Side Effects

Side effects of an IUD

After you get an IUD fitted:

you might have some period-like pain for a few days
you may have some bleeding between your periods
your periods may become heavier, longer or more painful - this may improve after a few months
you have a small chance of getting thrush that keeps coming back - talk to your GP if this happens

Your partner should not be able to feel your IUD threads during sex. If they can and it's a problem, see a doctor or nurse to get the threads checked.

Find out about choosing a method of contraception, including side effects and risks of different methods.

How well an IUD works

An IUD is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

This means that less than 1 in 100 women using an IUD as their method of contraception get pregnant each year.

Risks of an IUD

An IUD is very safe, but there are some rare risks, including:

pelvic infections, usually within 3 weeks of having an IUD fitted
your IUD moving or coming out, usually within 3 months after it's fitted
damage to the womb
ectopic pregnancy in the rare case that your IUD fails

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

You've had an IUD fitted and:

you have pain in your lower tummy (abdomen) and painkillers do not help
you get sudden pain in your lower tummy that gets worse or does not go away
you have a high temperature
you have abnormal or smelly discharge
you have very heavy vaginal bleeding
you think you might be pregnant
you cannot feel the threads of your IUD, or they feel different

You can call 111 or get&t=/">get help from 111 online.

If you cannot feel your IUD threads

If you cannot feel the threads when you check for them you might not be protected against pregnancy, and you may need emergency contraception.

Use another form of contraception until a doctor or nurse has checked your IUD.

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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