How many of you know what an IUD is, and the pros and cons of using one?
How many of you are totally clueless?
I've gotten the impression that college aged girls don't know what they are, which is an explanation for something I've wondered about before. (why more women don't use them)

1/20/2006 6:17:19 PM

I'm a man and I know what it is.

1/20/2006 6:28:03 PM

I'm getting one monday

Why do many not use them? Several reasons but the biggest is that women our age are not able to get them.

Most doctors will not give them to nonmarried, nulliparous (never pregnant/childless), non-monogamous women. There is a concern (according to the doctors, and it is not entirely unfounded) that a contracted STD can travel up the strings and go directly to the uterus and cause PID which is the leading cause of infertility in young women. I cannot tell you how many women have been amazed that my doctor did not put up a fight at all when I mentioned it but then pointed out that I have been with my boyfriend and now fiance since I began mentioning the topic to her. The only other female friend I have with an IUD is a mother of 2 though is also my age. Online I belong to a community that passes tips and stories and just today a woman who has been with her boyfriend for 4 years was told by her doctor a flat out NO until she had an engagment ring.

Secondly nulliparous women have a slightly higher chance of expulsion so then you have to pay to redo the entire thing.

Lastly, while they can last 5 or 10 years, it can be VERY expensive if you do not have health insurance or some sort of subsidy to help. My doctor's office broke down the expensives for me:
Mirena (progesterone plastic IUD, lasts for 5 years) = $700
Insertion = $250
Office Visit = $110
Exam = $200

However, due to insurance, my cost is about $70. Yet my insurance is *only* covering it because I am getting it for the treatment of endometriosis. They said if it was just for birth control they would not cover nearly as much.

They are a form of long term birth control that is somewhat easily reversible but require doctor intervention rather than just stopping a pill or a condom. There is no male involvment so men cannot be entirely sure if the woman has one (unless he feels the strings). Many women my age (23, 24 in March) are not interested in being pregnant free for 5 years, even though I can have it removed early. Of course, if I was paying over 1000 then I would definately want it to last the entire time.

Secondly there is the risk of side effects requireing the removal. The Mirena may stop periods which some women do NOT like. The Paraguard and the copper IUD (both last up to 10 years) may actually make periods HEAVIER.

Lastly while many of us may spend alot more than 1000 on birth control pills or condoms over 5 years, you can at least see it working so to speak. There is comfort in that to alot of people.

1/20/2006 6:28:43 PM

I know about them, but never really wanted to get one because of the potential for complications in women who have never had children before and also because the Pill isn't that expensive for me usually and I have no problem remembering to take it.

1/20/2006 6:34:12 PM

just have the guy wear a condom and pull out

1/20/2006 6:39:48 PM

I have one; it's amazing

I will never go back to the pill again. Every pill I tried made me retain water

I have no cramps, and hardly ever have a period

Most of my girlfriends have gotten one since I told them about it

And mine only had a $20 co-pay

1/20/2006 7:34:59 PM

I've thought about getting one. But I hear they're ridiculously painful to have inserted.

1/20/2006 7:48:05 PM

haha I had a $40 copay.
the costs broke down this way:
$495 for mirena
$175 for insertion
$172 for a new patient office exam

^^I chose mirena b/c i'm know i won't take the pill at the same time daily (and will probably forget it fairly often), and the patch isn't an option to me. It's so wonderful!

Unipride, the extent of the reluctance you mentioned suprises me. At Planned Parenthood, they tried very hard to veer me towards the patch (even saying that at my weight, it would still be 97% effective...yeah, like I wanna pay for two forms of birth control when theres a better option), but I gave up on them b/c they were so fucking rude.
Today, the doctor offered no doubts, no reluctance, or hesitation. All he asked was "why did you choose mirena?".


I was so excited to get mine. When one of my friends asked me why I had needed a ride, I told her, and she was all "what's an IUD?". I also ended up having to explain it to another friend, who was able to give me a ride afterwards.

It's not like these are a new form of BC, which is why I don't understand why so many women don't know about it. Heck, a few years ago, my mom had to tell one of her friends (30something housewife) what an IUD was. While they aren't the best choice for most women in their early 20s, I believe women should know every option available, and this is one of them.

^That's what I had heard as well...but it wasn't any worst than my worst cramps (which, to be fair, are far worse than most womens.) The worst pain also lasted less than a minute, and I have yet to have any bad cramping this evening. Then again, I've been proactive about keeping them away...not sitting down much, not being still, and doing errands.

1/20/2006 7:51:45 PM

Sounds painful.

1/20/2006 8:32:07 PM

How does it work?

1/20/2006 8:42:57 PM

they put that shit through their cervix and into the uterus

1/20/2006 8:43:52 PM

damn mother fucker...

why are so many folks against it?

