IUD

If you feel like your birth control is changing your behavior, it’s time to talk to your health care provider. Everybody responds to birth control differently, and your provider can help you decide whether it’s time to try something else. It might be a matter of switching hormonal methods or deciding whether to avoid hormonal birth control altogether, or you may choose to wait it out since some negative side effects go away with time. The bottom line: If your current method is making you feel blah, don’t settle. There are a lot of methods to choose from and sometimes it can take a few tries to get it right.

Yes, unless you are allergic to copper (but most women aren’t).

If this is the case, you’re probably using a copper IUD (Paragard). Sometimes things get better if you just give it a couple months. You can also take ibuprofen the first few days of your period.

The IUD shouldn’t hurt your partner. You may have heard that the IUD strings can bother partners while having sex, but most partners can’t even feel the strings. If your partner can feel the strings, and that bothers them, your healthcare provider might be able to trim them. Plus, they usually soften over time.

IUDs are safe for most people with a uterus, and copper toxicity is super rare. That said, it can happen, especially in people with Wilson’s Disease, a rare genetic condition (about 1 in every 30,000 to 40,000 people have it) that affects your body’s ability to process copper. Given how low the daily dose of copper is from the non-hormonal IUD, it is extremely unlikely that someone who does not have Wilson’s Disease would experience copper toxicity.

IUDs are very safe, and many people use one for years without any problems. As with any medication or medical device, IUDs do carry the risk of complications in certain cases. Here are some of the problems most commonly reported from using an IUD.

This would be pretty rare, but it can happen. If you get pregnant with an IUD in, you should see a health care provider as soon as possible. Why? Because the pregnancy may be in your fallopian tube, or you may have a higher chance of having a miscarriage.

Getting an IUD can be a breeze or a hassle, depending on how easy it is for you to find a health care provider who knows how to insert them, get an appointment, and make sure your insurance will cover the procedure.

The good news? Once you get those ducks in a row, the actual insertion process is usually pretty quick. Experienced providers can insert an IUD in as little as a minute! Read more about the process of getting an IUD.

If you’re under the influence of alcohol—or anything else—a birth control method that doesn’t require action right when you’re about to get your freak on may be your safest bet. Fortunately, there are plenty of options. Note: These methods will cover you against pregnancy, but you should pair them with a condom for STI protection.

And speaking of covering all your bases, here are some tips for safer, smarter hookups.

Unless you’re on a desert island or stranded in some kind of post-apocalyptic-last-person-on-earth scenario, we highly recommend having a professional do it. There are a lot of reasons why it’s better (and safer) to have your health care provider remove your IUD for you.

If you are an active-duty member of the U.S. military, here’s some great news: you have access to a wide range of birth control methods covered under your TRICARE plan. The less great news: not all methods are offered at every military treatment facility (MTF), especially during deployment. That’s why even if you’re not sure you’ll need birth control, it’s a good idea to look into your options before you deploy—especially if you’re going overseas. We’ve laid out some tips and questions to think about so you can make an informed decision.

It can be complicated to tell exactly how hormonal birth control affects mood, but you’re the only one who truly knows how you feel. Everyone reacts to birth control differently, so if you feel your birth control might be contributing to depression, talk with your health care provider. Remember, there are a lot of birth control methods out there—you can find the right one for you!