Iud Removal Side Effects - Birth Control Options

Skip navigation!

Begin Slideshow

Photographed by Tayler Smith.

My IUD and I just celebrated our one year anniversary, and as happy as I am to have one, I know this just brings me one year closer to the inevitable: getting it removed. It’s something I tried not to think about as I clenched my teeth through the insertion, and it’s something that (up until now) I avoided looking up out of fear that the removal process would be even worse. Luckily, that’s often not the case.

The IUD, or intrauterine device, has become popular recently thanks to its ability to provide long-lasting birth control with very little effort on the part of the owner. The device is inserted into your uterus and stays there for however long is effective. Depending on the type of IUD you have, it can effectively prevent pregnancy for up to 10 years. When time is up, your provider removes the IUD. But what does that entail?

Ahead, we spoke to two gynaecologists about what exactly goes down during the procedure and gathered some first-person accounts on how it really feels, step by step.

More from Sex & Relationships

What’s A Cock Ring And Should You Be Using One?

Want To Orgasm Faster? Try This

There are plenty of articles on the internet instructing men how to make a woman come in five minutes, 10, or 15. But what if a woman wants to learn to mak

by Erika W. Smith

Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Have (Almost) Survived Cuffing Season

For years, I thought cuffing season was fake — something we made up and clung onto each fall as a beacon of hope for the prospect of love (or any kind of

by Elizabeth Gulino

PSA: There’s up to 50% Off LELO’s Luxury Sex Toys For...

by Charlotte Lewis

4 Questions To Ask Yourself If You Think You Are In A Toxic Relat...

Trigger warning: This article contains themes of abuse. If spending time with your partner feels like it drains, upsets or hurts you, you might be in a tox

by Erika W. Smith

6 Signs You Just Had An Orgasm

You might have heard an orgasm described as a vaginal sneeze or called “la petite mort” — French for “the little death.” Others might describe or

by Erika W. Smith

8 Women On What Their Messiest “Situationship” Taught Them

by Maybelle Morgan

Lovehoney’s Best Selling Vibrators Are Up To 50% Off For Va...

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by us. Al

by Charlotte Lewis

29 Women Spill On How Many People They’ve Had Sex With

Why So Many Relationships End After Christmas

Have you ever noticed that a lot of relationships end after Christmas? Call it the January comedown, call it breakup season, call it whatever you want. But

by Maria Del Russo

Gaslighting Happens In Friendships Too. Beware Of These Signs

‘Gaslighting’, quite tragically, now has a cemented place in our modern lexicon. The term was one of Oxford Dictionaries’ words of the ye

My Partner & I Both Struggle From The Same Mental Illness. How Ca...

Thanks for reading Can We Talk?, a sex and relationships column that aims to tackle the burning questions about sex, dating, relationships, and breakups

by Moraya Seeger DeG...

R29 Original Series