How does it work? of Intrauterine device (IUD)

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An IUD works by stopping sperm from reaching the egg. It does this by releasing copper into the body, causing an increase in white blood cells in the cervix, which kill sperm. The IUD has one or two soft threads on the end that come through the opening at the neck of the womb (cervix) into the top of the vagina.

IUDs also make it harder for the egg to travel along the fallopian tubes and settle in the womb.

Before an IUD is fitted, you will have an internal examination to determine the size of your womb, so that the IUD can be positioned in the correct place. It is also necessary to check whether you have any untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The IUD is inserted through the cervix and into the womb, while the vagina is held open as in a cervical smear test. This will involve stretching the cervix slightly to get the IUD in. The whole procedure should take between 5-15 minutes.

You may ask for a local anaesthetic or painkillers such as ibuprofen before having the IUD fitted, as it may be slightly painful (especially if you have not had children and your cervix is not stretched) and you may get cramps afterwards. However, the injection itself can be painful so many people have the procedure without anaesthetic.

You may have to wait several weeks for an appointment with a doctor who is specially trained and experienced in fitting IUDs; this will mean there is less chance of the fitting being painful.

You may experience period-like pain and bleeding for a few days afterwards. You can take painkillers before and after to ease this.

Once an IUD is fitted it will need to be checked by a doctor after the first month and then once a year after that to make sure that the device has not moved or caused any infection. Unless there are any complications, an IUD is effective in preventing pregnancy for between three and ten years from the time it is fitted.