You are right that the Mirena IUD (it contains the hormone progestin) can prevent a monthly menstrual period altogether or make it lighter. (There is another type of IUD that is hormone-free, and the copper from the IUD is what help prevents pregnancy).
Your body does not "store up" blood for your menstrual cycle, whether you are using any type of birth control or not. The blood from your menstrual cycle is shed once per month through the vagina, and is actually not a pool of blood as you might think. It may seem like a lot of blood, but a typical menstrual period is only about an average of 1.5 ounces of blood and tissue (over 3-5 days). What you are shedding during a period is the lining from your uterus that builds up in preparation for the implantation of a fertilized egg---that's why it's not a pool of blood that circulates or is stored...the thicker tissue and blood is attached to the uterine wall and then literally shed through the vagina. If you do not experience a period, or it is lighter, it means the uterine lining did not thicken or build up in the first place.
The "scary stories" you have heard may be part-truths, so don't' believe everything you hear! Some women may have bleeding disorders or other conditions that were pre-existing before using the IUD.
Do you mind telling me how old you are, and what type of IUD you are thinking about using (the hormone-containing Mirena; or the copper IUD called the ParaGuard)? Do you have any other questions about birth control or your anatomy?
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You are right that the Mirena IUD (it contains the hormone progestin) can prevent a monthly menstrual period altogether or make it lighter. (There is another type of IUD that is hormone-free, and the copper from the IUD is what help prevents pregnancy).
Your body does not "store up" blood for your menstrual cycle, whether you are using any type of birth control or not. The blood from your menstrual cycle is shed once per month through the vagina, and is actually not a pool of blood as you might think. It may seem like a lot of blood, but a typical menstrual period is only about an average of 1.5 ounces of blood and tissue (over 3-5 days). What you are shedding during a period is the lining from your uterus that builds up in preparation for the implantation of a fertilized egg---that's why it's not a pool of blood that circulates or is stored...the thicker tissue and blood is attached to the uterine wall and then literally shed through the vagina. If you do not experience a period, or it is lighter, it means the uterine lining did not thicken or build up in the first place.
The "scary stories" you have heard may be part-truths, so don't' believe everything you hear! Some women may have bleeding disorders or other conditions that were pre-existing before using the IUD.
Do you mind telling me how old you are, and what type of IUD you are thinking about using (the hormone-containing Mirena; or the copper IUD called the ParaGuard)? Do you have any other questions about birth control or your anatomy?
August 11, 2009 - 12:38pmThis Comment
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