Exactly What to Expect During IUD Insertion
What to Expect During an IUD Insertion, According to Ob-Gyns
Things to Know For After Your IUD Insertion
Your healthcare provider will likely offer you a follow-up appointment about a week after your insertion to make sure your IUD is in the right spot. "We do this exam with either a speculum to directly see the strings or sometimes an ultrasound to see that the IUD is in the right place inside the uterus," Dr. Conti says. This is also a great chance to ask any questions you might have about the IUD and its side effects.
You can also check on your IUD strings yourself, something you can do as soon as you're up to it after the insertion. To do so, wash your hands and insert your first two fingers into your vagina, as far as they can go. "Move them around until you can feel something that feels like super-fine fishing line," Dr. Conti says; those are the strings. "They're often curled up around the cervix, so you may have to sweep behind or in front of it with your fingers a little."
Dr. Conti recommends checking your strings about once a month. If you can't feel them, there's no need to panic; research shows that not everyone is able to successfully feel their IUD strings. However, if you could previously feel the strings and can't anymore, that's a reason to schedule a checkup, Dr. Conti says. The strings could be curled too tightly or could have receded a bit into the cervix, or it's possible that your IUD has moved around in your uterus or perforated the uterine wall. You should also schedule a checkup if you notice a sudden change in your bleeding pattern, Dr. Conti says. (For example, if you had lighter periods on a hormonal IUD and they've suddenly gotten heavier.)
As for how long it takes for IUDs to prevent pregnancy (i.e., how long you should wait to be sexually active again), Dr. Conti says the copper IUD is effective right away. If you had your hormonal IUD (such as Mirena, Liletta, Kyleena, or Skyla) inserted within seven days of the start of your period, it's also effective immediately. "Otherwise, you should use a backup method like condoms for the first seven days," Dr. Conti says.
