Facts and fables about the spiral
Choosing a suitable contraceptive method is really a thing for me, because the strangest ghost stories circulate about almost every method. This also applies to the IUD: that it can disappear without a trace in your body or that it could take centuries before you can get pregnant again. Stories that make me doubt as well, despite the fact that I know many women who have one and are very satisfied with it. What is true and what is not? I thought it would be handy to put some facts and fables for you in a row. Here they come:
The hormonal IUD only releases hormones in the uterus: FABLE
There are two types of IUDs: the hormone-free copper IUD (T-Safe) and the hormonal IUD (Mirena and Kyleena). Many women choose a hormonal IUD instead of the pill because they think that hormones are only released in the uterus. However, this is not the case: the hormones from the hormonal IUD actually enter the bloodstream, which also affects the brain and the heart.
Placing an IUD can be painful: FACT
Of course, this varies from person to person, but I found it quite painful to have my hormonal IUD inserted. There’s a duckbill involved, a clamp, and all sorts of tools that don’t exactly make you cheerful. Well, fortunately, it doesn’t take long, so you’re done quickly, but the fact that it is painless is unfortunately just a myth.
The copper IUD can make your periods heavier: FACT
The big advantage of the copper IUD is, of course, that no hormones are involved. A downside is that it does affect your menstruation. For example, you may be on your period longer for the first two to three months, lose more blood, and experience more pain. Some women have no issues at all, but some women continue to experience this. So if you normally have a lot of trouble with blood loss or pain during your period, then a copper IUD may unfortunately worsen this.
You don’t get your period anymore with the hormonal IUD: FABLE
That the hormonal IUD can reduce excessive blood loss is a fact, but not every woman experiences no bleeding at all. So don’t assume that you will never get your period again once you start using the hormonal IUD. However, you can expect to menstruate less heavily.
You gain weight from the hormonal IUD: FABLE
This is a big fear for many women, which certainly doesn’t come from nowhere. The hormonal IUD does bring extra progesterone (a substance that increases appetite) into your bloodstream, which can indeed make you hungrier. But ultimately, it’s entirely up to you how much more you actually eat and thus gain weight.
If you have your IUD removed, you can’t get pregnant right away: FABLE
As soon as the IUD is out of your body, you are immediately fertile again. However, your own cycle needs to get back on track, which can take a few months, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant.
Men can feel the strings of the IUD during sex: FACT
This is certainly true, but absolutely no reason to panic, because if this is the case, you can simply have the strings of the IUD cut shorter by your doctor. Problem solved.
The IUD can get lost in your body: FABLE
This is perhaps the biggest horror story that circulates about the IUD, and yet it is not true. The IUD cannot get lost, dissolve, or disappear. What can happen is that during the placement of the IUD, it can puncture through the uterine wall. The consequence of this can be that the IUD does not end up in the uterus but in the free abdominal cavity. Fortunately, an ultrasound check can always clearly show whether the IUD is properly placed or not.
The IUD decreases your sex drive: FABLE
In principle, both IUDs should not affect your libido. However, there is a fear that the hormones can lower the desire for sex. However, a study among 40 women has shown that no difference can be demonstrated between the sex drive of women with a copper IUD and women with a hormonal IUD.
