IUDs are Intra Uterine Devices that were very popular for use in birth control during the 1960’s, before condoms, foams, and pills were ever popular or even on the market. Makers have improved the material and design of the device, and a number of women who favor them still use the device for birth control today.

The article mentioned a study that was done over the course of three decades involving 40,000 women from around the world. Their findings have now been published in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Journal of Medicine.

These are the highlights from the article:

Birth Control
IUDs are still used for birth control. From the discussions below the article, I read a lot of praise as to their effectiveness over a long period of time, 5-10 years!

Copper in IUDs: Win and Lose
There are both pros and cons to this method of birth control, and it seems that you have to take both to get results. The main drawback, or I would call it a side-effect, was that the process of inserting the IUD causes inflammation to the cervix on the way to the uterus. As painful as this sounds, this was their finding of what they claimed to prevent cervical cancer. The study revealed that the chronic inflammation caused by wearing the IUD would continually kill cancerous cells, should they crop up. The study also concluded that some brands of new IUD devices are made from copper. The copper is then released continuously into the body, killing cancer cells. My question would be, is copper toxic to the body, in certain amounts, like aluminum and lead?

Negative Side Effects
There were women on the discussion below the article that decried the IUDs, saying they could not tolerate them because of severe cramping. I guess this was due to the chronic inflammation, caused by the insertion of the device. Other side effects listed by the women included excessive bleeding and spot-bleeding at odd times.

Positive Effects
If you are looking for a birth control, I wouldn’t rule out IUDs. Obviously some women think it’s a great way to go. Make an appointment with your gynecologist first so your thoughts and concerns are addressed.

Weighting Pros and Cons
It seems in this particular case the you must take the cons to get the pros!
Every person is different from the inside out, and results can be misleading, so just be careful. And if you are really serious about trying this medical device make sure you do a thorough research of it first, and be sure to write down questions that you will want to ask your gynecologist when you go for a check up and to get the prescription.

Source: Reuters, K. Kelland (2011)