How fast does mirena take effect

To decide on which IUD you need, you need to be examined by your doctor. Your doctor will conduct a pelvic examination and determine the health and position of your pelvic organs. After that examination, your doctor will consult with you about the type of device that is best for you.

In recommending which device is best for you, your doctor will consider the results of your pelvic examination, the heaviness and regularity of your menstrual cycles, your overall health, age, the size and position of your uterus, whether you have had children, and other important factors pertaining to your medical history and plans for future pregnancy.

Once you decide on the kind of IUD you need, your doctor will insert it into your uterus and explain the proper hygiene for the device you use. To properly place the IUD, your doctor will have to pass it through your vagina and cervix and position it in your uterus using special instruments. The insertion of the IUD may cause you some discomfort or pain that usually subsides in a day or two.

You can manage it by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen Advil, Motrin IB, others , one to two hours before the procedure can help reduce cramping. The Mirena intrauterine device IUD is inserted into the uterus by a health care provider using a special applicator.

Short strings connected to the device extend beyond the cervix into the vagina and allow for device removal. Your health care provider will insert a speculum into your vagina and clean your vagina and cervix with an antiseptic solution.

Special instruments might be used to gently align your cervical canal and uterine cavity and to measure the depth of your uterine cavity. Next, your health care provider will fold Mirena's horizontal arms and place the device inside an applicator tube. The tube is inserted into your cervical canal, and Mirena is carefully placed in your uterus. When the applicator tube is removed, Mirena will remain in place.

Your health care provider will trim Mirena's strings so that they don't protrude too far into the vagina, and may record the length of the strings. During Mirena insertion, you may experience cramping, dizziness, fainting or a slower than normal heart rate.

Once a month, check to feel that Mirena's strings are protruding from your cervix. Be careful not to pull on the strings. About a month after Mirena is inserted, your health care provider may re-examine you to make sure Mirena hasn't moved and to check for signs and symptoms of infection.

It's also important to contact your health care provider immediately if you think Mirena is no longer in place. Your provider will check the location of Mirena and, if it's displaced, remove it if necessary. Mirena can remain in place for up to five years. To remove Mirena, your health care provider will likely use forceps to grasp the device's strings and gently pull. It can help to take some period-pain tablets an hour or so beforehand and keep some handy to take regularly afterwards.

I recommend two paracetamol tablets and two ibuprofen, naproxen or similar, taken with food hours before the procedure. Try not to have any strenuous activities planned for the rest of the day. Your doctor can provide a medical certificate for the rest of the day off if needed.

For a few days afterwards you may have cramps and bleeding like a heavy period. Do not put anything in the vagina for three days after insertion, to minimise the risk of uterine infection. This means no intercourse, tampons, string-checks, baths or swimming until three days after your procedure.

This will allow you to detect any complications early if the device is no longer in the uterus. Get your doctor to do an early review to confirm that the strings are there, and ask them for tips about how to find them yourself in future.

You may experience frequent bleeding in the first few months but this usually settles down over time. If you notice frequent bleeding keep track of it with a spotting diary. It could take some time before your final long-term bleeding pattern is apparent. Most women find that over months their periods become much lighter or stop altogether. However occasionally women still have heavy periods and may need a different method of contraception.

Either way, Mirena might be right for you if you want birth control that is:. Approved to treat heavy periods—Mirena is the first and only IUD intrauterine device birth control that is FDA-approved to treat heavy periods in women who choose intrauterine birth control.

No birth control is right for everyone, so talk to your healthcare provider! They can help you decide if Mirena is the right choice for you.

There is a very slight risk of getting pregnant, less than 1 percent. This is still the lowest risk of pregnancy of any form of birth control. Still, because Mirena prevents most pregnancies, the risk of having an ectopic pregnancy is far lower than women who are not using contraception. There is a chance of expelling Mirena from your uterus. This is more typical if Mirena was inserted immediately after childbirth. Most women have some degree of fear and trepidation about having an IUD inserted.

After all, it must be painful to have something inserted through your cervix and into your uterus, right? Not necessarily. The insertion process only takes about 15 minutes.