Can an IUD (birth control device) rupture and cause bleeding?

Question

I have one but a friend has told me that this happened to her. Im scared help

Answer 1

As previously stated, the IUD itself doesn't rupture. It can, however, pierce your womb during insertion and this would be picked up on pretty quickly as it can cause a lot of pain and other problems. The only other time that this is likely to happen is during the first 6 weeks after insertion, when the body can forcibly try to eject the device.

If you have had the device checked 6 weeks after insertion and the fit is correct, there is no pain, bleeding after sex, or infection present, then I think it is safe to assume that you will be just fine.

Don't let one friend's bad experience tarnish your opinion of what is a very good form of contraception.

Answer 2

I've had two kinds of IUD over the last 10 years and, like f0xymoron, had no problems with them at all. The first was a normal copper coil, which did give me really heavy periods, so I changed to a mirena coil, which is plastic and has a wee hormone pack in it. Now I have very light periods indeed.

An IUD is shaped like a number 7, and in VERY VERY rare cases, the top of the 7 can push into the wall of the womb, which would obviously cause some pain and bleeding. Maybe this is what your friend is talking about? Like I say, it's always been extremely rare for this to happen, and I think even more so with the more modern devices. If this did happen, the IUD would have moved, and the strings would probably feel shorter. Check them each month, at the same time of your cycle so that you know how long they usually are, and if you notice a big difference, go see your doc. Otherwise, don;t panic. Burst condoms and the morning after pill are much more risky :)

Answer 3

An IUD does not rupture... it never does... its an intra-uterine device... and just like it goes also by the name coil, its actually a coil... that can never rupture.
It however hinders the comtraction of the uterus which stops bleeding and as a result cause lots of bleeding sometimes during menses. The contraction of the uterus seals the blood vessels but since its in the uterrine cavity... it hinders the contraction of the uterus.
Those are some of the side effects some people experience which the doctor should have told you.

Answer 4

I've had IUDs for nearly seven years now and have had absolutely no problem, in fact I believe they're the best non-barrier contraceptive there is. I've never heard of one causing any kind of rupture, and they're so easily removed if you were in any pain, it would be very straightforward to sort. I think she's scare-mongering. Take any contraceptive at all, and there will be horror stories - just remember that the vast majority of users experience no problems, otherwise it wouldn't be available to you.