One Birth Control Does Not Fit All

With the looming uncertainty of accessibility and coverage for birth control under the Trump administration, many women are looking to switch to a longer-term birth control option.

One long-term birth control option that many women have been gravitating towards is the intrauterine device.

According to plannedparenthood.org, the IUD is a device that is inserted into a women’s uterus. The length of the IUD’s effectiveness depends on the brand, but some can last up to 12 years.

Kat Taylor, senior arts management major, did not have a positive experience after she got her three-year IUD inserted.

Due to the IUD Taylor developed two ovarian cysts and suffered from severe cramping. She had to get the IUD removed because of the negative side effects that she was experiencing.

Taylor admitted she felt uninformed about the side effects of IUDs. She strongly urges women that are considering to get an IUD to do their research.

“Don’t just get it because you’re afraid that Trump is going to get rid of birth control. In my opinion, that’s too extreme and kind of ludacris,” Taylor said.

Taylor now uses condoms as her main form of birth control because she also experienced negative side effects from the birth control pill.

“Being birth control-free is a little nerve-wracking because I am sexually active with my boyfriend. We are safe, but it’s still nerve-wracking because I don’t have that reassurance on my end,” Taylor said.

Kaylee Bast, senior business and communication major, has had a very different experience with the IUD than Taylor. Bast has a three-year IUD and finds it to be an effective form of birth control.

Bast’s used to use the pill as a form of birth control but found it difficult to remember to take it on a daily basis. She said that since being on the IUD she has had non-existent or light periods and has experienced little side effects.

“I don’t want to recommend or say this is what people should do, but I think if people are in the market for a new birth control I would definitely say I have had good experiences with it,” Bast said.

Nicole DeMarb, junior wildlife ecology major, has never considered getting an IUD. DeMarb uses the pill as a method of birth control.

DeMarb feels that the IUD is not the right form of birth control for her because she does not like the invasive nature of it, but she is in support of women having multiple birth control options.

“If you have a problem with one and that is the only thing you can get then you are kind of screwed,” DeMarb said.

Caroline Chalk

Reporter

cchal845@uwsp.edu