Note: This is not a substitution for consulting a doctor. You must speak with your doctor or gynecologist in order to determine which method of birth control is right for you.
Here, I will explain why I considered the copper IUD as well as my experiences of obtaining one. This article is inspired by Madeline Bove, who is the amazing president of Her Campus Rochester. To read about her experience with the IUD (also with the Paragard) click here!
Why I considered an IUD
With this article, I wanted to bring up some topics that I consider extremely personal, or even uncomfortable to discuss. However, in our current political climate and in this stage of our lives, it is vital to raise awareness about women’s sexual and reproductive health. The IUD is necessary to consider right now, because women’s health care and reproductive rights may be changing very soon. Moreover, as students in our early twenties, our health insurance plans may be changing due to our changing careers.
Why now? I haven’t even graduated yet.
My friends always give me the same responses when I advise them to consider getting an IUD:
“My pills are already covered by insurance.”
“It sounds like it would hurt!”
“I’m not having sex right now, so it doesn’t really apply to me.”
Even if these things are true for you, I still urge you to stop and think about it!
For example, let’s say you’re a student currently covered by your parents’ plan, which covers birth control pills. When you get a job in the next few years, you have no idea what your company’s insurance will cover. Moreover, if you switch jobs a lot in your twenties (which is fairly common), your coverage will be changing all the time! This means you may never know how much you’ll be paying, whether or not something will be covered, and adjusting your contraceptives as this fluctuates.
Another common situation for students is that they plan on staying on a parent’s insurance plan until they’re 26. This is allowed by the Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, as of the 27th of January, “The United States Senate voted 51-48 to approve a budget that would allow the repeal of the Affordable Care Act” (Snopes).
To summarize the information from Snopes, we don’t know if the repeal of the ACA will actually occur. However, if it does occur, we do not know what will replace it. Therefore, millennial women have to prepare now for the fact that birth control may no longer be covered by your current insurance plan, or that you will no longer be covered by your parent’s insurance. The price could go up, the coverage could disappear entirely, or you could even be without insurance if you are unemployed at the time of the ACA repeal. Even if you’re not sexually active now, this could affect you once you do decide to take that step. But by then, it may be too late to get affordable coverage!
The solution to these problems is the IUD. It will cover you if these policy changes are made, as well as when you switch careers.
The Doctor Consultation
I’ll link you to more detailed information so you can uncover some basic facts about both kinds of IUDs (hormonal vs. copper) for yourself. However, specific concerns of yours may not be discussed online, so you should contact your doctor for a consultation for any questions you may have.
For a consultation with a doctor, you don’t even have to be sure that you want an IUD. At my consultation at UHS, a Nurse Practitioner gave me detailed explanations of the effectiveness, duration of effectiveness, and procedure information of all forms of contraception, IUDs included. She also answered the questions I had in a non-judgemental, professional manner.
The Nurse Practitioner that I had for my consultation and procedure with was extremely pleasant. Doctors and NPs should never judge you for your sexual history or sexual behavior; they are there to help you. If you detect a negative attitude coming for your medical professional, you should seek help from someone else.
Why I chose the copper IUD over the hormonal IUD
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I’m an extremely forgetful person with an irregular schedule. Hormonal pills don’t work for me because I don’t take them well enough for them to succeed.
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The copper IUD lasts for approximately 10 years; this will outlast two Trump presidencies and will not be removed until I’m 30 years old. I can go through all of my twenties without needing to refill a prescription, remove and implant the bar in my arm, or get a depo shot. The convenience of it was a major plus for me. And this way, I won’t have to worry about the coverage changes/ price changes of the pill.
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I don’t plan on having kids for a long, long time. Possibly ever. If I was, say, 27, and wanted to have kids by 30, a more flexible method may be better for me. But this is much easier for my lifestyle.
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My periods have always been light and short. The copper IUD can often make your periods heavier and longer, while the hormonal IUD makes them shorter and lighter. I didn’t want to stop my period altogether because my period lets me know how healthy I am and reassures me that I’m not pregnant. I also didn’t want to sacrifice the lifespan of the IUD (The copper lasts 10 years while the hormonal lasts about 5.) for a lighter period. But if you have heavier, longer periods, the duration of the copper IUD may not be worth it for you.
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It was completely covered by my insurance. It can cost up to $1,000 if you don’t have insurance. Most insurance providers will either completely cover it or cover a generous amount. If the price is an issue for you, which it was for me, find out the cost before undergoing the procedure.
Your situation may be much different from mine. Some women need a dose of progesterone in order to function normally, requiring the hormonal version. You may have more intense, long-lasting periods, and won’t be able to handle the side effects of the copper IUD. You may have a regular schedule that allows you to take the pill at the same time every day, and that may be what works best for you. In these cases and more, your preferences and needs may be different from mine.
However, for me, the security of not having to do anything (other than annual check-ups) for the next ten years made the IUD my favorite method. Never again will I need to frantically drive to CVS at 11 p.m. to refill my prescription!
The Procedure
The important thing to remember, before I begin, is that every person’s experience with the IUD is different. My experience may not be the same as yours.
After my informative consultation, I called my insurance company to make sure that the Paragard (copper IUD) would be covered. After knowing that it was covered, I made my appointment for the procedure. I also had to get an STD test before undergoing the procedure.That was the easy part, just peeing in a cup.
I’m not going to lie; I felt extremely awkward having someone get a good look at me, with fluorescent lighting and only a paper-thin blanket to cover me. But my Nurse Practitioner made sure I was emotionally and physically comfortable. When she saw I was nervous, she asked me if she should stop or if I needed anything. She comforted me and told me everything she was going to do before she did it. In that regard, I hope that experience will be universal in all procedures.
Now, what you’re wondering about: the pain. I was so scared that I would be in intense pain during the insertion. But I wasn’t! There are supposed to be three cramps during the procedure (opening the cervix, measuring the uterus, and inserting the device). I did experience these cramps, but they were completely tolerable. The nurse and Nurse Practitioner offered ibuprofen to me, which I accepted, before the procedure, which likely alleviated some pain.
The Aftermath
When I got back to my dorm, I felt drained. After an hour, I had deep discomfort in my abdomen and back, but no sharp cramps. Some ibuprofen and a heating pad kind of helped, but not a lot, and the cramps were gone after 24 hours. The worst part of my experience was feeling tired, bloated, and experiencing discomfort that made me lie on the floor for most of the night. While the pain wasn’t too bad, I don’t ever have cramps. If you experience this regularly while menstruating, the pain may be more severe pain for you.
You are supposed to get the IUD while on your period because it makes insertion easier. After the IUD insertion, my period was heavier and lasted the entire week. I wasn’t exactly thrilled, but they had prepared me for that consequence, so I wasn’t affected too terribly. I also had some irritableness and mood swings, but who wouldn’t be irritable after bleeding for a week straight, right?
Current Opinions
It’s been two weeks since the insertion, and a week since my period ended. I couldn’t be happier with my decision, and I strongly encourage you to talk to your parents or physician to find out if this contraceptive method is the right one for you. I’m now very comforted that no matter what the majority of the Republican House, Senate, and President will pass in the next few years, and no matter what job I have once I graduate, I will be safe from the absolute last thing I want right now… a baby.