\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. The removal of an IUD is a straightforward process conducted in a doctors office for the majority of women. The D& C is used to obtain tissue samples for testing as well as to remove any IUD strings that may be left after its placement. Then take a stance similar to the one youd usually use to insert a tampon, Langdon says. Any persistent discomfort, uncomfortable symptoms, fever, or changes in your discharge arent normal, Nghiem-Eilbeck says. We found many of the videos had streams of comments from users describing their own experiences with IUDs or saying theyd removed their own or planned to do so soon because they couldnt or wouldnt get it out in a clinic. Please read our disclaimer for more information about our website. After removing your IUD, it is common to have some light bleeding or slight cramping. Find the best ones near you. It also has the added benefits of reducing or stopping menstrual flow. Well walk you through how to do it as safely as possible below. Google the brand of device you have and compare your IUD to pictures to make sure. IUDs are inserted by a provider and can provide up 10 years of contraceptive protection! For more information on our advocacy work surrounding this issue, check out our full statement on LARCs here. find an affordable and affirming provider, PCOS SOS: A Gynecologists Lifeline to Naturally Restore Your Rhythms, Hormones, and Happiness. A health care provider gently pulls on the string, and the IUDs arms fold up and it slips out. There's a slight chance that your IUD won't come out easily. This increases the effectiveness of the device as a birth control method. You should not experience heavy bleeding or severe pain after regular IUD removal. How does Mirena removal affect fertility? health insurance and affordable birth control. It was exciting, and, in a way, I was apologizing to my body., Briana, whos known as @bri_and_layla on TikTok and asked to omit her last name for privacy reasons, said that it was so much less painful than having the doctor insert a speculum to remove it.. But this is a really bad idea for more reasons than one. Birth Control, Intrauterine Device (IUD), Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs), 1413 K Street NW, If you have experienced complications with the removal and your doctor has prescribed antibiotics for an infection, take them as directed. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Typically, a healthcare provider just pulls on the string that hangs from the device, the T arms fold in, and the little bugger comes out. IUDs prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg by killing sperm and thickening the . wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Follow them on Twitter @andreavbecker and @rk_broussard. They are very effective and safe to use for most women and even offer a non-hormonal option. First, youll have some privacy to get ready. A healthcare professional will know what brand you have and when it will need to be replaced. Removing the device during these moments in your cycle may be easier. These symptoms are thought to be because of hormonal imbalance, but . IUD strings can sometimes work their way up to the uterus. What should I do if the patient is pregnant with an IUD? wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. But when times up, that sucker has to come out! These include bleeding, damage or perforation of the uterus or infection. Mirena removal is usually a quick and painless process that should be performed in your doctors office. For some people, an IUD can be really emancipatory, said Emily Mann, a sociologist and associate professor of public health at the University of South Carolina. Perhaps you dont want to wait for an appointment, or you dont have health insurance and dont want to pay out-of-pocket medical costs. If you take it between 48 and 72 hours of unprotected sex, the efficacy rate is 61%. However its usage is being linked to serious Mirena side effects which according to an Ohio woman caused her to be rushed to the emergency room where doctors had to surgically remove the IUD. The endometrial thickness and menstrual volume scores following three months of treatment were remarkably lower than those before treatment and were considerably lower than those of the control group. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Your doctor will remove the IUD if you want it removed or if it is out of place. By using our site, you agree to our. You don't need to do anything to prepare. Congrats! (2021, June 16). WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The term LARC (Long Acting Reversible Contraception) refers to IUDs and contraceptive implants. There are four IUDs containing levonorgestrel (LNG): Mirena, Liletta, Kyleena, and Skyla. Its recommended that a doctor perform your Mirena IUD removal, which is usually a quick procedure. Real answers from licensed attorneys. One study found that only 1 in 5 women is able to successfully . They may use a thin, lighted scope to look inside your vagina and uterus to remove the IUD. If the IUD has punctured your uterine wall, it must be medically removed at a hospital. That's why it's also called the copper IUD. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. What should I do? Paragard should be replaced after 12 years. An IUD can prevent pregnancy for 3 to 10 years. Even if your menstrual cycle has not stabilized, you can still get pregnant. : CD001324. I put up with it though until last night. Its possible for a part of the IUD to snap off and remain in the body, says Huong Nghiem-Eilbeck, MD, MPH, a provider at Pandia Health and board certified OB-GYN in Los Angeles, California. The NWHN wants women to be fully informed about Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) like IUDS so that they can decide if this form of birth control is best for them. So we had 2 Emergency Rooms. Do not remove your IUD yourself. Are all the parts still there? If the IUD is minimally embedded, it may be able to be removed with the standard procedure. Our writers are members of professional associations, including American Medical Writers Association, American