By Henry J. Fishman, M.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com
February 17, 2006
Intrauterine devices used to prevent pregnancy are a lot safer than you might think, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Doctors conducted a large federally-funded study of modern IUDs in hundreds of women. They found that modern IUDs are safe, do not make women sterile and do not lead to infections, which can block the Fallopian tubes.
A lot of women have concerns about this issues because of an IUD called the Dalkon Shield. In the late 1970s, it caused all kinds of problems ranging from infections to sterility.
The Dalkon Shield was built differently from modern IUDs. It had a bundle of filaments that hung down and formed a highway for germs. Modern IUDs have little or nothing similar to the Dalkon and are quite safe.
Today's IUDs make sense for women in monogamous relationships who have little risk of sexually transmitted diseases, though they should be checked regularly by a physician.