I figure there must be a good reason

1/20/2006 9:49:02 PM

i want one, but i can't have one my ovaries are broken and i have to take specific meds.

1/20/2006 10:26:38 PM

I admit that I don't know a whole lot about IUDs, but the idea makes me a little queasy. It just seems so invasive. I think when I need birth control I am going to go for nuva ring.

1/20/2006 10:35:25 PM

Nuva ring aint all that hot. ImHO anyways as i'm on it. I wish i was back on ortho tri cyclin personally.

i know about IUD's, I just never really considered getting one. I guess it wouldn't be a huge deal if i wanted one since I supposedly cant have kids anyway.

I guess it just never really struck me as an option becuase of the hassle and expense of getting one. Might consider it later I suppose.

1/20/2006 10:46:53 PM

why not just make the guy wear a condom?

1/20/2006 11:12:29 PM

^ There are other benefits depending on who you are /your situation beyond not having kids.

Some types clear up acne, BC as a whole can help with other problems like endometriosis (spelling?) as mentioned above. etc.

1/20/2006 11:17:35 PM

condoms don't feel good, they're not that reliable, and they suck for spontaneity.

1/20/2006 11:27:21 PM

And depending on how much you're having sex, condoms can be just as expensive as birth control yet less reliable.

1/20/2006 11:28:18 PM

well, i wear a condom regardless.

IUD doesn't prevent teh clap.

1/20/2006 11:44:47 PM

that's why you shouldn't fuck random broads

1/20/2006 11:46:21 PM

condoms suck ass.

1/21/2006 2:43:00 AM

Quote :

"well, i wear a condom regardless. IUD doesn't prevent teh clap."

if a chick has the clap and an IUD, stay far, far, far away, b/c she's crazy.

1/21/2006 11:59:58 AM

As far as I know, unlike most oral contraceptives, IUDs don't release "pregnancy hormones" to trick your body into thinking you're pregnant. I think most people have an aversion to them because when you have an IUD, you can actually get pregnant, but the IUD makes the uterus a place that the egg doesn't want to grow, so you basically stop a pregnancy after it starts.

That's as much as I've heard about them, I may be wrong. My aunt had a child born with an IUD implanted in his head, the doc just removed it.

1/21/2006 12:19:00 PM

Quote :

"As far as I know, unlike most oral contraceptives, IUDs don't release "pregnancy hormones" to trick your body into thinking you're pregnant. I think most people have an aversion to them because when you have an IUD, you can actually get pregnant, but the IUD makes the uterus a place that the egg doesn't want to grow, so you basically stop a pregnancy after it starts."

you can get pregnant with an IUD, simply because there is no BC that is 100% effective. Mirena, which does have hormones, has a failure rate of 0.1%.

1/21/2006 12:31:07 PM

another example of wolfwebbers wanting to be cool by trying the shit out that nobody probably hardly uses

just stick to condoms and birth control pills

1/21/2006 12:43:51 PM

Three doctors have refused to give me a tubal or IUD because I'm a "perfectly healthy 20~ year old and I'm sure you'll change your mind about having kids ONE day!"

[Edited on January 21, 2006 at 2:10 PM. Reason : Kids are gross.]

1/21/2006 2:08:05 PM

getting pregnant is a debatable term. To the medical community, a woman is not pregnant until the zygote is implanted.

The IUD makes the uterus inhospital to implantation by irritating the lining. Secondly, the IUD helps to 'scope' the egg out of the uterus and down towards the cervix to avoid fertilization. Third, the IUD can help make the uterus inhospitable to sperm. The Mirena also has Progesterone which also helps reduce/prevent ovulation as well as increasing cervical secretions to block semen progression into the uterus (similar to the pill).

Some argue though that if the sperm and egg meet and fertilize then the IUD is working as an antiabortifact, an argument I highly disagree with.

However, women who do get pregnant with an IUD should immediately have the IUD removed and be checked for an ectopic pregnancy which must be aborted because it is fatal to the mother.

1/21/2006 3:17:46 PM

Quote :

"Three doctors have refused to give me a tubal or IUD because I'm a "perfectly healthy 20~ year old and I'm sure you'll change your mind about having kids ONE day!""

that's when you know they don't know what the hell theyre doing, and should point out to them that IUDs are reversible


or did they pull the relationship card when you did that?

1/21/2006 3:25:10 PM

gotta watch those doctors who don't know what the hell they're doing

they should probably consult the wolfweb for medical advice

1/21/2006 3:38:03 PM

I didn't know what they were as you probably recall, but that's because I can't use that kind of stuff. So my gyno hasn't even discussed those types of options with me.

1/21/2006 7:41:00 PM

I'm a man and I know what it is.

1/21/2006 7:46:13 PM