What Women Should Know About Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)

[Originally published: Oct. 4, 2023. Updated: Aug. 13, 2024.] One of the most common questions women have about intrauterine devices (IUDs) is if insertion hurts, says Tessa Madden, MD, a Yale Medicine obstetrician-gynecologist and family planning specialist. When it comes to addressing questions about IUD pain, which is something that has been chronicled in social media videos in recent years, Dr. Madden says it’s important to manage a patient’s expectations. “I tell them that it is uncomfortable, and it can be intensely crampy right as it is inserted,” she says. “Some people might even have cramping after they leave the office, but the vast majority of patients do fine.” An IUD is a type of long-acting, reversible contraception (LARC) that provides birth control for three to 10 years, depending on the type. A small, flexible, T-shaped device, an IUD is inserted into the uterus through the vagina. Generally speaking, IUDs prevent pregnancy by reducing the ability of sperm to reach the...