Thread: Misoprostol and IUD Insertion

I found this site and others helpful before I got my second IUD so I wanted to share my experience.

I had a Paragard IUD about two years ago. The insertion was very painful, about a 9 out of 10 on a pain scale. This was most likely because I haven't ever had children or been pregnant. The IUD started to expell itself a couple of months after it was inserted. I actually felt the bottom of the IUD at the end of my cervix. It had to be removed and my doctor at the time said if one failed, probably I wouldn't have success with others until after I had had a child. So I didn't try again.

I have a new doctor and she thought I should give IUD's another try due to my preference for a highly effective, non hormonal birth control. She said that my past expulsion didn't necessarily doom me to IUD failure so to speak. Although I would have a better chance of it staying in if I had had a child.

I remembered my pain with my 1st IUD and wanted to try and mitigate pain again as much as was possible. I read up and found that local anesthetic shots were sometimes used to numb the cervix and uterus. I inquired with my doctor and she said she hadn't ever used one herself and though they weren't very helpful. But she did say I could insert two misoprostol pills the night before the insertion to "soften" the cervix. The misoprostols themselves did cause very mild cramping, much like mild menstral cramps prior to the insertion. Having now had one IUD insertion without misoprostol and one with, I would say that the misoprostol didn't help the pain level all that much. It may have made it easier to insert for my doctor... but I didn't reap any benefits in the pain department. I took 3, 200mg advil/ib prof. before hand, I didn't think that helped all that much either but I can't exactly remember the pain of the 1st insertion. I'd take the the IB prof for good measure. It can't hurt more.
I'm crossing my fingers that my IUD stays in this time. I loved it, other than that it came out last time. I'll be checking my strings carefully for at least the first year (if it stays in that long) as you have the highest chance of expulsion for the first few months, up to one year after insertion. I hope this is helpful to someone And good luck future IUD'ers!

Oh, I'll add that I've had the IUD for two full days now, and I'm still experiencing mild cramping. My nurse said I should wait it out, but to call if I develop a fever, severe bleeding, or cramps that are a 10 out of 10 in pain.