With an effectiveness rate of 99%, intrauterine devices, or IUDs, are one of the most successful forms of birth control. Experiences with the actual insertion procedure, however, can range from great to miserable, depending on the person.
After hearing a wide range of stories from family and friends about their IUD insertions, Alison Turkos, an abortion counselor in New York City, decided to live-tweet her IUD appointment. Using the hashtag, #TurkosIUD, she was able to publicly discuss her procedure and show a very real and less-talked-about side of IUDs.
Related: What You Need To Know About IUDs
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Turkos hadn't been on hormonal birth control for the past few years, and she chose an IUD because she wanted a method that didn't require much maintenance. After hearing stories from friends, though, she wasn't sure what to expect during the procedure. In the end, the insertion went much smoother than she thought it would. "I'm not someone who handles pain very well," Turkos told Women’s Health. "And from the stories I heard, I had high expectations that it wouldn't be a good experience." She says the whole process only took about two minutes, and the doctor was completely on board with her tweeting the procedure.
I am choosing to have a Mirena inserted because I'm not a fan of my period. Lighter bleeding and cramping sounds great! #TurkosIUD #TeamIUD
— Alison Turkos (@alisonturkos) January 6, 2015People are different, which means each IUD insertion is different. I'm choosing to share my story b/c it's important to demystify #TurkosIUD
— Alison Turkos (@alisonturkos) January 6, 2015To anyone afraid of an IUD insertion, remember that bodies are different and no two insertions are alike #TurkosIUD
— Alison Turkos (@alisonturkos) January 6, 2015