IUD before pregnancy

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-17-2006
IUD before pregnancy
2
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 6:40pm
I was wondering if anyone knows if women in the US can get an IUD before pregnancy? I am having difficulty on the pill- 2nd month and 2nd type, and I just want to quit it. I had issues before about taking it, using hormones to control ovulation, and it seems my fears are founded. I am emotional, feel mildly depressed, bloated, and I am on a 20mg one level pill, as low as one can go. My relationship with my boyfriend is suffering, and I just don't feel like myself. I'm ready to use the diaphragm if necessary, but my first choice would be a more certain method. Is a barrier method without hormones like the IUD available to a person like me, 26, unmarried, without children but wishing to have them one day?
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-26-2005
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 7:14pm
really depends on the dr from what I've heard discussed on here...some drs will put one if you haven't had kids before and some won't.....good luck though!
Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 10:44pm

Hi rungi, welcome!

More doctors these days are inserting IUDs for women who haven’t given birth. The ParaGard was recently approved by the FDA for use by childless women, see: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-bhcontracept/?msg=17451.1 and the Mirena is commonly used in that way as well. The IUD is not a barrier like condoms, diaphragms and cervical caps. I think one of the medical community’s concerns for IUD candidates is that they be in a mutually monogamous relationship because a woman with an IUD and multiple partners is at greater risk of a pelvic infection. And, the possibility of an expulsion is slightly greater for childless women than it is for moms.

The two most common IUDs available in the U.S. are the ParaGard www.paragard.com (nonhormonal copper-T) with copper as the active element that is effective for 10 years and the Mirena www.mirena-us.com that continuously releases a tiny amount of progestin and that is effective for 5 years.

There is an adjustment interval of a few months after insertion of an IUD while your body adjusts to the device in your uterus. Some women using ParaGard report having heavier periods while Mirena users after the adjustment interval usually have shorter and lighter periods and for some users their periods disappear. We have a post in our FAQs about IUDs and the information on the Planned Parenthood site is: Understanding IUDs http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/medicalinfo/birthcontrol/pub-contraception-iud.xml

Talk to your doctor and see what s/he thinks about an IUD as an option for you and if his or her opinion isn’t favorable you can probably find another doctor who will insert one for you.

Thanks for posting. More questions? If so, please ask. Let us know what you and your doctor decide and how you’re doing, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill