IUD reassurances

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
IUD reassurances
5
Mon, 10-11-2004 - 12:51pm
HI Ladies,

Well, I did quit on OTC lo a week ago since my body just cannot the effects of hormonal bc. So...DH and I are basically back to square one...but looking with sincere interest in the Copper T IUD. I have read everybody's posts as well as the posted links to the current thoughts on the way they function.

I still need reassurance if you don't mind. Anybody have a Christian perspective to share that's not just the "don't use bc" thing? Any other links to studies or such to help me feel confident?

Thanks,

Sandy

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
Mon, 10-11-2004 - 2:26pm
Hi Sandy!

I just read your post in member input and thought I would reply up here.

I am 39 and my husband had a vasectomy in February. Now, my youngest is 6 and we had been thinking about long term bc since she was born(or maybe even conceived!). So, it took him 6 years to go through with it. I wasnt ready for something so final even though I knew we both were happy with our family. I was on the pill up until August of 2003 when I finally said forget this hassle. We have used condoms till his post vasectomy analysis was negative. We are extremely happy with our decison. If he hadnt had the vasectomy I would have gone with an IUD.

At our age, we might not ovulate as often but there is still that chance. My mother was 45 when she conceived me! If I remember correctly, I think the copper in the IUD affects sperm in turn so they cant fertilize the egg. I think it affects their motility so they are stopped in the uterus and can not travel the fallopian tubes where fertilization takes place. There are other ways it works too.

As far as a Christian point of view, I am a Roman Catholic and birth control is forbidden! But I have always felt that what I can provide for the children I do have, so that the are safe, healthly and happy, is what God would want me to do. If I, my family, and my marriage is not of those, than that is not right. Do I make sense?

Best of luck on your choice!

Josie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 10-11-2004 - 2:46pm
Thanks Josie for your honesty...you reminded me (as my husband already has) that it is definately between us and God. We too have looked at the V for years. I have shared it here before, and it is something I hope is treated nicely, but during our last pregnancy DH went for a consultation for a V and passed out at the appointment...yes, just talking about it. He is currently in the tenure seeking process at Univ. of Arkansas (4 years and counting)and the concern is that if he did get through the V procedure and ended up one of that minority of guys who had lasting discomfort...it could put his job at risk. For tenure you are basically on probation and have to achieve fairly highly and consistantly to pass the "test" and be awarded tenure. Anyway, if we can find an alternative till then...maybe he could do it.

Thanks again for your reply...BTW, even though we have 6 kids, we're not Catholic (just so you know we do not feel dictated to on the subject)...LOL!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2003
Mon, 10-11-2004 - 3:45pm
I'm certainly not here to judge you. But I can relate to your torn feelings. Here I am, Catholic and having premarital sex :) I don't beat myself up over that. But I had a much harder time with the contraception/fertilization issue. I'm very very happy using fertility awareness now. Religion is what made me try it in the first place, but I no longer feel I'm "resorting" to using it because it is working so well for my b/f and I.

But it does require either periodic abstinence or barriers. And it requires a little more abstinence or barriers in peri-menopause. It works for my b/f and I because we've learned to really enjoy the abstinent times. It keeps things exciting. But since this is what we've used from day 1 we are used to it, and I can see how it would be hard for people to switch. I wish you luck with your decision!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 10-11-2004 - 4:18pm
Thanks...and no I will not judge anyone (except maybe my kids...lol!) I was sexually active before marriage, though if I had that decision to make over might choose differently.

Anyway...we sucessfully (yes the kids were "planned" except for the last one) used Fertility awareness (primarily mucous, can't temp because I don't sleep well enough)for over 10 years. For me perimenopause made it impossible as my midcycle changes became untrackable...they would ebb and flow and finally even though I was still having a light period about every 4-5 weeks I could not see them at all. We were trying to interact based solely on the calendar...but since I was becoming irregular that was obviously useless (hence baby #6...we felt we had played by the rules that particular month)

Well, best wishes to you,

Sandy

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2004
Mon, 10-11-2004 - 9:22pm
I'm assuming when you're talking about a Christian perspective, that you might be worried about IUDs acting to prevent implantation. This is a study on copper IUDs that shows how effective they are at preventing fertilization from occuring:

http://www.fhi.org/en/RH/Pubs/Network/v16_2/nt1623.htm

Aside from that though, many if not most Christian denominations have no problems with birth control. I can think of very few that do. I guess what really matters though is which branch of Christianity you belong to if you're looking for doctrine.