Copper IUD Vs. Mirena

I have Mirena and love it for the reason's you mentioned - lighter periods (when I actually get them they are only 1-2 days and really, really light) and I never have to think about it. My sister-in-law had the copper and she liked it except that it made her periods long and heavy.

I have known two people who have gotten pregnant with an IUD. One is my sister's friend (they removed the IUD and everything was fine with the pregnancy) and my neighbor's sister, but they never found the IUD, they assume it fell out and she didn't know it (probably when using the bathroom). (So it wasn't that she got pregnant with it in.) The chance of becoming pregnant is really slim, so it is a very effective method of birth control.

My only regret was not getting is sooner.

I have 3 friends who have all gotten pregnant with an IUD. I don't know what kind they had though. My sister (who is 32) had a Mirena for a couple years and had it taken out last July and has not been able to get pregnant yet...she says there's stuff she's found online about Mirena causing infertility. Don't mean to scare you...this is just what little info I have.

I bled like crazy with the copper iud and hated it... so I removed it, then immediately got pregnant!! The nxt time around i gave Mirena a try and I have really liked it. I don't even have a period any more at least not the bleeding. I do notice I still get onery or depressed around the same time every month!? I have wondered if it has anything to do with the hormones. I think it is totally worth it! And I am going on year 3.

Hi Shauna, Personally I loved my copper iud. I had it for 4 yrs. and now have baby # 2 which was concieved about 2 weeks after having the iud removed....
i never had any problems... I also have issues w/ hormones, so b-control pills, and Mirena were out of the question. The copper iud is a good natural alt. Women have been using copper as b-control for centuries!

hi there... I have a copper IUD (no hormones) and it works great. I've had one put in twice and the first time was pretty painful but after 3 kids (6 monthes, 2,3) I guess my uterus has stretched enough that this time wasn't nearly so bad. No drawbacks that I can see, other than cost, but Planned Parenthood has a sliding scale.

I have the copper one, and I like it. My periods were always really heavy for about two days, then taper off. It's the same with the copper, maybe just a little heavier. My sister has the Mirena and loves it. She had horrible PMS and periods and the Mirena has made that non-existent. (Her husband loves it, too!) The main reason I chose an IUD is because my husband was in school when I had my last baby and we were on medicaid. Medicaid paid for the IUD completely. My husband was graduating and getting paid more so medicaid was ending and his insurance does not cover any kind of birth control. It is a very cost-effective choice for me!

I do know 3 people personally that conceived while using an IUD. Two with the Mirena. I'm not sure about the drawbacks of the copper, but I do know IUD's are not always 100% effective! Hope this helps.

I had a copper IUD. I thought that getting away from all the hormones would help me to lose weight, but it didn't . I actually hated my IUD. My periods were way heavy and I had terrible lower back pain for the week before and the week after. I felt like I was always having some kind of menstral symptom. I only had it in for about 6 months,I went to get it checked because I was having terrible cramps even a week after my period and then I started bleeding again. I went to the doctor and it practically feel out. I am now on YAZ and I absolutly love it!!

I got a copper IUD shortly after having my daughter in October 2006. I didn't restart my period until January 2008 (I think this has more to do with breastfeeding than with the IUD). My husband says ocassionally he can feel the IUD poking a little but no big deal.

Benefits-- no hormones, lasts longer (I specifically chose it for the no hormones)

My periods are the same as they were before I got pregnant-- not too hard, not too little... just there.

Some women get horrible cramping after having an IUD inserted but I had none of that and haven't had any problems.

Any IUD has the potential to implant into to your wall and be less than pleasant to take out-- it isn't a definite but it's possible, so FYI.

I know someone you got pregant with twins while using an IUD. Anything can happen. As we all know, the only guarantee is no sex at all. :)

Hope that helps. Feel free to e-mail with other questions.

I have the Mirena, and while I wasn't lucky enough to get lighter/no periods, they aren't heavier either. I've had it for 4 years now with no major issues and, more importantly, no pregnancies. I have no plans to have any more children.

It's important that you have it put in by an experienced gynecologist. Most issues I have heard of where people have problems with an IUD is that it was not positioned properly when it was put in. It is not effective when it is not in correctly.

My understanding is that since the hormone is released only in the uterus and it is such a small amount, that it doesn't have the same effects as the whole body hormones of the pill or depovera shot.

I know of one person whose IUD came out when she went to the bathroom. I also know of another mom who had to have hers removed because it wasn't placed properly the first time.

My aunt had a copper IUD and got pregnant with it, but that was 20+ years ago.

Hope that helps!

