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TO IUD OR TO NOT IUD In the face of a second Trump term, many women are asking themselves that question Words by Julia Reedy Art by Eva Morris | Designed by Molly Zagroba
Now that a second Trump presidency is upon us, many women are weighing their options when it comes to birth control. Oral contraceptives are prone to human error—they only prevent 93% of pregnancies— and the “4B movement” that has TikTok in a chokehold sounds great in theory, but has its shortcomings as well (no pun intended). Namely, asking all women to abstain from dating, having sex and reproducing with men in the course of these next four years is impractical—and not everyone has the means to stock up on a fouryear supply of Plan B. So, women are urged to do the next best thing:
get an IUD, or an intrauterine device, a temporary but highly effective form of contraception. But what does that entail exactly? Before you pull the trigger, here are some things to consider. What does a second Trump term mean in terms of reproductive rights? Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022—which the Trump administration proudly takes credit for—Trump has maintained that women’s reproductive rights should remain up to state policy. This includes access to birth control. To date, there are 13 states that have a total ban on abortion. According to a study published in June by the JAMA Network Open