FAQ
Hormonal & Non-Hormonal IUD
In general, it can be slightly uncomfortable to painful, but it usually only lasts for a few seconds to a few minutes. Each person is different. Some say it’s the worst cramps you may get during your period, others say they barely felt anything. Taking ibuprofen (over the counter) can usually help the discomfort. Some women take over the counter medications (the same ones you usually take during your periods) a few hours before the appointment to help minimize the discomfort. And remember, if you are on your period for your appointment, this is perfectly fine. Some believe it may even help with the insertion, but there’s no hard science on this, so don’t bother trying to schedule your insertion around your period.
If you get a hormonal IUD, you may no longer have monthly periods and you may have irregular bleeding. This can vary from spotting that comes and goes, spotting for several days, to barely bleeding at all. You may keep getting a monthly period, but it should be much lighter than before getting the IUD. Some may notice this in the first few weeks, some may notice this irregularity for a few months. Many will only have very lite spotting if any bleeding at all after several months of use; this is all considered normal due to the progestin hormone. It may seem odd to not have your period, but because of the small amount of hormone in your uterus, there is no reason to have your period as nothing is building up in your uterine lining. Therefore, some women love their IUDs (because they don’t have to deal with monthly periods). Yup, this is all part of the design. Some people who don’t even need birth control use the hormonal IUD to help with heavy or painful periods.
If you get a non-hormonal IUD (aka copper IUD), you will likely have monthly bleeding and your bleeding may be slightly heavier and you may have more cramps than usual. This is an expected side effect, but the potential heavier bleeding and cramps may lessen after the first year. Your periods should continue as before you got the non-hormonal IUD. For many women, taking over the counter meds that you usually take for your periods can help with this expected side effect. The first few periods you should keep ibuprofen handy and take the dose recommended by your health care provider as soon as your period starts and as long as you need it.
The strings are outside of your cervix (neck of your uterus) and DO NOT hang outside of your vagina. The small strings allow your healthcare provider to remove the IUD when you are ready to consider pregnancy. The strings are also a way you can check to see that your IUD is in place (yes, you can feel the strings with your finger, your cervix feels like the tip of your nose). With time, the strings usually soften and may curl up in your cervix- this is very normal. You and your partner will likely never notice the strings, but if they bother you or your partner, please see your healthcare provider who can help.
Yes, there’s a small chance an IUD can fall out but there’s no way to tell if you are at risk of having it fall out. And if it does fall out (aka expelled out), it’s usually in the first few days or weeks after insertion. Just contact your healthcare provider and they will give you instructions. You can try another IUD or try another method. Just remember once the IUD is out, you are no longer protected from pregnancy. If you ever notice something hard and pokey when you are checking for the IUD strings or if your partner says they can feel something hard and pokey in your vagina, you should see your health care provider as soon as possible and use a back up method to prevent pregnancy until you confirm the IUD is still placed correctly.
Hormonal Implant
No, your periods will no longer be regular. You can expect irregular bleeding and spotting, especially in the first few months. This is a normal expected side effect. Some people may not get any bleeding after 6 months or so, but it’s impossible to predict your bleeding profile. The implant has a bit of the hormone progestin and this is why you have irregular bleeding and spotting. The women who are happiest with the implant are those who want to know they have the most effective form of birth control available to prevent pregnancy and don’t mind having some irregular spotting and wearing a pantiliner more than usual.
No, no one should be able to see the implant since it is the size of a matchstick and it’s placed underneath your skin. You can feel the implant by gently pushing down where it was inserted but it’s not obvious like a tattoo or a raised scar. But in the first 1-2 days after insertion, you will have a pressure bandage on your arm to minimize bruising and to allow the small insertion incision to heal. You will have bruising on the inside of your arm that will be obvious if your arms are uncovered for a couple of weeks. And you may have a regular band-aid over the insertion site for up to one week. Most report no pain with the implant insertion. You will feel a small stick to numb your skin at the insertion site, but otherwise minimal discomfort.
