What To Know About Sex With an IUD

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a small, T-shaped plastic device inserted into the uterus to help prevent pregnancy. This contraception type stays in the uterus, so you may wonder if having sex with an IUD feels different. You might have concerns that sexual activity may make your IUD fall out or move.

Can you feel an IUD during sex? You and your partner will usually not feel an IUD during penetrative sex. The device is inserted into the uterus, which a penis or sex toy does not reach. A partner may feel the strings. It's not uncommon to experience light bleeding after sex the first few months after IUD insertion. Contact a healthcare provider right away if you have severe bleeding.

Both hormonal and copper IUDs are extremely effective forms of birth control and are more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. An IUD can prevent pregnancy for three to 10 years if inserted correctly. It's rare for an IUD to fall out or move, and having sex is not a risk factor for IUD complications.

How Does Sex Work With an IUD Inserted?

Getting an IUD does not drastically change your sex life. Its purpose, after all, is to help prevent pregnancy. Some IUDs do not immediately protect you against pregnancy, depending on the type and the timing of your menstrual cycle.

Just because you can have sex after IUD insertion does not mean you'll want to. The actual IUD insertion process can be uncomfortable or painful. You may experience cramping afterward. Take all the time you need before jumping back in.

Is It Normal To Have Bleeding After Sex With an IUD?

It's not uncommon to experience bleeding or spotting the first few months after IUD insertion. People typically report that these symptoms go away or are significantly less intense than what they experienced before IUD insertion.

Your IUD might have moved if spotting does not go away a few months after getting it. Check to see if you can feel the IUD strings with clean fingers. Call your healthcare provider to get checked out if the strings have disappeared.

Can My Partner Feel My IUD During Sex?

Your partner will not be able to feel your IUD during sex. The IUD is inserted into your uterus. The penis may hit the cervix (the lowermost part of the uterus) during penetrative sex. Your partner cannot enter the cervix and reach your IUD.

It's possible for your partner to feel your IUD strings during penetrative sex. These two strings are designed to extend past your cervix, which makes it easy for a healthcare provider to remove the IUD. Bumping into these strings is usually not intense or painful.

"Sometimes if the string is super short, it could poke the penis," Christine Greves, MD, an OB-GYN based in Florida, told Health. "If the string is longer, it can curve underneath the cervix and has less of a likelihood of being noticed."

You can talk to a healthcare provider about trimming or curling the strings if you are concerned about your partner feeling them. Your partner should barely notice anything poking them during sex.

How Long After IUD Insertion Can You Have Sex?

You'll need to avoid penetrative sex or use back-up birth control for at least seven days if you have had a hormonal IUD inserted more than seven days since your last period. Copper IUDs, in contrast, can act as emergency contraception if inserted within five days of unprotected sex. You will not need another form of birth control if you have a copper IUD and can have sex right after it's inserted.

What if You Feel Pain or Cramping After Sex?

Sex is not supposed to hurt with or without an IUD. Penetrative sex might be painful for you in the rare case your partner feels the actual IUD and not the strings. Pain during sex can indicate your IUD has moved to the cervix. Other signs your IUD may have moved include the inability to feel the IUD strings with your fingers, abdominal pain, and abnormal bleeding.

It's rare for your IUD to shift, but it's possible, especially after insertion. Research has shown that many IUDs that move after insertion move back into the correct position within three months.

Speak to a healthcare provider if you think your IUD may have migrated. The IUD may not effectively work if it's no longer in the uterus or correctly placed. This increases the odds of unintended pregnancy.

Can an IUD Fall Out During Sex?

"It's highly unlikely that sex could dislodge an IUD," said Dr. Greves. Even the most enthusiastic sex positions and experiences will not displace your IUD or cause it to fall out because of its location.

Dr. Greves noted that the IUD is unlikely to move from any form of penetration because it sits in the uterus rather than the vagina or cervix. That's because a penis or a sex toy does not enter the uterus during penetrative sex.

It's very unlikely that your IUD will move, fall out (expulsion), or poke through your uterine wall (perforation). Having sex with an IUD is not a risk factor for these complications.

Research has shown that 2% to 10% of IUDs fall out within the first year. You may be more at risk of expulsion if you get your IUD inserted immediately after giving birth.

Uterine perforation is also very rare, with research estimating that 1 in 1,000 IUD insertions result in perforation. Improper IUD insertion, being postpartum, breastfeeding, and having a small or tilted uterus may increase your risk of uterine perforation.

Can My Partner Finish in Me if I Have an IUD?

Your partner can ejaculate inside of you if you have an IUD. The device is highly effective at preventing pregnancy.

Hormonal IUDs slowly release the hormone levonorgestrel to prevent pregnancy. Levonorgestrel helps prevent ovulation, thins the uterus lining to prevent an egg from implanting, and thickens the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the uterus. Copper IUDs use copper wire to create a reaction that kills sperm and drastically decreases its ability to move.

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

Having an IUD does not usually make sex painful or uncomfortable for you or your partner. See a healthcare provider if you have pain or painful sex to check that the IUD has not moved. IUDs also do not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Pain or abnormal symptoms could be a sign of an STI.

Other signs you need to see a healthcare provider about your IUD include:

• Fever or chills with no clear explanation
• Heavy bleeding during or after sex
• Severe cramping or abdominal pain
• Unusual vaginal fluids

A healthcare provider will remove and reinsert your IUD if they determine that it has moved. Uterine perforation can be severe and require surgery to remove the embedded IUD. A healthcare provider may also suggest a different form of birth control, depending on your risk factors.

A Quick Review

An IUD is highly effective at preventing pregnancy. Having sex with an IUD does not usually cause bleeding or pain. It's not uncommon, however, to experience light bleeding and cramps right after an IUD insertion. You might want to wait a few days after an IUD insertion if you feel discomfort. Contact a healthcare provider right away if you have heavy bleeding and severe pain.