Now that [IUDs and other implantable devices are getting near unanimous thumbs up](http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/10/the-birth-control-shift/380952/), I asked my roommate, who’s had an IUD (that is, an intrauterine device) since she was 18, about what the whole deal is. Preceded by a “no-duh” reminder that everyone’s body is different, here’s her take on that T-shaped enigma, for your consideration:
**What made you want to get an IUD?**
I actually started thinking about getting on birth control before I even was close to becoming sexually active. I spent a good three or four months looking into different birth control options and talking with friends about what they chose to use and how it worked out for them. One of my friends’ mothers was a gynecologist, and she sang the praises of the IUD. The more research I did, the more I gravitated toward the IUD option. For one, it’s the most effective form of birth control (besides sterilization) with a [0.8 percent failure rate.](http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/unintendedpregnancy/contraception.htm)
Secondly, unlike the pill, you don’t have to remember it everyday. You actually hardly have to think about it at all.
Lastly, it’s cost-effective. My IUD will last until I’m 28-years-old, and I spent about $575 (a hefty upfront cost for sure). But for paying a, say, $10 per month copay for a birth control pill for 10 years, the total would be $1200. So it’s cheaper in the long run.
**Where did you get it? **
I went to my local Planned Parenthood and paid $575 for the insertion and the actual IUD. But in addition, I had to have two consultations with a nurse practitioner beforehand, which cost about $70 each.
**Did it hurt? Does it hurt?**
I made the mistake of Googling “IUD insertion stories” the night before my procedure. Bad idea. There is a very rare chance that the insertion process can go horribly wrong, and plenty of people will tell you about that on the Internet.
Before the procedure, you take a medication to dilate the cervix. Since I have never given birth, my cervix is less flexible than a woman’s who has. For that reason, some people, like the nurse practitioner I saw, are hesitant to give it to younger women who have never given birth.
Regardless, women of any reproductive age can safely use an IUD.
I remember the insertion as not being too painful. It feels like a regular case of cramps. I’m sure it’s all subjective, but I don’t think it was much more painful than a standard pelvic exam. Speculums suck, but I didn’t do anything worse than wince a bit.
**Does the IUD affects your emotions at all?**
No, because the IUD I use is the non-hormonal, copper ParaGard. The other popular IUD is called Mirena, and it is hormonal. I chose ParaGard because:
1. it was cheaper at the time
2. it lasts longer.
It also did not come with the same side effects that a hormonal birth control like Mirena or the pill do, i.e. weight gain, or the benefits, i.e. a shorter period and clear skin.
**Does having an IUD interfere with sex?**
No, and that’s one of the big misconceptions about the IUD. I think that’s because some people don’t realize that the T-shaped device is inserted all the way up into the uterus. Strings do hang down just past the cervix, so that you can check and make sure it is in the proper place. But most people won’t feel them because they are too far up there.
**Have any sexual partners been weirded out by it, though?**
None of my casual sexual partners mentioned anything to me about it, but my ex-boyfriend did on occasion feel the strings that extend into my vagina when we had sex in certain positions. The strings are made of a flexible plastic and are not painful to feel during sex. Over time, those plastic strings soften, and you forget they are there.
**Do you still use condoms if you have an IUD?**
Yes, definitely. IUDs do not prevent any STIs.
**What happens during your period?**
It makes your periods heavier, especially those first couple of months after insertion. My pre-
IUD periods lasted on average 3 to 4 days with minimal cramping (the dream) and now, my periods last about a week on average with much more severe cramping. But in the grand scheme of things, that’s something I was willing to sacrifice.
**So what are the downsides of an IUD?**
The biggest downsides are heavier periods, especially in the months right after insertion. My period went from a light, three-day affair to a crampy, week-long heavy bleed. Another downside is the high initial price. However, if I paid $10 a month for the pill for the next 10 years, the cost of the IUD would be about half of what I’d pay then.
**And the upsides?**
The biggest upside for me is the ease. I’m not great with remembering to take pills, so not having to think about my birth control for literally years is a dream. Also, the IUD is the best birth control method for preventing pregnancy. It has the lowest failure rate because it essentially eliminates the human error factor that comes into play with when you don’t use condoms correctly or forget to take your birth control pill.
**Who would you recommend to think seriously about an IUD?**
I would recommend anyone who cannot take the pill for health reasons like a heart condition to seriously think about this nonhormonal option. If you have the financial means to afford the high upfront cost, I’d say definitely consider it. Or, if you’re like me and kind of forgetful about taking medications, definitely check the IUD out.