles while on the IUD) is because often times they are having very early miscarriages they may not even know about.

[BrandiJK]

I think perhaps this is a hot topic. It's a personal choice, as any birth control is. Some disagree with others, and some perfer no birthcontrol at all. It's all fine and good, we each choose what we best need at the time. But it shouldn't become an agrument or feel like cast judgement, which is how I have taken some of this. That's just me, and I stopped personalizing it almost as soon as I started, but thought I ought to be honest about it.

Anyway...just a friendly reminder that this is a forum for support, and not a place of ethics counceling or to push personal opinions. It's hard not to do that, but so very important to the survival of most of us here.

[tlm5999]

I am sorry this seems to be getting heated. I just wanted to share the medical info that wasn't part of the sales pitch. I have had a couple of friends that ended up with big problems because they weren't told all of the effects and I just didn't want anyone to jump into it without being fully aware of all of the risks like they did. They were only given the positive BC effects and some of the minor side effects. One of them ended up severely anemic because of an undiagnosed pg that ended in a miscarriage. Her period was only three days later than normal. The other has internal scarring that is now making it very difficult for her to get pg. I just don't want anyone to rush into any form of BC (natural included) without throughly looking into it, good and especially bad, so you can properly campare the risks.

I completely agree

Everybody should pick a method that they are comfortable with and that works well for them and their partner, but no-one should use incorrect information to base their decisions on.

Just be sure to look into where that info is coming from. The manufacturer is not necessarily the most unbiased source. Research your options and don't take what you are told at face value from anywhere (that includes me ). Getting someones experience is just that someONEs experience, research gives a much better overall and it will also give the extremes and both sides of the situation.

[aaronsmommy]

IUDs are used by 160 million women worldwide, and have been used and studied for over 30 years.

Yes, there is plenty of evidence that an IUD prevents fertilization. It does this both by preventing the sperm from traveling in to the tubes, and by preventing the sperm that do arrive from penetrating the egg. It does not just "slow down" the sperm.

There are no good studies showing what the rate of conception is prior to implantation because there is no good way of measuring that in humans, so the only numbers come from animal studies which are not a very good model for IUDs in humans. Since the rate of ectopic pregnancies is very low with both of the currently available IUDs, that rate can not be very high at all, but IUDs can certainly prevent implantation if fertilization occurs. Many religions do not feel that there is anything wrong with this - if having a method that is approved by your church is important to you, and you have any questions on their position, you should check with them.

Heavy periods with the copper IUD happen because of the inflamation from the copper. Unrecognized miscarriages and implantation failure happen frequently with no contraception as well. There is no evidence that unrecognized miscarriages happen more often with an IUD (it is possible, but the studies done have not shown this).

Serious complications are very rare, and unfortunately for many of the people on the board, serious complications including death from unintended pregnancy are a real possibility.