Is Copper Iud Better Than Hormonal

Efficacy In Pregnancy Prevention

IUDs offer long-term protection against unwanted pregnancy. Copper IUDs have an efficacy rate of 99.2% and can last up to 10 years.

Hormonal IUDs have an efficacy rate of 99.8% and can provide protection for 3-5 years depending on the brand.

To learn more about the benefits of IUDs for pregnancy prevention, book an appointment online or over the phone with The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group today.

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How About The Non

The Paragard non-hormonal IUD prevents pregnancy thanks to a tiny copper filament wrapped around the T. Paragard contains no hormones of any kindits the only super-effective non-hormonal birth control method around . Paragard also works as highly effective emergency contraception, so if youre considering an IUD and have had unprotected penis-in-vagina sex in the last 5 days but dont want to be pregnant, that could be another point in its favor.

Most people who use Paragard have heavier, longer, or crampier periods, especially for the first few months. After 6 months, many Paragard users periods return to normal. If you already have really heavy or uncomfortable periods, or you are anemic , you might prefer a hormonal IUD.

The bottom line? IUDs are safe, effective, and totally reversible. Whichever IUD you and your provider decide is best for you, we all win with more long-lasting, low-maintenance birth control options available.

Sara Kennedy, MD, MPH, is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist in Oakland, California. Originally from Pennsylvania, Sara has studied and lived around the world, including a residency at Northwestern University in Chicago and a masters degree in Australia, where she met her husband! Sara is passionate about womens health, particularly helping women in vulnerable situations obtain the knowledge and resources they need in order to control their reproductive health.

Hormonal Vs Non Hormonal Iud

Non-Hormonal Copper IUD

The Copper IUD is a non-hormonal form of birth control that is T-shaped and wrapped in a bit of copper. It works as a preventative by releasing copper ions into the uterus, causing an inflammatory response toxic to sperm. Many women choose Copper IUDs as a non-hormonal birth control option but still wonder if it impacts hormones.

Is It Possible for a Non-Hormonal IUD to Impact Hormones?

Copper and estrogen have a very intricate relationship as estrogen enhances copper retention in the body.

There is a chance that a Copper IUD will enhance the symptoms of estrogen dominance if a woman already has an estrogen dominance issue. The same goes for if there is an iron-copper-zinc imbalance or imbalance of nutrients that work with said minerals.

When there is an overload or imbalance of copper in the body, symptoms can include:

• Depression
• Interference with adrenal and thyroid activity
• Increased risk of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

To read more about the cons of a Copper IUD, go here.

Hormones and minerals have an intimate relationship, meaning they can impact each other one way or another. This is an important thing to consider when looking at birth control options.

Hormonal IUD

Hormonal IUDs include Mirena, Skyla, Liletta, and Kyleena. They secrete progestins, which is a synthetic form of our bodys naturally produced progesterone.

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But There Are Potential Cons Too

• The insertion procedure can be mildly to moderately painful. I recommend that people take ibuprofen beforehand, says Dr. Brant. It doesnt actually help with the pain during the insertion, but it does help with the cramping afterward.
• With either type, during the first few months, you may experience irregular bleeding and/or cramping. You can continue to take 600 to 800 mg of ibuprofen every six to eight hours for this as well, Dr. Brant says. (NOTE: If the pain persists or gets worse and ibuprofen isnt cutting it, and/or youre soaking through a pad or more an hour, youll need to see your doctor right away.
• Irregular bleeding and/or cramping that hasnt gone away after three months may result in your doctor putting you on ibuprofen for one to three months to alleviate pain and decrease bleeding or temporarily prescribing birth control pills to help regulate your cycle.
• If you do get pregnant with an IUD , your risk of ectopic pregnancy is higher.
• Youll need to see your doctor for another procedure to get the IUD taken out.
• An IUD isnt recommended if you have an abnormally shaped uterus since placing it is more difficult and increases the risk of perforation.

What Its Like To Have A Copper Iud

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Every body is different, and people have a huge variety of experiences with the copper IUD. We reached out for personal stories, and hereâs what you had to say.

There are many different brands of copper IUD worldwide, and many of these stories mention the specific brand. Some brands may only be available in certain countries, and may vary slightly in size and how many years they are approved for use.

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When To Call Your Doctor

When using an IUD, be aware of warning signs of a more serious problem related to the IUD.

or seek immediate medical care if:

• You have severe pain in your belly or pelvis.
• You have severe vaginal bleeding.
• You are soaking through your usual pads or tampons each hour for 2 or more hours.
• You have vaginal discharge that smells bad. You have a fever and chills.
• You think you might be pregnant.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

• You cannot find the string of your IUD, or the string is shorter or longer than normal.
• You have any problems with your birth control method.
• You think you may have been exposed to or have a sexually transmitted infection.