You don’t have to do anything you are not comfortable with. And it is true that with an implant insertion, you don’t need to undress below the waist as the implant is placed on the underside of your upper arm. Depending on the conversation between you and our healthcare provider, they may recommend STI/STD screening (via self- collected vaginal swab) and/or a pregnancy test (via urine sample you provide).
IUDs & Implants
Yes, IUDs were around 50 years ago and back then the devices were poorly tested and ended up being a bad product. With research and technology, IUDs and Implants have been redesigned and are now very safe and effective for women of any age. We have come a long way with understanding how best to prevent pregnancy and today’s modern birth control means many more options than just the pill or condom. We also know it’s safe and well received because IUDs are the most commonly used birth control amongst ob/gyn providers. See this video to learn more about the IUD or Implant.
The IUD can ‘get stuck’ or be placed outside the uterus (aka perforation) – although this is not common. This can happen to anyone, but the best way to be confident your IUD placement will go smoothly is to choose a health care provider who places/removes/troubleshoots IUDs and Implants regularly. Practice makes almost perfect; Juno4Me believes seeing a skilled provider decreases the chance of a problem. Being real, all forms of birth control (and pregnancy!) can have complications, including serious ones. It’s important you feel comfortable with whatever method you choose to prevent pregnancy and understand that method’s benefits and risks. As for weight gain, research and large studies show that IUDs or Implant do NOT cause weight gain. But remember, without watching your calories and getting exercise, almost every woman will gain weight year after year regardless of what birth control method you use. Remember, you are not your aunt or grandma or best friend, so the method that was best for them may not be the right choice for you!
The IUD can ‘get stuck’ or be placed outside the uterus (aka perforation) – although this is not common. This can happen to anyone, but the best way to be confident your IUD placement will go smoothly is to choose a health care provider who places/removes/troubleshoots IUDs and Implants regularly. Practice makes almost perfect; Juno4Me believes seeing a skilled provider decreases the chance of a problem. Being real, all forms of birth control (and pregnancy!) can have complications, including serious ones. It’s important you feel comfortable with whatever method you choose to prevent pregnancy and understand that method’s benefits and risks. As for weight gain, research and large studies show that IUDs or Implant do NOT cause weight gain. But remember, without watching your calories and getting exercise, almost every woman will gain weight year after year regardless of what birth control method you use. Remember, you are not your aunt or grandma or best friend, so the method that was best for them may not be the right choice for you!
Yes, any type of IUD (hormonal or non-hormonal) or Implant is safe for women of all ages. It’s so safe that national experts in pediatrics (American Academy of Pediatrics) and obstetrics & gynecology (American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology) recommend using IUDs or Implants as the preferred birth control for anyone wanting the most effective method to prevent pregnancy.
Yes, this may be your first time seeing a gynecologist and Juno4Me providers are pros at working with youth and young adults. They will talk you through your visit and provide recommended screenings. If you are over 21, you may even get a cervical cancer screen (aka Pap Smear) which is what many people associate with a gynecological exam. You don’t typically need a pap until you are 21 and it’s not required to get birth control. And depending on your conversation with your healthcare provider, they may recommend the following tests: screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea, HIV, and pregnancy but none of these require a gynecological exam.
Aside from not having sex (aka abstinence), condoms are the only way to decrease the chance of transmitting sexually transmitted infections/diseases (STI or STD, it’s the same thing. So, if you are not sure of your partner(s) STI/STD status or if you or your partner has more than one partner, you should still use a male or female condom (just one at a time – not both at once!). Remember, the IUD or Implant is for pregnancy prevention and does not protect again STI/STD.