I have the Mirena and love it -- lighter periods, less PMS symptoms. My aunt has the copper IUD, because she has a hard time with hormone methods, and she loves hers, too, just because she doesn't have to worry about it every day. Her periods are the same as usual and she says PMS symptoms are about the same as well. I know, with the copper one, you only have to change about every 10 years, whereas Mirena is every 5.
Hope this helps!

Hi Shauna,

I got the copper T after my second child thinking we would maybe have a third. Since I was breast-feeding I thought a non hormone form of birth control would be best. Getting the IUD placed was easy, but a little pricey since it lasts so long (10 years). But, what soon happened afterwards was a nightmare. My periods went from very light, lasting 4 days. To being really heavy, requiring a tampon swap out every two hours and this lasted for 7 days would taper off and then sometimes even start back up! I had TWO, yes TWO, embarrassing leak through episodes in public. Needless to say 5 months after getting the thing inserted I went back and said take this thing out of me! When I called and explained my situation to the nurse she explained, very matter of factly, that IUD's are known for giving heavy periods. No one even mentioned this possibility to me. I felt it was a huge waste of money. I had insurance but I had to pay $400 for the thing.

On the other hand, I have met a couple of women that have them and they are fine with them....

Good luck.

-J.

I have a Mirena and love it. I have known one person who had an ectopic pregnancy with an IUD. Pregnancies are very rare with an IUD, but they do occur because nothing is 100% (except abstinence) - including vasectomies and tubal ligations. But studies have shown that if inserted correctly, the Mirena is as effective as those surgical procedures. It's a great option. I have also known a couple of people who have had a Mirena removed and gotten pregnant within 2 months. They do not cause infertility. Having gone through tons of infertility issues myself, (my first 2 kids were conceived through in vitro) I know that there are a million reasons someone has infertility issues- a lot of them not understood. Experiencing infertility for unexplained reasons is extremely difficult and frustrating & so it is natural to want to find a reason for it. If you're having those problems & you've had a IUD, that often becomes a scapegoat - but the studies just don't support that. There will always be anecdotes to worry us about just about every medication, medical device or medical procedure out there - and they all have their risks. But if they have been around for long enough, the medical studies are your best bet for information. Good luck!

I also cannot use hormones do to blood clots. I just asked my specialist about this last week, and she said that any IUD is okay. My sil loves hers. She's the kind who gets pregnant looking at her husband and she's been able to keep from getting pregnant for 2 years now (her longest).

Dear Shauna,
I've had a copper IUD for over two years and I love it!! No hormones to worry about and it is virtually maintenance free. You just check it every once in awhile to make sure the string is still there. Some drawbacks can be heavier periods and worse cramps but that doesn't happen with everyone. In fact my periods have gotten lighter. You can leave it in up to ten years and if you are wanting to have more children it is easy to remove and you can try to get pregnant right away. It is a great option for birth control! Talk with your doctor to see if it's a good option for you and make sure she/he is experienced in inserting them.

T. W.

I would ask your OB/GYN or midwife these questions, I am sure that s/he knows the answers. My mother got pregnant with her first child in 1978 while using an IUD, the doctor who removed it after she found out that she was pregnant told her that she would probably miscarry because of the IUD but she didn't, the baby was born healthy. It is very rare to get pregnant while using an IUD but it does happen, some women get pregnant even while on hormonal birth control so there is no %100 effective method!

I have the copper Paraguard, and absolutely love it. I've only had it for a few months and after the first month, my periods are lighter and short and very regular. Right after the IUD was put in, there was a lot of cramping throughout the day and I spotted on and off for the next few days, but then it was done and I have enjoyed light periods. I would recommend it to anyone and have. I LOVE not having the hormones and noticed that part immediately. It made my mood swings disappear, as well as increased sex drive.
I don't know about everyone else, but this is the best birth control I have been on.
Please make sure you have an OB/GYN insert it and mine did an ultrasound to make sure it was inserted correctly.
Good Luck with your decision.

I do not know about Mirena, but I know with the IUD, that you could get an STD easier. I also know that removing it can cause issues. One of the girls I worked with it had hers removed and it ended up scatching her, and then it got infected, and she was really really sick for like a month. There is also a new one that they have came out with that is like the nor~plant. It might be worth looking into, if you go to the planned parent hood web site they had info on there about it, i do not know if they still do or not though. Best of luck with what ever you choose. RayeLynn Shepherd

Yes, I know of someone who got pregnant with an IUD. I don't know much more than that other than she did. She is the only one I have heard of though.

Hi Shauna,
After my son was born almost 8 years ago I started using the Copper IUD. I hated it!!! My periods were horrible. I would have to stay home for the first 2 days because of the deluge and multiple clothing changes. Not to mention it made intercourse uncomfortable. My insurance company would not pay for the change to the Mirena and I could not afford it myself. Finally a year ago I bit the bullet and paid for the Mirena and my life incompletely different. No discomfort, not deluge. My period have become almost no-existent!!! No Joke! I literally will have nothing more than light spotting 1 or 2 times in a day - that is it!! I love it. I only wish I would have made this change years ago. If you have nay other questions please feel free to email me off list.