What Happens If I Get Pregnant While I Am Using The Copper Iud

It is important that you see a doctor or nurse as soon as possible and have the IUD removed. The doctor or nurse will also need to rule out a pregnancy in your fallopian tubes . If the IUD is removed, you can continue the pregnancy or have an abortion. If the IUD cannot be removed and you continue the pregnancy, there is a higher risk of losing the pregnancy.

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What Is A Copper Iud

A copper intrauterine device is a type of non-hormonal birth control. There are also hormonal IUDs, but copper versions do not contain any hormones. This can be great for women who experience negative side effects from birth control that contains hormones. At the moment, ParaGard is the only copper IUD available in the United States.

No Birth Control Is Perfect

General warnings: There is a 1 percent chance that the insertion process will cause uterine perforation, which can lead to serious infections if left untreated. IUD expulsion, or when the IUD gets pushed out of the uterus, can happen, though not frequently â about .05 percent-8 percent of women who get the IUD deal with this problem. Like all forms of birth control, it can fail or cause health problems. BEING FERTILE IS A CHORE, Y’ALL.

The copper IUD is obviously dangerous for women with a copper sensitivity. It can also make periods heavier and cramps worse. If you have the option to use Mirena or Skyla, and you also already have painful periods, then the ParaGard may not be ideal for you. But you might love the hormonal ones. Remember, those ones make your period lighter.

I spoke to one woman who has Mirena, and she began suffering from yeast infections on a regular basis after its insertion. That does not happen to all women with IUDs, but it’s a frustrating side effect for her that you may want to bring up with your doctor. Still, even she plans to keep her IUD because of all of its positives.

An âadjustment periodâ follows the insertion, wherein your body gets used to the foreign object. For a lot of women, this means Advil, Tylenol, heating pads, and sleep to battle the headaches, cramps, and body aches. Unfortunately, the adjustment period can last a bit over a month, but the eventual peace of mind is so worth it for many women.

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Is It Painful To Have A Copper Iud Inserted

You may experience some pain or discomfort when you have your copper IUD put in. The process usually takes about 15 minutes or less. You may feel some painful pinches or significant pressure during the process. Most women are allowed to resume normal activities after IUD insertion, but some may choose to take it easy for a day or two. Keep lots of pain medication nearby to help with any cramping.

Women who have had children generally find the process less painful than women who havent had children.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Non

Non-hormonal IUDs can make your periods heavier and cause cramping, especially in the first 3-6 months. And you may have some IUD cramps when you first get your IUD. For many people, these side effects get better once your body gets used to the IUD. So if you can stick it out for a few months, theres a good chance the side effects will ease up. Read more about side effects.

Its normal to have some cramping during your period with a copper IUD. But if your cramps are really bad and over-the-counter medicine doesnt help, talk with your nurse or doctor. Its also a good idea to call your nurse or doctor if youre still having bad IUD cramps after a year, or you have pain or IUD cramps when youre not on your period this can be a sign your IUD has moved, and they may want to check to make sure its still in place.

IUDs are one of the most effective and convenient ways to prevent pregnancy, but they don’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections. So use condoms with your IUD every time you have sex to lower the chance of getting or spreading STDs.

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Pros Of The Copper Iud:

The copper IUD permits normal, healthy ovulation, and thats a good thing because ovulation is how women make hormones.

Its more effective than almost any other method, with a failure rate of just 0.6 percent.

After insertion, you dont need to do anything or take anything, and it lasts up to ten years.

Its effective as emergency contraception.

If You Take The Pill The Human Way Over 10 Years You Have A 61% Chance Of Getting Pregnant

Millions of women across the globe, from Melbourne to Mumbai, woke up this morning and punched a small pill out of its packet. They must remember to take one nearly every day, which is surprisingly difficult.

Theoretically, the combined contraceptive pill gives women less than a 1% chance of becoming pregnant in any given year. In reality, most of us accidentally miss around five pills each month so the rate of pregnancy is actually more like 9%. That means that if you take the pill the human way for 10 years, you have a 61% chance of getting pregnant overall. In other words, more likely than not, you will get pregnant. .

Millions of women rely on the contraceptive pill, but not all realise that there is a 61% chance of becoming pregnant on it over a decade

By one estimate, reliance on oral contraceptives leads to 960,000 pregnancies every year. There are also side effects, such as an increased risk of potentially life-changing blood clots and a faded sense of wellbeing.

The issue of compliance is common to most contraception, from condoms to the contraceptive patch. Human nature being what it is, these just arent used in real life as they are intended.

