By Mia T., Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Peer Educator
Yes I know, the IUD sounds painful. The IUD is a tiny T-shaped device that is put into your uterus. There are tons of articles online that discuss all of the negatives about the IUD which tend to make people, including me, very nervous about it. I recently chose to get this form of birth control, specifically the ParaGard. Instead of hormones it has copper around it--which is a natural spermicide. I had been on the Depo shot before and hadn’t liked the way the hormones affected me.
The procedure itself lasted 2 minutes max. I was just a little uncomfortable, with some slight pain. My doctor gave me some ibuprofen to help with the slight discomfort. There are two clamps, a poke, then the actual insertion. The pain is different for everyone. I also had cramps that continued for a couple days but eventually subsided.
Although the insertion did hurt a little, It was worth it to me. You have to remember to step back and remember why you are taking this step for yourself. You also have to remember that it is a foreign object going into your body and will take some time getting used to it. This particular IUD will provide incredibly effective birth control for me for up to 12 years and I love that. I won’t have to worry about getting another one until I’m 30! The commitment may seem scary but you can get it removed at anytime you like.
The bottom line? There's no harm in trying different birth control methods to see which one is right for you!
My name is Mia and I’m a senior at The Met high school in Sacramento, California. I’m currently a peer educator and intern for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. I’m also the vice president of my high schools feminist coalition. Working with other teens and spreading information about important topics (safe sex, consent, birth control, etc.) is incredibly important to me and I hope to continue this work wherever I go.
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte (PPMM) Peer Educators meet monthly to learn about healthy relationships, sexual health, human sexuality, youth rights, community resources, teen pregnancy prevention, STI prevention and healthy communication skills. Peer Educators then take this information back to their schools and communities to find creative ways to help their peers live healthy, informed lives through presentations outreach and peer support. Peers are required to complete at least 10 hours per month.
Peer Educators empower themselves and others using accurate, unbiased sexual health education. Peers work to promote health, tolerance and positive healthy relationships. Peers also work to reduce misinformation, stereotypes and high risk behaviors among youth in their communities.
Program is open to 9th-12th grade high school student or first year college student under age 20.
A project under the California Personal Responsibility Education Program (CA PREP) funded by the Department of Public Health and Maternal Child and Adolescent Health