The copper IUD (Paragard) is not the same as the Hormonal IUD (Mirena).
It is a plastic little trinket that Is wrapped in copper coil which is inserted into your uterus. For many women, this can be painful, and for others they don’t’ feel anything. Please note if you have any discomfort, pain, cramping beyond a few days let your doctor know so you can remove it. You do not have to “toughen up”
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Unlike the Mirena, the copper IUD does not radiate progestins, but rather releases copper into the uterus, creating an inflammatory response that sperm cannot hold up in, as well as prevents fertilization. Conversely, copper has also been shown to influence sperm motility, thin the endometrial lining and It does not affect your hormones per say nor does it suppress ovulation in any way. It also changes the consistency of cervical mucus to less optimal for sperm to survive in
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Its success rate is 99.4%, and one can keep the IUD in for up to 10 years, but there are some things to wary over:
1️⃣ Can result in having heavier and longer periods for the first year of having it.
2️⃣Can exacerbate period cramps- by a lot.
3️⃣There is a risk of it coming out, particularly within the first month or so of putting it in.
4️⃣ Pelvic inflammatory disease can occur in 1% of women choosing to use the copper IUD. Most women who do experience this tend to already have pre existing infections like gonorrhea or chlamydia, hence you should get tested before inserting the IUD.
5️⃣ Some women develop bacterial vaginosis, and some think its because the copper affects the vaginal microbiome.
6️⃣ Copper excess can occur, and this makes sense since the IUD is literally expelling copper into us. Symptoms of copper toxicity can look like anxiety, depression, candida over growth, high levels of progesterone, fatigue, any thyroid issue, blood sugar dysregulation and more. Conversely, estrogen and copper seem to have an affinity for each other, meaning if one goes up, the other accumulates as well. This can lead to estrogen dominance and slew of other issues.
Keep in mind though that as essential as copper is to the body, hormonal birth control and the copper IUD don’t necessarily provide the body the copper to USE within the cell. Rather, it accumulates in the tissue, which can lead to zinc deficiencies and the inability to use iron (which can present itself as what many doctors see as anemia).

For other Non Hormonal Birth Control options, click here!