Before talking about the copper IUD you should know that IUD stands for intrauterine device and it is a common contraceptive method worldwide.

Still it represents only about 2% of the contraception market in the U.S.

Information regarding IUDs

At the moment there are two main kinds of IUDs, the copper releasing IUD, that, just as the name suggests, slowly releases copper into the organism, and the synthetic IUD, that works through using synthetic progesterone. The first IUD can be effective for 10 years.

Copper IUDThe copper releasing IUD works by affecting the implantation and the motility of sperm. It is said that the failure rate is of 1%.

Nonetheless we should not forget that it is a device, and just as any other implanted device, this too could have some side effects.

Side effects at insertion of the copper IUD

Cramping is a common symptom when implanting the device and this could be an ongoing symptom for a couple of days after the procedure.

Cramping could be accompanied by backache as well. To help manage the symptoms you could take ibuprofen before the procedure.

As a side effect of the copper releasing IUD there are some women who feel dizzy and lightheaded during the procedure. In order to manage the symptoms, they should lie down or sit down until it passes and then get up slowly.

Menstrual changes

One of the most common side effects of copper IUD is experiencing changes regarding the menstruation cycle. In case you are faced with heavy bleeding, long periods or spotting between the periods, the blood loss could lead to anemia. About 12% of the women stop using the device because of heavy periods.

Pelvic inflammatory disease

This has been thought to be the side effect of copper releasing IUD and it is also known as PID. Actually it has been shown that it is something that women experience during insertion. About 1% of the users experience it and the symptoms include abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, fever, vaginal discharge and pain during intercourse.

Uterine issues

During the first year expulsion happens in 2%-8% of the cases. Usually it happens in the first 3 months. In case of copper IUD women who had children before are more likely to expel the device. Perforation of the uterus is also possible but it happens in only 0.1% of the cases.

Another risk of the copper releasing IUD is that it could result in scar tissue to the abdominal cavity, and in case it isn’t removed soon enough, the device could get embedded in the wall of the uterus that makes the removal even more difficult.

Side effects regarding pregnancy

In case a woman has a copper IUD and she becomes pregnant, the chances of having an ectopic pregnancy increase significantly. In case the IUD isn’t removed the chances of miscarriage get double, and the chances of preterm labor also increase.

On the other hand, removing the copper releasing IUD reduces the chances of experiencing a miscarriage by 20%, getting it close to the normal risks. Nonetheless let’s not forget that the removal of the device also comes with some risks.

Unofficial side effects

In case you talk to some women who have been using the device there could be some other side effects that they tell you about. In some cases women reported that their partner claimed to have felt the device during sexual intercourse. This is something that shouldn’t happen.

In other cases women have been affected by the copper releasing IUD at an emotional and psychological level. Some say that after they had the device implanted they lost their sex drive, and, even more, they didn’t seem to be able to be affectionate anymore.

Feeling like 13 again is another side effect of the copper IUD. This is because some of the women had worse outbreaks than they had in their teenage years, even though they were never affected by acne. This may be a hormonal response to the insertion of the device.

As you can see, the copper IUD could have effects on you on several different levels, and this is something you have to think about before agreeing to have the procedure.