Anna Foley, from New Zealand, decided to get a hormonal IUD a few years ago. In general for me, I loved it because I always sucked at remembering to take the pill, she says. Plus I found that I had some negative side effects to the hormones, while the Mirena had a lower dose.

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Contraceptive Failure With The Copper T

Several studies have demonstrated that younger women are more likely to experience contraceptive failure with a copper IUD than older women. However, it should be noted that the copper IUD is still more efficacious than other contraceptive methods in this age group. In particular to the Copper T-380A, a nested case-control study of women using various forms of a copper IUD showed that young age was a significant risk factor for experiencing a contraceptive failure. Because various copper IUDs were used, statistical adjustment was made for copper surface area . Compared with women younger than 25 years of age, women older than 35 years were significantly less likely to experience a failure . The odds of experiencing a contraceptive failure with the Copper T-380A at 40 years or more compared with women younger than 25 years was even lower . In several studies, parity, uterine position, and uterine size were not associated with an increased risk of contraceptive failure., However, suboptimal placement of the IUD within the cervix increased the likelihood of contraceptive failure., If an IUD is placed in the cervix, the likelihood of contraceptive failure was significantly increased .

Pros And Cons Of Condoms

Just like IUDs and other birth control methods, condoms do have their pros and cons. They are cheap, can be found almost anywhere, and have multiple different styles and types to choose from for both female and male pleasure.

But, on the other hand, they arent super effective unless you use them absolutely correctly and always use a condom. The proper way to use a condom is to first store them in a cool, dry place and to start using them during foreplay as well as sex.

There are so many options on the market today for birth control. If you are thinking about starting to use birth control or are thinking of switching your birth control method then definitely talk with your OB/GYN. They will have the best information for you about your birth control options for your own body.

Featured image: Pixabay

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How Do I Use The Copper Iud

The copper IUD is inserted inside the uterus by a trained doctor or nurse. You can choose to have a local anaesthetic or sedation while it is inserted. The IUD insertion takes around 15 minutes but you will be in the clinic for an hour or more. See below for a video about IUDs and how to help prepare for and manage pain from an IUD insertion.

The IUD has a fine nylon string attached to it which comes out through the cervix . The string cannot be seen and it does not hang out of the vagina. If you feel high up inside your vagina, you can check that the string is there and know the IUD is still in place. It is good to do this every month. If the string feels like it is shorter or longer than normal or you cannot feel the string at all, the IUD may have shifted and you should see a doctor or nurse.

Should I Get A Copper Or A Hormonal Iud

Whether youre getting the copper or hormonal IUD, long-term birth control methods are a great decision for lots of people. IUDs are convenient, easy to use, and very, very good at preventing pregnancy less than 1 out of 100 people who use an IUD will get pregnant each year.

Like any birth control method, there are benefits and disadvantages. Here are some of the main differences between the copper IUD and hormonal IUDs:

Hormonal IUDs

• 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

• Different hormonal IUDs last for different lengths of time: the Mirena and Liletta IUDs work for up to 7 years. Kyleena works for up to 5 years. Skyla works for up to 3 years.

• The hormonal IUD releases hormones similar to the progesterone hormone that our bodies create naturally.

• For some people, hormonal IUDs can cut down on cramps and make your period way lighter. And some people stop getting their periods at all while they have the IUD.

• Hormonal IUDs can also help treat the symptoms of health issues like endometriosis and PCOS.

Copper IUD:

• 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

• Lasts up to 12 years.

• The copper IUD is non-hormonal, so its a good option for people who prefer non-hormonal birth control.

• Some people have heavier periods or worse period cramps with the copper IUD, but that tends to get better over time.

Tags:IUD, birth control, hormonal birth control

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Side Effects Of Copper Iuds:

• Expulsion
• Bleeding
• Problems with the string

While many of these side effects will provide understandable concern for women considering birth control, it is important to note that something like perforation or infection is relatively rare. Still, it is important to be aware of any changes which occur after insertion. If bleeding or spotting continue after 3 months, then you should seek a doctor’s advice. If you feel pain, more than discomfort, then this is also a sign there is a problem and perforation may have occurred.

There is one aspect you may need to consider when thinking of the best IUD for you. If you have heavy periods, then copper IUDs like ParaGard might increase the likelihood of having heavy bleeding or cramps. This is because the copper IUD increases the amount of blood flow a woman experiences during her period. According to the WHO, this can clear up after about 6 months, but some women will still experience heavier flow even after this time. If this is the case, and it is causing problems, a person may want to consider alternative contraception methods.

If you want to know more about the use of IUDs and weight gain, you can take a look at this article on birth control that doesn’t cause weight gain to find out more.