At the same time, there’s something not entirely natural about putting a copper and plastic device inside your uterus. It can cause the well-known side effects of pain and heavier periods. It can also cause the lesser-known side effect of an altered vaginal microbiome. Here’s what you need to know. The link between the copper IUD and BV is not new. Women have reported the problem since the IUD was first invented 50 years ago. Scientists finally looked at it last year and discovered that yes, copper IUDs double the risk of BV3. The effect is attributed to the heavier and longer menstrual flow of IUD users, which depletes Lactobacillus and permits the overgrowth of Gardnerella and other bacterial species associated with BV. I suspect there’s more to the story than just heavy flow. Copper IUDs may have additional direct effects on the microbiome that we have yet to discover. For example, the devices have been shown to foster the growth of bacterial microfilms4 and to transfer yeast cells from the vagina to the uterus5. Luckily, new designs such as the circular Ballerine IUD might be able to improve some of these issues, but this kind is not yet available in the US. Have questions about sexual health? We have answers. Here’s what holistic health experts think about the jade egg. Dr. Briden’s love of science and the natural world has informed the way she works with patients. She views the body as a logical, regenerative system that knows what to do when it’s given the right support. And in her 20 years of practice, she has seen that simple principle in action with thousands of patients. Her book Period Repair Manual is a compilation of lessons from her practice that work for periods and specifically for coming off birth control.
