The Pros and Cons of the Copper IUD (ParaGard)

May 20, 2021 - Lara Briden

“Cons of the copper IUD:

You might have to pay.”
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“Insertion can be painful. “
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“IUD insertion is an in-office procedure that takes just a few minutes—it’s not surgery. It may cause cramping for a couple of weeks after insertion and more pain with your periods. “…..read the article for details

“It will probably make periods heavier and could cause spotting between periods.”
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“It’s bad for the vaginal microbiome and doubles the risk of bacterial vaginosis.”

“It might come out.”
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“It might cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID),”
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“It carries a small risk of uterine perforation, which could lead to surgery.”
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“It might cause copper excess. The amount of copper potentially released from a copper IUD is small compared to the amount we obtain from foods such as dark chocolate. Nevertheless, some IUD users report anxiety and attribute it to possible copper toxicity. “
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“If and when you want it out, you will need to see your doctor. In theory, you cannot remove it yourself, but actually many women do successfully manage self-removal, and one study found “little health risk from a woman removing her own intrauterine device”.  The authors go on to say that IUDs would be more popular if women had the control to remove them.”

“Your partner might feel the string, but probably won’t.”

“It doesn’t protect against STIs (sexually transmitted infections).”