Amy asks :
Hi Lucy,
I recently got the coil after years on the contraceptive pill and am now wondering how long I can have it in and if it will affect my fertility in the future? Kind regards Amy
Hi Amy,
Agony Aunts on Female First
Changing contraceptives can be a very unsure time, especially when you have been on one type for so long.
The IUD or coil can last from 5-10 years depending on what type you have- either one with more or less copper- if you are unsure then ask your doctor which one you have had fitted. However, if you experience pain in your lower abdomen, a high temperature or have a smelly discharge then go back to the clinic that fitted your coil and speak to your doctor as it may mean that you have an infection and need to have it removed earlier than anticipated. Even if you don’t have any of these symptoms you can still request to have it removed if it’s not for you.
An IUD, once removed should have no effect on your future fertility, as this should return to normal as soon as it’s out of your body. Instead of releasing the hormone progesterone like the pill, the IUD releases copper and changes the fluids in the womb and the fallopian tubes which stops sperm surviving and stops fertilised eggs from implanting in the womb, hence why it leaves your body faster once it’s taken out.
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