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The Inside Scoop on IUDs
What You Need to Know
By Shel Franco
Because the IUD can contribute to menstrual cycles with heightened cramping and increased bleeding, doctors recommend that users have a history of light menstrual flow and minimal cramping. The first few cycles after insertion may last longer than usual, and some women experience backaches.
New users encounter a slight increase in the risk of pelvic infection for the first few months. Maintaining a long-term monogamous relationship can decrease this risk. On rare occasion, the IUD can be pushed out of the uterus and can be expelled though the vagina. A plastic string that is attached to the IUD hangs just outside the cervix, and allows a women to tell if the device is still in place.
IUDs are not overly painful. In fact some women never experience discomfort during insertion, and a new type of IUD actually decreases cramping and blood flow. Like menstrual cycles, symptoms of IUD insertion and use are highly subjective, and doctors point out that over-the-counter pain relievers are usually enough to handle any discomfort you might have.
As for infertility: "There is no evidence that [an IUD] increases the risk of infertility," Dr. Dantoni says. Those are the facts. Now you can safely add one more method of birth control to your list of contraceptive options.
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