Bar Association, The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates and International Society for Medical Publication Professionals. So, if youre going to have P-in-V intercourse and dont want to get pregnant, avoid removing the device around ovulation, which is when pregnancy is most likely. Do Not Sell My Info. However, as required by the new California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you may record your preference to view or remove your personal information by completing the form below. Your doctor should be able to tell you how long the type that you have is supposed to last. The cervix naturally opens slightly during ovulation and menstruation. As during a gynecological exam or an IUD insertion, you will lie on your back with your feet on foot rests. You can get pregnant immediately after getting your IUD removed. You may have some cramping or a small amount of vaginal bleeding that may last several hours to several days after the IUD removal. You might be able to get your IUD removed for free if you have health insurance or qualify for certain programs. If the KUB shows no IUD present, the device has been fully expelled (usually in the toilet). The removal can usually be done during an office visit. After removal, you can typically return to daily activities immediately. Curtis, K. M. (2016). 4. ", The vast majority of the time, [IUD removal] simply involves doing a simple exam much like a Pap smear.. IUDs only last for so long and eventually, you will need to have them replaced. You may be asked to take a pain medicine such as ibuprofen 30 to 60 minutes before your appointment. Follow her on Instagram @Gabriellekassel. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. IUDs are supposed to come out pretty darn easily. What types of IUD complications might I encounter in the ED? If you do not want to become pregnant, you should speak to your doctor about an alternative method of, This article contains incorrect information, This article doesn't have the information I'm looking for, Mirena IUD Litigation Revives Memories of Dalkon Shield Injuries, IUD Birth Control Like Mirena and Skyla Are Safe for Teens, Study Says, Medical Doctor, Epidemiologist, Public Health Expert, https://www.mirena-us.com/mirena-birth-control/mirena-removal, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13304-022-01246-0, https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=tw12366, https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/health-wellness-and-safety-resources/helping-hands/intrauterine-device-removal, https://www.mdedge.com/obgyn/article/177033/contraception/should-return-fertility-be-concern-nulliparous-patients-using-iud, https://www.hindawi.com/journals/cmmm/2022/5648918/. IUDs are an excellent choice if you want: But you should learn more about IUDs when deciding if you want to get an IUD. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. The doctor will use a speculum to hold the vagina open so they can see the IUD strings. Less than 1% of women who use an IUD as an emergency contraceptive get pregnant. Mirena. Slide one finger into your vagina and see if you can feel the string. This can lead to even more severe complications. Its not completely sterile, and if anything happens to go wrong, you dont have a trained professional there for immediate assistance. In addition to Healthline, her work has appeared in publications such as Shape, Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, Health, Self, Womens Health, Greatist, and more! If you're looking to purchase birth control online, the Optum Store is one place you can do it. Abnormal bleeding is the primary side effect for which women elect to discontinue IUD use. 1. I think its great. It is most effective when taken within 3 days of unprotected sex. Typically, Mirena removal can be successfully completed in a few minutes. Retrieved from, MyHealth.Alberta. You may have cramps and spotting or light bleeding for a few days or weeks after your IUD comes out. And while trying to remove your IUD at home is unlikely to be seriously harmful, the primary risk is that it simply wont work. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. However, if you track the dates of your periods, you may notice a pattern . A doctor will. Theres a good chance IUD replacement wont be as bad as you might be thinking. In intrauterine pregnancy, if the IUD strings are visible, IUD removal is recommended. Hormonal IUDs are more likely to cause frequent irregular, sometimes prolonged, spotting and light bleeding. Track your periods to make it easier to tell if you miss one. To get your IUD out, your doctor will first insert a speculum, which is a tool used to widen your vagina in order to see your cervix better. One of our content team members will be in touch with you soon. Orgasms can cause muscle contractions in the pelvic floor. Over the last ten years, use of Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) has increased dramatically. How many types of IUDs are there? Discomfort can be managed with NSAIDS and/or referral. 2. The string is very, very thin. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy. Women also sometimes choose a different method of birth control because of complications from their Mirena device. Partially expelled. Your periods should go back into their normal cycle. If theres anything that living through a pandemic has taught you, hopefully its how to wash your hands. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. In addition, because the IUD is so effective at preventing a normal pregnancy, if one does occur, theres a higher chance that it will be an ectopic pregnancy, or one that occurs outside of the uterus. You may use a sanitary pad or a tampon if you need to until the bleeding stops. Visit your doctor right away if you have an IUD and think you may be pregnant, and seek emergency medical help if you think the pregnancy may be ectopic. Typically, these last a few hours. You can get pregnant immediately after getting your IUD removed. When will my period return after Mirena removal? [1] We cannot continue this work without committed institutional and individual partners like you.