Juno4Me believes that the best birth control is the birth control that works best for you and your lifestyle. So, if you don’t want a certain method, you shouldn’t get it. This means, when you are ready to remove your IUD or Implant, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. Removals are quick and painless. Once you have the IUD or Implant removed, you may be able to get pregnant right away, so plan. Your fertility returns to your normal baseline within weeks to a few months. Juno4Me providers are here to remove your IUD or Implant - without cost - even if you didn’t get the IUD or Implant through Juno4Me.
Most people with the IUD or Implant find they are relieved to no longer be worried about pregnancy! There’s no straight forward answer to this, but in general IUDs and Implants do not cause you to feel sad. Also, the progestin hormone in the hormonal IUD and Implant is a very low dose, but there’s no guarantee how you may feel with an IUD or Implant. Only you know how you feel so if this is a concern, you should talk to your healthcare provider. Remember, the IUD or Implant is reversible and removable.
Yes, you may read about different brand names of IUDs (i.e. Mirena, Paragard, Liletta, etc.…) or Implants (Nexplanon or Implanon). In general, IUDs are classified as either hormonal or non-hormonal and vary ever so slightly on the size (yes, we are talking millimeters) of the IUD and the hormone level (all levels are low). Most skilled IUD and Implant providers would say hormonal IUDs are all essentially the same. It’s more about marketing than clinical recommendations. Juno4me is NOT in the business of promoting or supporting one brand over another, so we don’t pick one over the other in any of our education. And the hormonal Implant used to be called Implanon, but they improved the device and now it’s called Nexplanon.
There are several options for pregnancy prevention, but only male or female condoms can help decrease your risk of "STI"s ("sexually transmitted infections" - such as HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia). All the options below are designed to prevent pregnancy with some having other medical benefits too. Check out the chart below to see different methods and how well they work at preventing pregnancy:
Logistics
Yeah, healthcare insurance is super confusing. That’s why Juno4Me is here to help you find providers who can help figure this out. If your insurance doesn’t cover birth control or requires a co-pay, deductible, blah, blah, blah….no worries: Juno4Me will take care of this. If you don’t have insurance, Juno4Me providers will see if you qualify for any other funds that help cover the cost of birth control. Remember, some of these funds may require paperwork and certain protocols of that clinic. We ask you to be patient as we are trying to do our best to make sure everyone gets what they want without cost. And we are trying to make sure you get your birth control in one single visit …. again, no worries if you don’t qualify for these other funds, Juno4Me will take care of the contraceptive visit registered through Juno4Me.
Wouldn’t that be an amazing story? We’d cheer you on. Of course, you can change your mind at any time. If there’s time, please call the provider’s office and cancel so someone else can take your appointment slot. If you change your mind once you talk more with your provider, that is fine too. Juno4Me believes the best birth control is the birth control that you want.
You should pick the method that works best for you. Juno4Me connects you to skilled IUD and Implant providers, but you can find a family planning provider for other birth control methods or even try on line mail service options using the healthcare locator with Bedsider.
If you want to learn more about IUD and Implants from national experts about women’s health, get more info from The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology here.
Transportation
All our preferred providers are near public transportation or you can use Juno’s partner, Lyft for a free ride code within the Chicago Area (606XX zip code only). Juno4Me has no mechanism to reimburse you if you use another method.
Yes at this time, this is the only way to redeem the free ride code. Also, the code is only good for the classic ride which means the single regular vehicle (sorry, no fancy limos to pick you up, but you don't have to share your ride) and it's programmed only to go to and from the offices of the Juno4Me providers. If you don't follow these rules, the ride code won't work and we don't want you to have to pay this out of pocket. From your Lyft App, add the promo code under "promos" (left side where you find options).
If you are needing a Lyft, you will receive the free ride code via text the day before your appointment. So be sure the number you provide Juno4Me is accurate and can receive text. Also, the code is only good to /from the preferred provider address from your location within Chicago city (606XX zip code only). Sorry. To add the code, go to the left side of your Lyft app where you should see a list of options (ride history, settings, etc...). Enter the free code under "promos". Any cost above the set amount will be billed to your credit card on file.