Have you been blessed with your bundle of joy recently? Congratulations on one of the best events of your life. Now that you have delivered your baby, you would definitely not want to be pregnant again soon. Postpartum sex is common and many women, who do not take protective and preventive measures are likely to conceive. Having a gap of minimum 18 months is recommended before you plan for the next child. And for this, it is best to resort to the most effective postpartum birth control measures.
Birth control measures which could be taken before pregnancy cannot be taken after child birth. It is recommended to refrain from estrogen-heavy options for birth control after child birth as it can hamper milk production and adversely affect breastfeeding. Among the many ways which are suggested for postpartum birth control, IUD birth control is a tested and safe measure. Read on to know about IUD birth control and why it is one of the best ways of birth control measures after child birth.
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What is IUD (Intrauterine device)?
The full form of IUD is ‘intrauterine device’. The device has a ‘T’ shape and is inserted through the vagina into the uterus. There are two kinds of IUDs, which are commonly used – hormonal IUDs and copper IUDs. In hormonal IUDs, there is release of levonorgestrel, which is a kind of progestin. This prevents the uterine lining from becoming thick enough for the implantation and growth of the fertilized egg. The second type is the copper IUD. In this kind, the uterus produces a kind of perm-killing flIUD and there is no chance of fertilization. When compared to taking pills and using other contraception methods, IUD is always more effective and safe. The insertion is all that is needed and nothing more. When you want to get pregnant, you just need to remove the IUD.
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Insertion of IUD right after child birth
There are slight confusions regarding the time when IUD can be inserted after child birth. Previously, doctors recommended that the IUD insertion should take place after minimum 6 weeks of the delivery of the child. According to experts, there were chances that the IUD would not stay there properly. Within the 6-weeks’ time the uterus would return to pre-pregnant state and the insertion would be just perfect.
However, with passage of time and medical advancements, now IUDs can be inserted immediately after the delivery of the baby. This is possible in both vaginal as well as C-section deliveries. This insertion can be done right when you are in the delivery room after giving birth to your baby. You might just need to wait for about 10-15 minutes after the placenta is delivered. With proper guidance from the caregiver, there will be no risks of the IUD coming out and you can start leading a completely normal life.
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Benefits of IUD
More and more numbers of women are adopting IUD birth control as there are many advantages and benefits of the same. Along with being highly effective against getting pregnant, this contraception process is quite safe at the same time. Here are the benefits:
- Not detectable easily – If you don’t want the world to know that you are using some kind of birth control option, this is the best option available probably. Having the IUD inserted inside the body makes it invisible.
- It is easy and convenient – Once the device is inserted and placed accurately in the uterus, there is no fear of getting pregnant at all. You do not have to adopt to any other kind of contraceptive measure.
- It is highly compatible while being a new mother – Having an IUD inserted is highly compatible with being a new mother. This new device will cause no interference with breastfeeding, daily activities or with having sex.
- Excellent choice for long term contraception – Depending on the time for which you do not want to get pregnant, you can have the IUD inserted. Generally the device does not need to be replaced for 5-10 years with ease.
- Easily reversible device – One of the greatest benefits of IUD is that the device is reversible. If you feel you are not comfortable with it or that you want to conceive, just get the IUD removed.
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