I have the copper IUD. It's fine. My periods are really heavy for the first two days, but that's it.

Hi Shauna!
I have a copper IUD because I didn't want any hormones either... and yes at first I had pretty heavy periods, but I have evened out and they are just "normal" (med. to light) for me, anyway. I have had mine for almost six years now with no problems what so ever! My doctor said I could go another 2 or three years. I have not known anyone personally who has gotten pregnant on one. I feel they are very reliable and I love mine!
Lisa T

I had the copper IUD put in after my second child was born 10 years ago and had it removed last year when I had my hysterectomy. Anyway, for the first 6 years, I would bleed for 2 days and then taper off. I had regular periods my entire life until year 6 of my IUD. The last two years I started having female problems, which later resulted in a hysterctomy. The copper IUD was perfect for me, because I have severe migraines and it was only thing I could use to prevent me from getting pregnant and not putting hormones into my body to make my migraines worse. Also, it was never uncomfortable during intercourse. Good luck on your decision.

I have a mirena. It has worked very well for me. I have 5 kids and wasn't in a position to do something permanant, The mirena after the initial spotting of about 2 months. My periods were improved considerably. It's a good option and not one you have to remember to take every day. IUD or pills or patches are not 100% I have seen people get pregnant with an IUD but i believe there is probably more going on and the IUD probably wasn't a good choice for them. I have had my IUD for 4 years now i love it. good luck

Hey,
I have the copper IUD. It's true the first year I had heavier periods, but after that it's tapered off and now they are getting even lighter!!! I love it! I know of one or two people who got pregnant with an IUD but the girl had never had a child before and its more effective after you've had a child.

Hi Shauna,
I've had a copper IUD for about 9 months now and for the first 6 months or so I had really heavy periods accompanied with cramps but other than that I've had no problems and really like it. My doctor said that he's only ever seen one case of a women getting pregnant on this method of birth control and it was because it had come out and she hadn't noticed. Best of luck!
L.

One of my friends got pregnant with one in. Actually, she seems to be very fertile because all of her pregnancies have been with a contraceptive of some sort. Eight kids later, she finally got her tubes tied.

I have the Mirena and I LOVE IT! I know 2 women that got pregnant (YEARS AGO) got pregnant on an IUD, but as I said it was LONG TIME AGO... and I know it wasn't the Mirena. It hurt the first day I got it and when they put it in (cramping) but I don't even know it is there! And my periods are BARELY noticeable!! Good luck!

Shauna,

I have 2 friends who both got pregnant with the copper IUD. I have the Mirena. Have had it almost 3 years. I do have lighter periods, but usually last longer. I would choose Mirena again, but I have no clot history.

Choose what works best for you & your body.

Good Luck

My sister did. She now is the mother of a darling one-year-old (along with her other two).

I had the copper one for about 17 months and I really liked it a lot. it wasn't painful getting it put in but I would get TERRIBLE cramps with my periods for 2-3 months after it was put in, and then after that it was fine. My periods weren't long and heavy just "normal". It was really great cuz i didn't have to worry about forgetting anything.
My husband and I decided we wanted to have another baby and when I went to have it taken out, we found out I was already pregnant! It was in there just fine and no problems with positioning or anything so I'm not sure why I still got pregnant with it. It was removed and there was some spotting which was scary because of the high risk of miscarriage when you remove an IUD during pregnancy but everything ended up just fine and now I have a happy healthy 4 month old baby boy!
So... That was my experience and I was really happy with it even though I did get pregnant. I would even consider getting it again but I dont know how I would feel about it if I really didn't want another baby. I think that I am just extremely fertile and will get pregnant easily no matter what. (my husband and I joke that his "swimmers" are super strong fighters lol)
I hope this might help you make a decision!

Hi there! I used the copper IUD and got pregnant with Twins. I micarried one of the babies a few days after the IUD was removed. I currently have a happy bouncy 2 yr old. I also know of a gal that has gotten pregnant multiple times on the IUD but because of the copper they were miscarried. Now I am not sure about the Mirena. After my last experience with the copper IUD I don't want to try it. Horrible cramps, heavy periods, painful during intercourse. Oh and course pregnancy. The doctors showed me before removing it how it was perfectly placed and I shouldn't have gotten pregnant at all. They told me the .01% pregnancy rate refers to women who's IUD isn't placed correctly. Not for those whose IUD is placed correctly.
Definetely look into it more with a history of blood clots.