About the IUD

Talking to your kids about sex can be daunting, no matter how close you are. But discussing issues like abstinence, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and birth control can help lower teens' risk of an Pill, patch) because the copper IUD is available. The IUD also provides a long-lasting term form of birth control.

Protection Against STDs

The IUD does not protect against STDs. Couples having sex must always use pelvic inflammatory disease (or PID, an infection in the upper part of a woman's reproductive system). But it has been taken off the market and testing of the current IUDs shows that the risk of infection is very small. Some feel that pelvic infections occur more frequently with IUDs than with other forms of contraception, but others disagree.

The other concern that used to exist with IUDs was the possibility of Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: January 2007