Family planning is an important part of many womens’ lives. You may want to prevent pregnancy permanently, or just as a young woman, or between children.
With so many methods available—hormonal, long-term reversible, or permanent—your Women First provider can help you pick the birth control that is best for you at every stage of life.
Intra-uterine devices, or IUDs, are small devices placed in your uterus to prevent pregnancy. Also referred to as long-term reversible birth control, IUDs require no effort from you to maintain, and they can be removed by your doctor at any time. This longer-acting birth control is quickly reversible if you decide you want to try to get pregnant.
However, there are risks associated with IUDs that you should know about. Talk to your Women First healthcare provider to determine if an IUD is right for you.
Mirena®
Mirena is a progestin-only IUD, placed in your uterus, that releases small amounts of hormone to give you continuous birth control for as long as you want—for up to 5 years. It’s more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, contains no estrogen, and can be removed by your healthcare provider at any time so you can try to get pregnant. Mirena also is used to lighten heavy periods and can be used for this purpose even if you do not need contraception.
Click here to learn more about Mirena IUD.
Kyleena®
Kyleena is the smallest 5-year IUD that, once placed in your uterus, gives you a continuous low-dose of progestin for up to 5 years of nonstop pregnancy prevention. It’s more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy for each year of use, and 98.5% effective over five years. It’s easy to make sure that Kyleena is in place with a monthly thread check. And Kyleena is estrogen-free.
Click here to learn more about Kyleena IUD.
Skyla®
Skyla is a hormone-releasing IUD that is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy for up to 3 years. Skyla releases small amounts of the hormone progestin into your uterus slowly and continuously. Estrogen-free, Skyla works to prevent pregnancy for up to 3 years and can be removed by your healthcare provider at any time for you to try to become pregnant.
Click here to learn more about Skyla IUD.
ParaGard®
ParaGard is a reversible birth control that’s more than 99% effective, 100% hormone-free, and doesn’t require any daily routine. It’s a hormone-free intrauterine contraceptive (IUC) that releases a small amount of copper in the uterus. It starts working immediately, and it’ll protect you from pregnancy for as long as you wish—up to 10 years. It can be removed by your doctor at any time if you decide you’re ready to have a baby. Once it’s removed, you can start trying to get pregnant right away.
The big difference between ParaGard and the progestin IUDs is ParaGard does NOT lighten or suppress your period or bleeding. Most women have a monthly period, and it’s typically heavier and crampier than when using hormonal methods of birth control.
