We interviewed a health care professional about all the gritty details when it comes to getting an IUD – so you don’t have to (but it doesn’t hurt to ask around..).

Q: Ok, why on earth would a girl get an IUD (intrauterine device) when there are less invasive forms of birth control out there? 

A: IUDs are a great option because you can ‘set it and forget it.’ With an IUD, you don’t have to remember to take anything at the same time every day, and you can have as much or as little sex you want as soon as it’s in place.

Specifically, if I met someone tomorrow, I could have sex and not have to wait for a week for any hormonal birth control to start working (though if it IS someone you just met, it’s certainly best to use a condom regardless. You can still catch STDs). With an IUD the contraception “coverage” is instantaneous. You don’t have to worry if you took your pill yesterday, or if you removed your vaginal ring during the wrong week (little things like that could unintentionally lead to pregnancy). 

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