IUDs are one of the safest, most effective forms of birth control out there - so why
aren’t more people using them?
Hey guys, Tara here for Dnews - and it’s always a fun day when I get to talk about
something I truly, firmly believe in.
Today, that thing is the IUD.
IUD stands for intrauterine device, and it’s a birth control method that’s been around
since the 60s.
It’s currently the most popular form of contraception in China, and many other countries
around the world - but for some reason, it hasn’t really caught on here in America.
That may soon change, though, as the American Academy of Pediatrics just labeled the IUD
the number one choice for contraceptive use in teens.
So what makes it so great?
And why is almost nobody in the western world using them?
Let’s start with the basics.
Here in the US, there are 2 different kinds of IUDs.
There’s copper, and then there’s hormonal.
Both of them look like little T-shaped devices that get inserted into your uterus.
Copper IUDs basically work like a spermicide.
They release copper ions into your system, which damage incoming sperm - preventing them
from joining with an egg.
Hormonal IUDs, on the other hand, release very small amounts of progestin into your
system, which thickens your cervical mucus to the point where sperm cannot penetrate
it.
In some women, they can actually inhibit ovulation - which significantly decreases both the frequency
and duration of your periods.
Some women stop menstruating almost entirely - unlike copper IUDs, which can actually increase
menstrual bleeding.
Still, a lot of women prefer the copper ones, because they don’t have hormones - and because
they last 10 years - unlike hormonal IUDs, which only 3-5 years.
That’s actually part of the reason doctors recommend them.
You implant it once, and then you don’t have to worry about it for several years.
So there’s basically no room for human error.
Especially with teens, who can be forgetful.
Another reason doctors like them - is that they’re incredibly effective.
A 2012 study labeled them the most effective form of birth control out there - and 20 times
more effective than the pill or the patch.
But if they’re really so great, then why aren’t more people using them?
Well, there’s a few reasons for that.
One, is that a lot of women simply don’t know about them - whereas everyone’s heard
of the pill.
But there are also a lot of misconceptions surrounding IUDs.
A common one, is that they’re dangerous - which stems from a particular brand in the
70s called the Dalkon Shield, that ended up being recalled after it was linked to a number
of deaths from septic miscarriages.
Turns out, it was due to a faulty design - and today’s devices have never been linked to
anything like that.
That said, there is evidence that women with IUDs who contract STDs - and in particular,
chlamydia - are at increased risk for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, which can lead to infertility.
That’s why all doctors are required to order thorough STD screenings before inserting them
- and many won’t even consider giving IUDs to women who aren’t in monogamous relationships.
Some doctors also don’t wanna give them to women who haven’t had children - because
they’re afraid of being sued by women who mistakenly believe their infertility was caused
by an IUD, when in fact - they were infertile all along.
So even though studies show that the risk of an IUD causing infertility is almost nonexistent,
some doctors just prefer to play it safe.
Still, it’s kinda tough to argue with something that A) lasts several years, B) saves you
thousands of dollars in the long run, C) is more effective than any other birth control
out there, and D) is virtually worry-free.
At the risk of giving too much information, all I’ll say - is that I have one, and I
will never, ever use anything else.
It’s awesome.
Enough about me though, what do you guys think?
Would you get an IUD?
And if you have one already, what do you think of it?
Let us know your answers in the comments below - and as always, thanks for watching!