Insertion of an IUD

Preparation for IUD insertion

To be able to determine which IUD is most suitable for you, it is important to schedule a contraceptive consultation with one of our midwives. This consultation lasts about 25 minutes and costs €30.

Before getting an IUD it’s important to make sure that you are not pregnant. It is advised to take a pregnancy test before your appointment or to have the IUD inserted on the first days of your period.

Furthermore it is advised to check for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) like chlamydia. A chlamydia infection could be present without you noticing and the insertion of an IUD could bring this infection up into the Fallopian tubes and cause infertility. You can order a home-test at SOA-care.nl.

If you are totally sure that you have not been at risk for an STD then it is not necessary to have a test before the insertion of an IUD.

Prescription for IUD and Implanon

Once you have chosen with kind of IUD you would like, we will order it from the online pharmacy. You will receive a digital invoice by email. If you pay this invoice, the IUD will be sent to Echo Amsterdam and will be ready for you when you come to us for insertion. Do not forget to pay at least one week before your appointment, otherwise the IUD will not be delivered on time.

Check with your health insurance as some will cover the cost of your IUD or Implanon.

IUD insertion

An IUD can be inserted from 10 to 12 weeks after birth. If you have never given birth, it is best to do the insertion during your period as the cervix is dilated a little then which makes it easier to insert the IUD. On top of that we will be sure that you are not pregnant at that moment.

The consultation takes about 20 mins. First the position and size of your uterus will be checked by an internal examination. After that the IUD will be inserted which will take only a few minutes. You can experience some discomfort during the insertion so if you wish you can take one ibuprofen 200mg or two paracetamol 500mg one hour prior to your appointment to ease the pain.

After the insertion most women experience some cramping and discomfort in the lower abdomen. Usually this only lasts a few hours to one day. Furthermore it is common to have some spotting and more cramping and/or bloodloss during your period in the first three months after the insertion.

We do NOT recommend using a menstrual cup in combination with a spiral.
At least not during the first 3 months after placement.
Would you like to use a menstrual cup, have the strings cut very short by the midwife
When removing the cup, make sure you break the vacuum well before removing it.

Who will place your IUD?

At Echo Amsterdam, all IUD’s are placed and, if desired, removed by midwives Mignon van Lammeren and Caroline Grootes. They both have years of experience at placing IUD’s.

Check up

We will make an appointment to check if the IUD is still in the right position six weeks after the insertion or after your first period. In the mean time we are always available for questions or if you have any problems concerning the IUD.

Removal of IUD or Implanon

You are also welcome to make an appointment to have your IUD or Implanon removed. Right after the removal you will be fertile and can get pregnant.