What is an IUD? Answering the birth control questions you were too afraid to ask

As lawmakers across the United States attempt to ban or limit contraception options, medical experts are hoping to clear up misinformation.

More than 65% of women in the U.S. between the ages of 15 and 49 used some form of contraception between 2017 and 2019, according to the most recent National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) analysis.

More than 10% of them used an intrauterine device (IUD) or other kind of longterm contraceptive implant. For context, that's less than those who used oral contraceptive pills (14%) but more than the amount who used condoms (8.4%).

Here's what a gynecologist wants you to know about IUDs.

What is an IUD? 

Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, are a long-term, reversible form of birth control that lessens the ability of sperm to reach and fertilize an egg. The small T-shaped device inserted through the vagina into the uterus and can remain in the body for three to 10 years depending on the type, according to Yale Medicine.

IUDs are "one of the most effective birth control methods," gynecologist Karen Tang, M.D., tells USA TODAY, noting that they're more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. That makes it one of the most effective forms of birth control alongside hormonal implants and permanent sterilization, per statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What are the disadvantages of IUDs? 

There are risks to all methods of birth control, notes Tang, author of the upcoming book “It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told)."

Some potential downsides or issues with IUDs include:

• The IUD not being positioned correctly in the uterus
• Uterus cramping, which can expel the IUD
• Prolonged bleeding or pain
• In rare cases, Tang says the IUD can "perforate through the walls of the uterus"

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Can my partner feel my IUD?

"They shouldn't," Tang says, noting that the IUD is inserted inside the uterus. If your partner does feel something painful or hard, that could be a sign that the IUD is falling out.

"Some people report that their partner can feel the strings, but that is also rare, because the strings are usually tucked behind the cervix," Tang adds.

If the IUD is falling out, or if you have any other reason to believe you may be pregnant with an IUD in place, Tang stresses that you should call a gynecologist "immediately." It's important in these cases to take a pregnancy test and get an ultrasound to determine whether the IUD is still in place.

In the meantime, she suggests you either abstain from sex or use another form of birth control, such as condoms.

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