Hormonal IUD to Lighten or Stop Periods

A hormonal IUD (intrauterine device) is a piece of T-shaped plastic, about the size of a quarter, that is placed inside the uterus. The IUD can make periods lighter, come less often, or not come at all. It also prevents pregnancy and can stay in place for many years.

• It's important to follow up when your health care provider tells you to. This way, they can make sure the IUD is in the right place.

• If you have sex, it's important to use a condom every time (vaginal, oral, or anal), even when you have an IUD, because:

  • The IUD may not prevent pregnancy right away.

  • Condoms protect you from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs, also called STIs or sexually transmitted infections).

  • If you get an STD in the first 3 weeks after the IUD is put in, you can get a serious infection called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

  • Using condoms while you have an IUD makes it even less likely that you will get pregnant.

• You can go back to school or work the day after the IUD is put in.

• Expect some spotting or bleeding for the first 3–6 months (especially in the 2 days after the IUD is put in). But overall, it should be less than the monthly or other bleeding you had before you got the IUD. You can use a pad or tampon as needed.

• If you have cramps or pain, and your health care provider says it's OK, you can take ibuprofen (such as Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand) or naproxen (such as Aleve^® or a store brand). Follow the directions on the label for how much to take and how often.

• You have spotting or bleeding, cramping, headaches, nausea, mood changes, or breast tenderness that lasts more than 6 weeks. These symptoms usually get better after about 3–6 months, but it's still important to check in with your health care provider.

• You have heavy bleeding (soaking through a pad or tampon every hour for more than 2 hours).

• The strings of the IUD seem to be shorter or longer than before.

• Your IUD comes out.

• You have signs of an STD (such as belly pain, fever, abnormal discharge, pain when peeing or having sex, or genital warts or sores), or if you had sex without a condom and are worried you could have an STD.

• You start any new medicines, including antibiotics and herbal or natural medicines. Some can make the hormonal IUD less effective in preventing pregnancy.

• You develop acne or had acne but it's gotten worse.

Why would someone want to make periods lighter or not get them at all? Having lighter or no periods can help someone who has:

• very heavy or painful periods

• bleeding between periods

• severe PMS (premenstrual syndrome)

• trouble using pads and tampons because of physical or developmental challenges

• endometriosis (tissue that is like the lining of the uterus but grows outside of the uterus)

• anemia (low red blood cell counts)

Is it safe to stop periods? As long as your health care provider says that hormone medicines are safe for you, it's OK to not have monthly bleeding. If someone stops taking hormone medicines, their periods will start again.

What problems can happen? Most IUDs do not cause any problems. Very rarely, when the health care provider puts the IUD in, it can push through the wall of the uterus, or bacteria (germs) can get into the uterus and lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Rarely, an IUD can come out of the uterus by accident. Someone might not know this has happened. If an IUD comes even part of the way out, it does not protect against pregnancy. It's important to follow up with your health care provider as instructed so they can make sure the IUD is in place.

IUDs do not cause problems with fertility (getting pregnant) after they are taken out and do not cause ectopic pregnancies (when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus).