Mirena is an intrauterine device, a safe and effective method of birth control. It is inserted into the uterus and can stay for up to 5 years, as long as there are no complications with its usage. Once inside the body, Paragard vs. Mirena releases progestin and successfully prevents fertilization from occurring.
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There are several benefits to using the Mirena IUD, such as:
- Decreased menstrual bleeding
- Can be removed at any time to achieve conception
- Stays in place for 5 years
- Reduced costs associated with the regular use of other forms of birth control as it needs to be used only once
- Eliminates the hassle of interrupting sex for contraceptives
- Reduced risk for endometrial cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease usually caused by sexually transmitted disease
- Cost-effective as it only needs to be used once for 5 years
However, there are also certain risks associated with using Paragard vs. Mirena IUD, such as acne, headaches, weight gain, abdominal pain, breast tenderness, absence of periods, and mood changes. It’s important to understand that the body may also spontaneously expel the IUD, but certain conditions increase the risk for this occurrence such as for women who have extremely heavy and prolonged periods, are below 20 years of age, have never been pregnant, or use Mirena after childbirth or abortion.
It also doesn’t prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted disease, so if you plan on using Paragard vs. Mirena IUD with multiple partners, it’s best to use it with a secondary form of contraception such as condoms. During the time you are using the IUD, you should still get regular checkups to ensure that you are keeping healthy.
If you develop high blood pressure, uterine or cervical perforation, pelvic infections, or endometrial cancer while using Paragard vs. Mirena, your health care professional will recommend its removal and prescribe a safer form of birth control for you to use.
