Posts Tagged: IUD
The Science Behind The Copper IUD: How Does Metal Work for Birth Control?
Most forms of birth control, in terms of understanding how they work, are fairly straightforward. Barrier methods like diaphragms and condoms physically prevent sperm from entering the uterus, and hormonal methods like birth control pills, NuvaRings, and Nexplanon administer dosages of hormones that disrupt ovulation. But there’s an outlier in the BC field: PARAGARD, also known as the copper IUD. It is different from its other T-shaped counterparts because it does not contain any hormones; copper is the contraceptive in this product. How does copper actually work to prevent pregnancy? Is this method as reliable as its hormone-based peers, like other IUDs and the Nexplanon implant? Medical mechanisms In a mechanism of action report by CooperSurgical, the company that makes the copper IUD, the pharmacology behind this birth control… Read more »
Tell Me I Look Sexy With My IUD Strings Pushed Back: Let’s Chat About IUDs
Let me tell you a true story: I took the birth control pill for less than a month, and it made me feel horrendous. I gained weight, my skin broke out, and my pre-existing anxiety got even worse. This is where my first true love, my Mirena IUD, comes in. I’ve never had huge issues with my periods. They’ve never been particularly intense or cumbersome, but, instead, merely just annoying and inconsistent. I decided to get an IUD by the suggestion of my doctor before I went to college. It felt like not only the responsible thing to do as I take my first steps into ~adulthood~, but also, the thought of not having a period for FIVE years sold me. If you do the math, that’s roughly seven… Read more »
The Upsides and Downsides of an IUD
Perhaps I am late to the party, but IUDs or intrauterine devices are becoming an increasingly used as a reversible contraceptive method. According to Planned Parenthood, IUDS are a “T-shaped” device inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy” that is placed in the woman’s uterus by a healthcare professional. According to Michelle Andrews in Kaiser Health News, people who used methods of contraception between the years 2011 and 2013 used birth control pills at a rate of 26 percent, condoms at a rate of 15 percent, and IUDS at a rate of 12 percent. The ParaGard (used for up to 12 years) and hormonal IUD ( the Mirena brand can be used for five years and the Skyla brand can be used for three years) are used in the United… Read more »
The Kids Will Be All Right
Earlier this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) approved for the first time the use of long-acting contraceptive methods (LARCs) as the first recommended choice for teens. These devices, the intrauterine device (IUD) and the implant, offer the best of protection against unwanted pregnancies for at least three and up to twelve years (ten FDA-approved). This is especially good news considering that Skyla, the newest IUD on the market, was designed explicitly for young people and/or those who haven’t given birth. Two of the biggest reasons why it’s been difficult for those groups to find a gynecologist who would be willing to prescribe them IUDs were the slight risk of expulsion from the uterus before pregnancy has occurred, it was something that doctors used to discourage or outright deny… Read more »
I <3 my IUD
This is a message to all you lovely period-having people out there – stop asking if I have a tampon you could borrow. I have no tampons, I’ve never tried a Diva Cup, and I can’t commiserate with you about the awfulness of the whole menstruation thing. It might be nice to bond about this with you all and it might be nice to sync up cycles with my best friends but truth is I haven’t had a period since September of 2012. Don’t freak out — there’s nothing medically wrong with me! If I want to reproduce in the future I totally can! But for now, I am the proud owner of a Mirena IUD and have happily avoided my period since its insertion. I haven’t met a lot… Read more »
Why Reproductive Rights Are Economic Issues
I am SICK and TIRED of people telling me that women need to stop focusing on “frivolous” things, such as… oh I don’t know… the right to control my own fucking body… I digress. In this article I am going to quickly demonstrate how reproductive justice intersects with the economy and also how providing birth control and abortion will ultimately save the country money (even though we know it’s really not about the money… on either side). If Rush Limbaugh got his say… “I’m offering a compromise today: I will buy all of the women at Georgetown University as much aspirin to put between their knees as they want. … So Miss Fluke and the rest of you feminazis,” Feminazis… because obviously wanting equality equates to contributing to genocide… He… Read more »
