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IUD Insertion: What to Expect During and After

Women's Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley Blog IUD Insertion: What to Expect During and After
IUD Insertion: What to Expect During and After

Like millions of women — nearly 55% of women of reproductive age in the United States use contraception — you’re taking family planning into your own hands and using birth control to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. 

To accomplish this, you’re planning on an intrauterine device (IUD), and it’s your first time using this form of birth control. Well, you’re in excellent company, as 12% of women who use birth control choose IUDs for their efficacy, longevity, and ease of use.

In this month’s blog post, board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Fernando Otero and the team at Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley review a few key points about IUD insertion and what to expect afterward.

Your IUD insertion

An IUD is a small, T-shaped device that we insert into your uterus through your vagina. The good news is that we can insert your IUD during an in-office visit in just minutes.

Where things can get a little bumpy is that some women experience some cramping during and after insertion, which is perfectly normal. This side effect tends to affect women who have never given birth, as well as women who have experienced trauma in their lives (many women carry trauma physically). As well, women who have depression or anxiety often perceive more pain, so they may experience more cramping.

In many cases, this cramping quickly goes away after insertion. However, we still recommend that women take it easy immediately after an IUD insertion to give time for their bodies to adjust. 

If you suspect that pain will be an issue, we can discuss pain management during the IUD insertion. We can turn to oral pain medications, or we may decide to use a local anesthetic around your cervix (the entrance point into your uterus) to help minimize cramping during insertion.

Moving forward with your IUD

If you experience cramping during your IUD insertion, this side effect may continue for a few months, though far less than during the insertion. You might also experience spotting. In most cases, these side effects will subside within 3-6 months.

Again, many women sail through the IUD insertion process with ease and have no lingering side effects, so bear in mind that you might not run into any of these minor complications.

As for pregnancy protection, if you’re using any of the following IUDS, your protection is immediate:

If you’re using a Kyleena® and Skyla®, you’re protected against pregnancy right away if we insert the IUD during the first 7 days of your period. If we miss this window, you’ll need to use another form of contraception for about a week after insertion, and then the protection will begin.

The only other point we want to make about an IUD is that we do leave a small string that hangs down out of your uterus to allow for easy removal. You won’t feel this string, and it shouldn’t get in the way of intercourse. If you do insert your finger to feel the string, please don’t pull on it; just leave it be.

We hope we’ve answered all of your questions about IUD insertion and, if we haven’t, we’re just a phone call or click away. To speak with a member of our team, please contact one of our offices in McAllen or Edinburg, Texas.

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