What are the negative effects of IUDs on women's health?

The IUD has many advantages in terms of effectiveness, safety, and providing protection against pregnancy for many years. However, like other methods of contraception, it is not without some side effects and harms. The harms of the IUD appear in the problems that may occur when it is installed or after this stage, especially in the year. The first one to put it

This article discusses the risks of using a contraceptive IUD, as well as the risks of continuing to use it after its expiration date, as well as the extent of the IUD's effect on the husband.

Article information :

1= The IUD's Negative Effects on Women

2= IUD damage after its expiry date

3= Warnings of using an IUD

4= Is there any harm to the IUD on men?

1= The IUD's Negative Effects on Women :

 

 

The IUD is a small T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus by the doctor. There are two types of it: the copper IUD (non-hormonal) and the hormonal IUD.

Women who use the IUD as a method of contraception may not suffer from any problems, while in other cases women may face some problems during its installation or afterward, and the nature of these damages may vary based on the type of IUD and their health condition.

We explain below the most important possible harms of the IUD:

**Abdominal cramps

The process of inserting the IUD may be accompanied by abdominal cramps similar to menstrual cramps. Women often suffer from this pain during the insertion of the IUD when the cervix is ​​opened, and this may continue for several hours or days after the IUD is inserted.

The pain can be severe in some cases, especially in women who have never given birth naturally.

**Irregular or heavy menstruation:

Harmful effects of the copper and hormonal IUD include irregular menstruation and a change in the nature of menstruation, as women may suffer from:

 -Bleeding between menstrual periods during the first 3 to 6 months of inserting the IUD.

 -Menstruation is longer than usual, especially with a copper IUD.

 -Heavy bleeding gradually decreases with the hormonal IUD, and over time the period can become light or stop

. It should be noted that a prolonged menstrual period may lead to a woman suffering from anemia as a result of losing large amounts of blood during this period.

**Uterine perforation:

The harms of inserting an IUD can appear in causing a hole in the uterine wall while inserting the IUD into it. In rare cases, the IUD may penetrate the uterine wall to cross into other parts of the pelvis and abdominal cavity and pose a danger to the internal organs. Which requires surgical removal.

**The IUD has moved out of place or fallen out:

The movement of the IUD from its place or its falling out is one of the common harms of the IUD, especially in the first three months of its installation. This movement may be partial, as the IUD moves from its natural position at the top of the uterus, or it may be complete, with the IUD falling out and completely

 -Abnormal, foul-smelling vaginal discharge.

 -Pain during intercourse. exiting the uterus into the vagina.

The IUD may move out of place or fall out, causing signs and symptoms in some cases, such as:

Abdominal pain and cramps.

Vaginal bleeding.

It is worth noting that the risks of the IUD moving from its place lie in affecting the effectiveness of the IUD in preventing pregnancy. Which may lead to an unintended pregnancy without the woman planning for it.

**Pelvic infection:

Pelvic infection is one of the harms of the IUD that can occur, especially in the first twenty days after the IUD is inserted. Bacteria may spread to the cervix or uterus during the insertion process, causing an infection called pelvic inflammatory disease.

Pelvic inflammatory disease is defined as a serious health problem in which inflammation occurs in one or more of a woman’s reproductive organs, namely the uterus, fallopian tube, or ovary. The most prominent signs of this infection include the following:

 -Feeling lower abdominal pain.

 -High body temperature and chills.

 

 -Heavy vaginal bleeding.

**Ectopic pregnancy:

Harmful effects of the IUD include that it may slightly increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy, a condition in which the fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus, and this may pose a risk to the mother's health.

 -Signs of an ectopic pregnancy may appear in the form of:

 -Pain in the lower abdomen on one side.

 -Vaginal bleeding.

 -Feeling uncomfortable while urinating or defecating.

 -Amenorrhea

**Ovarian cysts:

The hormonal IUD may cause fluid-filled ovarian cysts, most of which are harmless and disappear on their own within a few months. Ovarian cysts are more likely to occur in the first year of insertion of the IUD, and in some cases they are not accompanied by any symptoms, while some suffer from bloating or pain in the lower abdomen.

**Other IUD harms:

 

The harms of non-hormonal and hormonal IUDs can also cause the following problems in some women, including:

Increased menstrual pain.

Abdominal and pelvic pain, or back pain.

Pain during intercourse.

Vaginitis.

In some cases, the side effects of the hormonal IUD include suffering from the following problems as a result of the progesterone hormone that the IUD releases into the blood:

Headache or migraine.

Nausea and vomiting.

Breast pain.

acne.

2= IUD damage after its expiry date:

The lifespan of an IUD varies from one type to another. The copper IUD may be effective for up to 12 years, while the hormonal IUD's effectiveness ranges between 3 to 6 years, depending on its type. The IUD should be removed after this period expires and replaced with a new one.

The harm of leaving the IUD on for a long period after its expiry date is that it increases the risk of infection, which may affect the woman’s health, and may in some cases lead to infertility. In addition, the IUD after its expiration date does not provide sufficient protection against pregnancy. Therefore, an unplanned pregnancy is highly likely if the IUD is not replaced with another one.

 3= Warnings of using an IUD :

Deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.

Severe anemia.

Haemophilia.

diabetic.

ovarian cancer.

Suffering from pelvic inflammatory disease in the past 12 months.

A history of sexually transmitted infections within the past two years.

The uterus is tilted forward or backward.

Vaginal infections, such as bacterial vaginosis.

4= Is there any harm to the IUD on men? :

The IUD does not cause any harm to men during intercourse, and usually the husband does not feel its presence because the IUD is fixed to the top of the uterus and only the threads reach the vagina. These are very thin plastic threads that do not cause any problems during intercourse and cannot cause the man to feel pain.

Advice :

The IUD may cause health problems in some women, some of which disappear automatically after a short period, while some of them are serious and require urgent medical intervention, but this rarely happens. In general, a woman who has had an IUD inserted to prevent pregnancy is advised to see a doctor if she suffers from severe cramps, vaginal discharge, abnormal bleeding, or any other symptoms that indicate the presence of a health problem.