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Monday 14 January 2013

Pros and cons of IUDS

It is an oft made remark that every coin has two sides. And the same is applicable to each and every thing that we can think of. The same can be said of the various methods of contraception that are used by women whether in India or abroad.
We need to see both the sides of the picture that will give us a better understanding and fuller view of the product and its scope as well as pitfalls which will help the millions of women as well as their husbands or partners to understand the product vis-à-vis the need to prevent undesired addition or proper spacing between two children.

One of the first things that comes to the mind when we talk of the intrauterine device is the size and ease of use. Since the times of the Dalkon Shield, IUDs have undergone a lot of changes in design that has helped the IUD to come out of the shadows   and being considered the villain of the contraceptive world to the present day when things are looking bright for the device that has a host of benefits.

The first benefit of using an IUD is that it is a long lasting method for contraception. It starts with a range from a minimum of three years to a maximum of ten years which offsets its high cost at entry which is one factor that turns people away from the IUD.
Another benefit of using the IUD is that it requires the least amount of maintenance or in other words no worrying about ingesting something at the same time every day or changing it on a daily basis as with patches or vaginal sponges.

A third advantage of using the IUD as a method of contraception is that although it can stay in the uterus for the period ranging from three to ten years, it can be removed at any time before the full term and the woman can return to full fertility without any delay.

An important feature of the IUD is that it doesn’t interrupt the joy of intimacy or be a hindrance when having sex. This was one of the concerns though, of many men who opposed the IUD.

Another advantage is that the IUD can be used even by such women who are lactating or in other words have to breast feed their babies.
In view of the above points, it can be seen that the IUD has a host of benefits. However, there are some points that are worth a mention on the flip side of the argument.

One of the first things that works against the IUD is the high cost that the woman has to incur when she opts to have an IUD inserted for contraception

A second cause of worry is that it needs constant checking for the initial period of a few weeks or months because the body can expel the IUD within a few days of it being inserted.
Although this is a highly effective method of contraception, it is not recommended to women who have an allergy to copper, which is a rare case.

Initially there are chances of your periods being longer and heavier than usual. However, it reduces gradually with the passage of time.

One disadvantage could be that you may have to wear a female condom if you or your partner are not in a committed monogamous relationship.

In view of the above, it is always advisable to make the final decision about going for the IUD taking into consideration all the above points and only after consulting your doctor. 

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