Does the coil remain effective after taking antibiotics?
The copper coil is a purely mechanical contraceptive which prevents the egg from implanting in the uterus and has no interaction with antibiotics. The hormone coil also retains its effect despite the use of antibiotics, because the hormones act locally in the uterus and do not have to be transported through the bloodstream via the liver as is the case when taking the pill. The hormones in the contraceptive pill are broken down in the liver more often when the antibiotics are taken, which cannot happen with the contraceptive coil.
Complications can occur when the coil is inserted: With the IUD there is a risk of perforation of the uterine wall. If the spiral is too deep or the uterus is too small, severe dysmenorrhea may occur. There is also the “lost IUD”, i.e. the thread of the coil is no longer visible.
Pregnancy must be ruled out and the coil must be located sonographically. It is important whether it is still in the uterus (intrauterine) or outside the uterus (extrauterine), e.g. through a perforation of the uterine wall. It is also possible that the coil is spontaneously ejected unnoticed, which occurs in 0.5-10% of cases, depending on the type, most frequently during menstruation in the first months.
Side effects are pain, bleeding disorders and inflammation due to ascending germs. Bleeding disorders are mainly hypermenorrhea and dysmenorrhea in the case of the copper spiral, and intermediate bleeding and spotting in the gestagen-containing spiral. After 12 months, 20% of the users even have no bleeding at all (amenorrhea).
Inflammation is primarily the immediately following inflammation of the endometrium (consecutive endometritis), which occurs in approx. 0.16 cases per 100 users. As a result, the fallopian tubes may be permanently destroyed, resulting in sterility.
The coil is normally located very securely in the centre of the uterus and its side arms are held in the mucosa. However, since the IUD is not sutured in place, slippage cannot be ruled out. For this reason, women with a IUD should visit their gynaecologist annually to check its position.
A slipped IUD can have a reduced contraceptive effect. Especially the copper spiral, which has a purely mechanical effect, is hardly effective in the wrong position. Most women do not notice a slippage themselves, whereas a loss of the coil is often noticed when going to the toilet.
A spiral that has slipped must be removed and replaced, as it is not possible to correct its position. If the slipped position has led to pregnancy, a direct appointment with the gynaecologist is necessary, as the probability of an ectopic pregnancy is increased with a coil. In rare cases, the IUD moves into the fallopian tubes or even into the abdominal cavity.
As there is a risk of infection and pain in the fallopian tubes, the coil must be removed surgically. Shortly after the first insertion of the IUD, most women still have pain in the lower abdomen, which can be caused by the IUD itself as well as by the insertion. After a short period of getting used to the spiral, most women no longer feel the spiral because it is a piece of plastic that is only about three centimeters in size.
The threads should not be noticeable either. If the stitches do bother you, they can be shortened afterwards.If symptoms occur in the long term, a new position check should be carried out and, if in doubt, the coil should be removed prematurely. Many women describe the insertion of the coil as unpleasant to painful.
In the first few days, most women also experience abdominal pain, which is usually not much worse than normal menstrual pain. If the pain does not subside after a few days, the gynaecologist should be consulted and the situation checked. Some women cannot cope with the coil and should have it removed. While the menstrual cycle and the associated pain are weaker with the hormone coil, the copper coil can lead to increased bleeding and thus also increase the menstrual pain. The IUS is therefore recommended for women with heavy menstrual periods.
