At a glance:
- Small plastic and copper device that is inserted in the uterus to prevent pregnancy
- Lasts between 5 and 10 years, depending on type
- Hormone-free
- Visit to healthcare provider required
- Discreet
- Very cost effective
99% effective
What is it?
A copper IUD or an intrauterine device is a small piece of plastic wrapped in copper that gets placed in the uterus by a doctor. IUDs offer years of protection—between five and ten, depending on the type you get. And if you want to get pregnant, you can have the IUD removed at any time, at which point fertility returns immediately.
In Myanmar, there are 3 types of IUDs available.
Copper T
A T-shaped IUD with copper on both the arms and body of the IUD. It is the most basic IUD available. It protects women from pregnancy for up to 10 years and is usually the most low-cost IUD available.
Sleek or Multiload:
A fishbone shaped IUD with copper wrapped around the body, commonly known as the Multiload or Sleek. It protects against pregnancy for 5 years. Sleek is ideal for women with slender bodies or who have not had children yet.
Copper Y:
The Copper Y is the newest IUD to Myanmar. It protects against pregnancy for 5 years.
It is designed to make insertion less painful, since it doesn’t require the cervix to be as stretched during the insertion process.
IUDs begin working immediately once inserted. They are comfortable and once inserted, cannot be felt by the woman. If you can feel your IUD after insertion, it may be a sign that it is not in place. While rare, this can happen. Do not attempt to readjust it by yourself and make an appointment with your doctor. Until you meet with your doctor, do not rely on the IUD to protect against pregnancy, so use a back-up method such as condoms.
The copper in the IUDs mess with the way sperm can move and prevent them from fertilizing an egg. Sounds odd, but it works like a charm.
You can get the IUD inserted any time of the month. Most healthcare providers like to insert it during your period but IUDs can be inserted at any time as long as you can be sure you’re not pregnant. It may be the most comfortable to get it done during the middle of your period, if you can believe that. (That’s when your cervix—the opening to your uterus—is open the most.)
Once the device is properly inserted the physician will cut the strings off but will leave enough to be able to remove it later and for you to be able to check that the IUD is in place. (The strings don’t hang out of the vagina, though.)
It’s pretty common to feel some cramps when you get an IUD inserted, but they’ll go away with rest or pain medication. Some women might feel dizzy, too. For a couple of weeks after the insertion, women may experience some spotting or cramping as well, but these will also go away.
Once the IUD is inserted, it will need to be checked ideally once a month to make sure it is in the right position. The best time to check the IUD is right after your period since your cervix slightly opens during menstruation, which is when the IUD is most vulnerable to moving. It is however rare that the IUD will move. To check your IUD, use the following directions:
1. Wash your hands with warm water and soap.
2. Get into a squat position (kind of like you are sitting on the toilet).
3. Insert one clean finger into your vagina until you feel your cervix. Your cervix will feel a little firmer, like the tip of your nose.
4. Feel for your IUD strings. If you feel them, then your IUD is in place. If you cannot feel your strings or you can feel the bottom of the IUD at your cervix, your IUD is not in place. If your IUD is not in place, do not attempt to adjust it by yourself. Make an appointment with your doctor and in the meantime use a backup method of contraception.
- Easy and fast process to get inserted
- Long-lasting
- Fertility is restored immediately after removal
- Highly effective
- Does not contain hormones or interact with medicines
- Don’t have to think about birth control every day or every time you have sex
- You can have the IUD easily removed at any time
- Super long-lasting protection without much effort
Safe for smokers and those with hypertension and diabetes
Worrying about negative side effects is normal, but for most women, they are not a problem. If you do experience side effects, they should go away over time.
The most common complaints:
- Increased period flow
- Spotting between periods (especially during the first few months after insertion)
- Cramps and backaches
Less common problems:
- IUD slipping out or moving out of place
- IUD pushing through the walls of the uterus
- Infection (usually due to unsanitary insertion procedure)
Common misunderstandings
- Does not cause cancer, ulcers and birth defects.
- Does not cause discomfort or pain for the women during sex.
- Does not move to heart or brain.
- Nulliparous women can use IUD.
Does not increase the risk of miscarriage when a women gets pregnant after IUD is removed.
Lydia Copper Y
Lydia Copper Y 380 IUDs offers almost complete protection (99%) against pregnancy and remains effective for a period of 5 years once inserted. It is the first IUD of its kind in Myanmar.
Lydia Copper Y IUD is designed to decrease pain and discomfort of patient during the insertion process since less dilation of the cervix is required. It does not affect lactation. This is a fully reversible method and protection is reversed on its removal.
Lydia Copper T
Lydia Copper T IUDs offer almost complete protection (99%) against pregnancy and once inserted, remains effective for a period of 10 years.
The Lydia Copper T Cu 380A is an intrauterine contraceptive device made of polyethylene (a medical grade of plastic). The stem is covered with copper wire and there are copper sleeves on each of the horizontal arms. The total surface area of the copper is approx. 380mm2 .The side arms are flexible and shaped in such a way as to keep the Lydia Copper T Cu 380A IUD in the correct position in the uterus. Lydia Copper T IUD is suitable for post-partum insertion and can be inserted immediately after delivery. This is a fully reversible method and protection is reversed on its removal.
Lydia Copper Sleek
Lydia Sleek IUD is an intrauterine contraceptive device made of polyethylene (a medical grade of plastic). The stem is covered with copper wire, the total surface of the copper is approx., 375 mm2 and shorter vertical arm design brings greater comfort to women. Lydia Sleek IUD is comfortable for women with slender bodies or for women who have not yet had children. This is a fully reversible method and protection is reversed on its removal.
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