Birth control has changed the way for women to get access to contraception. It is no longer simply birth control pills that are available. There is actually a range of hormone-induced contraception options that help women manage their fertility.
This is where IUDs have come into play. It eliminates the need to take a pill every single day—which statistically speaking most women struggle to do. Instead, IUDs are small contraception that is put into the uterus—often proving to be one of the most effective contraception measures!
One of the most successful hormonal IUDs is known a Kyleena, which can work for up to five years!
However, it is important to remember that IUDs, just like any other foreign object, can have negative side effects if left inside your body for too long.
That is why we are going to share everything there is to know about Kyleena and the five Kyleena side effects you should be aware of.
What is Kyleena?
Kyleena is shaped similarly to most IUDs, taking a T form, and is flexible and small. This makes it simple to insert into the uterus and efficiently protect you from getting pregnant. This IUD has been available since the early 2000s but has significantly grown in popularity in the past few years.
The reason being is that the insertion of this IUD does not require any surgery whatsoever and can remain inside the uterus for up to five years!
What are the side effects?
1) Risk of infection
Because there is a foreign object placed inside the body, there is a higher risk of infection that can occur in those who use Kyleena. This includes yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. Both of these are often mild symptoms that can easily be fixed but need to be taken care of as soon as symptoms show to prevent long term health complications.
2) Risk of sickness
When you have a foreign object inside of you, your body is designed to try and automatically reject it! This is why many women feel sick with nausea or vomit when using Kyleena. Once again, this is nothing extremely worrisome, but if the feelings of sickness to do not improve then it is highly recommended to visit a doctor to check that nothing more serious is going on.
3) Risk of abnormal periods
Some women like Kyleena because it reduces their pain with periods. And while this can be a good thing, it is important to ensure that it does not go too extreme. Some women experience losing their periods altogether, which puts them at risk for infertility later on in life.
On the other hand, other women can experience an unusually intense and long period cycle, which can become quite a severe problem. If you notice any drastic period irregularities when using Kyleena, do not delay in talking to your doctor!
4) Risk of blood clots
While this is a much rarer side effect, it is one of the most severe ones to look out for! Blood clots forming in the arteries, lungs or veins can cause severe complications that you don’t want to risk. If something feels really off when using Kyleena, it should be dealt with immediately!
5) Risk of cancer
Because of the higher dosage of hormones being sent out into your body, women who use Kyleena are at Higher Risk of developing breast cancer. This is something that is still being researched more thoroughly but something you should be aware of when determining if Kyleena is right for you.
There are many Benefits and Risks to Using Kyleena as a form of contraception. Talk to your doctor to determine if it’s the right option for you!
