Intersectionality, Natalie Mandarino…………………………………………………………160 IUD, Stephanie Snopek

IUD

Stephanie Snopek

A keyword central to the study of adolescence and health is IUD. An IUD, which stands for “intrauterine device,” is a “T” shaped device, about the size of a quarter, that is placed inside a woman’s uterus to prevent pregnancy. Two types of IUDs exist; one periodically releases progestin, a synthetic chemical that mimics the effects of the hormone progesterone, while the other is copper-coated. Both IUDs prevent pregnancy by inhibiting the sperm from fertilizing the egg and implanting. The hormonal IUD works by releasing (daily) a small amount of a progestin called levonorgestrel into the reproductive system (Toler, 2022). The copper IUD, by comparison, alters the fluids in both the uterus and fallopian tubes using the properties of copper, making them inhospitable to sperm (2022). While both types are very effective at preventing pregnancy, neither protect against sexually transmitted infections.

The first documentation on the

IUD was published in 1909 by Dr. Richard Richter of Germany (Margulies, 1975). Before the 20th century, there is no evidence of his idea to insert foreign objects, specifically a ring made of silkworm gut, into the human uterus to act as contraception. In the mid-1920’s, Ernest Graefenberg introduced a similar version which had the addition of a silver wire wrapped around it. For several years after that, different doctors around the world wrote about their successes and failures using various variations of intrauterine devices. It was not until 1969 that their effectiveness was revolutionized by Dr. Howard Tatum who (essentially) devised a simple

plastic T device that women tolerated well (Margulies, 1975; Corbett, 2018). Soon after, the contraceptive effect(s) of copper and progesterone was discovered and, by the turn of the century, both the copper IUD and hormonal IUD had been born. It is in the opinion of the author that IUDs help us understand the experiences of young people for one very simple reason: they are a form of birth control. During adolescence, major psychological as well as biological developments take place, including the development of one’s sexuality (Kar et al., 2015). In other words, this critical developmental period is one wherein a person’s thoughts, perceptions, and responses get coloured sexually (2015). Puberty is reached during this time, which in and of itself is a major landmark in the development of sexuality. Hormones, social factors (e.g., different types of media, such as music), and even environmental factors (e.g., the political climate) experienced at this time also influence an adolescent’s interest in sexual relationships (Karl et. al, 2015). As such, young people, especially women, seek methods of birth control so as to avoid unwanted pregnancies (2015). IUDs are tied to youth’s health and well-being in a number of ways. As one of the most effective ways to prevent pregnancy, they are recommended by experts as a good birth control option particularly for teens and younger adults because they are (for the most part) safe, last several years, and require no daily care (Gordon, 2022). Additionally, they can be used as emergency contraception and the hormonal IUD specifically can help treat women who suffer from conditions like anemia and severe cramps (Planned Parenthood, 2022). Moreover, adolescents are at high risk of unintended pregnancy and, as such, benefit from increased longacting, reversable contraception methods, such as IUDs (Hoh, 2014).

Link to academic source where the reader can go to learn more about IUDs: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2018/05/adolescentsand-long-acting-reversible-contraception-implants-and-intrauterine-devices Link to non-academic source where the reader can go to learn more about IUDs: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/iud

References

Corbett, M. (2018, June 12). A history: The iud. Reproductive Health Access Project. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.reproductiveaccess.org/2013/01/a-history-the-iud/

Gordon, L. P. (Ed.). (2022, January). The IUD (for teens). KidsHealth. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/contraception-iud.html

Hoh, M. (2014, July 16). Is this teenager a good candidate for an IUD? HCPLive. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.hcplive.com/view/is-this-teenager-a-good-candidatefor-an-iud

Kar, S. K., Choudhury, A., & Singh, A. P. (2015). Understanding normal development of adolescent sexuality: A bumpy ride. Journal of human reproductive sciences, 8(2), 70–74. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-1208.158594

Margulies L. (1975). History of intrauterine devices. Bulletin of the New York Academy of

Medicine, 51(5), 662–667.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. (2022). What are the benefits & advantages of

the IUD? Planned Parenthood. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/iud/what-are-the-benefits-of-iuds

Toler, S. (2022, August 8). What the latest research says about how the hormonal IUD and the

copper IUD work. The IUD: How the hormonal IUD and the copper IUD work to prevent pregnancy. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://helloclue.com/articles/sex/how-doiuds-prevent-pregnancy