Warnings About Copper IUDs

“Believed by many to be the “natural” option for birth control (given that it does not contain any synthetic hormones), the copper IUD has its own set of risks.

Known in the US by the trade name Paragard®, the copper IUD carries with it the well-known side effects of heavy bleeding and menstrual pain, including cramping and backache. As with other IUDs, there is also the risk of painful insertion, and the rarer but more serious risks of migration, ectopic pregnancy, and uterine perforation.

Copper toxicity or poisoning is another side effect that affects some women with the copper IUD. Doctors and pharmaceutical companies assure women that unless they have a known genetic disorder (such as Wilson’s disease) that affects their body’s ability to filter out copper, that copper toxicity from this IUD is extremely unlikely. Anecdotally, however, women on the copper IUD have experienced alarming psychiatric effects, including racing thoughts, suicidal ideation, and anxiety and depression. In addition, women on the copper IUD have reported feeling other effects often associated with copper poisoning such as headaches, vomiting, fainting, dizziness, nausea, and heart palpitations, among other side effects.”

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