Can an IUD make sex painful? Here’s what an OB-GYN has to say

Contraceptives are always a good idea when it comes to safe sex. Except, when we talk about IUD or intrauterine copper devices, women have a lot of apprehensions. Will it be safe? Will it lead to painful sex? What about my chances of having a baby? These and millions of other questions pop up in the case of IUDs. 

Well here’s some news: there is nothing really to hate about IUDs, especially when you don’t want to get pregnant. And the best part is that an IUD has nothing to do with your sex drive. 

So then where are these misconceptions coming from? Well, the truth is that we aren’t very comfortable talking to our doctors about our sex life. And so we hesitate in broaching the topic of IUDs with our gynaecologists, including talking about how they actually work and the complications they might pose. 

That’s why today we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about IUDs. 

What is an IUD?

An IUD is an intrauterine device which is really very small and comes in T-shape. Also known as copper T, this is inserted in a woman’s uterus to avoid pregnancy. It is placed for three to 10 years. But unwanted pregnancy is not the only reason for getting an IUD. According to Dr. Aruna Kalra, senior gynaecologist and obstetrician at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, an IUD is inserted inside the uterine cavity for other purposes like:

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• Endometriosis
• Abnormal uterine bleeding
• Adenomyosis
• And to create gap between two pregnancies

There are two types of IUD that are really popular

• IUCD: This stands for Intrauterine Copper Device. It can be placed inside the uterus for 5 years or less.
• Mirena: It is an Intrauterine LNG Device which is also placed inside the uterus for 5 years or less. 

This is how an IUD works

Basically, there are two kinds of IUD–hormonal and non-hormonal. The hormonal IUDs contain progestin which suppresses the ovulation process while thickening the cervical mucus and thinning the uterus lining. This makes it more difficult for sperm to penetrate. On the other hand, copper based non-hormonal IUDs create an inflammatory reaction to prevent pregnancy.

If you talk about the failure percentage then we will gladly tell you that according to the American CDC, hormonal IUDs only fail in 0.4% of the cases and non-hormonal ones in 0.8% of the cases. So, basically your uterus is in safe hands.   

Now comes the big question, is it safe to have sex with an IUD

And the answer is yes. “It is safe to have sex with IUD. In fact, the first reason to opt for IUD insertion is to have safe and effective contraception,” says Dr Kalra. “Preferably, IUD is recommended for women who have already delivered once and wants to have a gap before the next conception,” she adds.  

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But just getting an IUD and not maintaining your reproductive health and hygiene can land you in deep trouble. Also, you must ensure that you undergo this procedure from a reputed place and under the supervision of your gynaecologist.  

Here are four complications that can happen while having sex with an IUD

1. IUD can cause vaginal infection if proper hygiene is not maintained.

2. A displaced IUD can lead to irregular bleeding and post-intercourse (post coital) bleeding.

3. A displaced IUD can cause discomfort during sex

4. Threads of the IUD can be pulled accidently while having sex that’s why you need to ensure that you get it done from a good doc.

“Yearly pap smear and per speculum examination is advised to check the position of IUD, health of cervix and any infection in vagina,” concludes Dr Kalra.

So ladies, you just have to be a little vigilant other than that IUDs are not at all problematic.