Yes, You Can Remove Your Own IUD, but You Probably Shouldn’t
After news that the conservative group Britney Spears had refused to allow her to remove the IUD , several people indicated that you can remove your own IUD by grabbing the strings and pulling. If this sounds tempting to the rest of us, know that doctors say it’s safest to have your procedure done in the office if possible.
An IUD, or intrauterine device, is a T-shaped piece of plastic or metal that sits in your uterus. It acts as a contraceptive, keeping your uterus free of a baby from three to 12 years old (depending on your genus) with a 99% effectiveness. The insertion can be painful, but removal is usually quick and painless.
The removal procedure is simple: the IUD has threads that look like tampon threads; Although the IUD is in the uterus, strings hang down through the cervix into the vagina. You can feel them if you insert your fingers deep enough into your vagina, and many healthcare professionals advise you to check the strings monthly to make sure they are still in place. When your IUD is removed, your doctor simply pulls on the strings like removing a tampon. The IUD should come out right away.
This is usually the case. But if not, what then? As gynecologist Jen Gunther writes , you want to go to a professional to remove an IUD because the professional knows how hard it is to shoot, what to expect, and what to do if things don’t go according to plan:
Installing a simple IUD does not require 4 years of medical school and then another 4 or 5 years of residency, but identifying when something is wrong and knowing what to do about it. If the IUD is stuck in the wall of the uterus or in the cervix, there is no way of knowing before pulling it out. We pull very carefully because the IUD should really just pop out. If there is resistance, we don’t know if one of the sides of the IUD doesn’t want to collapse, or if the IUD is embedded in the uterus or cervix.
Gunther asked a colleague to remove it and found that he was stuck. “I’m a gynecologist and I couldn’t tell that there was something wrong with my IUD removal until it was over,” she said.
While doctors agree that professional removal is better than homemade removal, they disagree on how bad this idea is. Gunther says please don’t try to clean your house; others, like the ones cited in this Healthline article , seem to feel that it is not too dangerous as long as you are well informed and proceed with caution.
Gynecologist Ashley Brant writes that “while trying to remove an IUD at home is unlikely to do serious harm, the main risk is that it just won’t work.” The IUD can enter the cervix by half or half, which is not dangerous, but can be extremely uncomfortable. So you have to go to urgent help to take care of it anyway.
Bedsider recommends that if you want to remove the IUD but are having trouble making an appointment, look for a provider who can do the job before your regular gynecologist. (If cost is an issue, visit clinics such as Planned Parenthood, which offer sliding scale services.)
In addition to being safer, professional removal also tends to be faster, with the bonus of being able to talk to your provider about what to do next – whether it’s getting a new IUD, switching to another birth control option, or planning for pregnancy.