When you’re not planning on getting pregnant again in a hurry, a four, or five, or even six year stretch before needing to change your contraceptive may sound pretty sweet. But if you’re thinking it might be time to start thinking about a sibling for Baby, that four year stretch can start to sound a little too long. Fortunately, you can make an appointment to have the IUD or implant removed at any point. There is no need to stick with a method for its full stretch if you are ready for another baby
Benefits of using an IUD or implant
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants can be a great choice for new moms because once placed by a doctor, they are among the most effective types of birth control, with no daily action required. This means that every user is a “perfect user,” or someone who follows the instructions so well that the birth control works as well as it can possibly work. By contrast, the birth control pill, which needs to be taken around the same time every day to be perfectly effective, is only 91% effective in practice (even though if every user were using it exactly the way it is prescribed, it would be 99% effective).
One of the main appeals of IUDs and the implant is that they are long-lasting, but they can also be removed at any point by a qualified professional.
Getting your IUD or implant removed
- Removing an IUD: Removing an IUD is often easier and quicker than when an IUD is placed, and women who experienced pain when an IUD was inserted often find that removal is less painful. IUDs should always be removed by qualified medical professionals. When you’re ready for your IUD to be removed, you can make an appointment with your healthcare provider. Fertility returns immediately after an IUD is removed, so if you’re not planning on trying to conceive right away, it’s important to have an alternate contraceptive ready.
- Removing an implant: Implants are also quickly and easily removed, and should also always be removed by a doctor. When you’re ready to remove an implant, set up an appointment with your doctor, and they’ll use a small incision in your arm to remove the implant. Fertility returns quickly after an implant is removed, and pregnancy is possible as early as the first week after removal.
Long-lasting birth control methods like IUDs and implants can be great choices for new moms for their convenience and reliability – two things new parents may be finding in short supply in other parts of their lives.
