6 Benefits of an IUD

Nearly two-thirds of women of reproductive age in the United States have taken family planning into their hands by using birth control. And the good news is that there are plenty of options to choose from, which is also the bad news — the birth control landscape can be confusing.

To help break it down, Dr. Fernando Otero and the team of women’s health experts here at Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley want to highlight one of the more popular family planning choices — the intrauterine device (IUD) — and a few of the reasons why women love this option.

1. IUDs are long-lasting and reversible

One of the main reasons why slightly more than 10% of women using birth control use IUDs is because they’re categorized as long-lasting reversible contraceptives.

With IUDs, we place either a small hormonal IUD or a t-shaped device wrapped in copper inside your uterus to prevent pregnancy. Depending on the brand and type, you can get anywhere from 3 to 12 years of protection.

And when you no longer want that protection, all you need to do is come see us, and we remove the IUD in just a few minutes, restoring your fertility.

2. IUDs are hassle-free

Birth control options range from on-the-spot methods like diaphragms and condoms to daily oral contraceptives like the pill. If you would prefer a more hassle-free approach to birth control, an IUD is just the ticket. Once we insert the device, your protection is in place and there’s nothing more that you need to do.

3. IUDs offer superior protection

Whether you use the copper IUD, which blocks sperm, or the hormonal one, which also blocks sperm and regulates ovulation, you enjoy a very high rate of protection against pregnancy — a near perfect efficacy rating of 99%.

4. IUDs can make periods better

With hormonal IUDs, many women experience much lighter periods. Some women stop having periods altogether.

5. IUDs don’t have to use hormones

Some women are sensitive to hormonal birth control, which makes the copper version a good fit as it doesn’t contain any. Instead, this IUD is wrapped in copper wire, which repels sperm.

6. IUDs can be used as emergency contraception

Certain IUDs, namely Paragard®, Mirena®, and Liletta®, can be inserted up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex to stop pregnancy.

Now that we’ve outlined some of the many benefits of the IUD, we want to point out that IUDs do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. As well, you may experience some cramping after we place the IUD, but this side effect is usually short-lived.

If all of this sounds good so far, the next step is to come see us so we can make sure you’re a good candidate for the IUD. To get that ball rolling, please contact one of our offices in McAllen or Edinburg, Texas., to schedule an appointment.