First Period After Mirena Insertion- What to Expect?

By - Nishat Tasnim

Mirena is fairly new and one of the most effective methods of birth control. Since it is directly inserted in your uterus, it is natural to have many period-related questions. 

After all, the period is one of the most essential parts of a woman’s life. 

So what would the first period after Mirena insertion look like? 

Well, there is a chance that the first few periods after inserting the Mirena, will be bumpy and irregular. The first one will be the worst. You will experience heavy bleeding and not to mention heavy cramps. But that’s just the starting, with time, the situation changes.

But to know how the changes turn out, continue reading the article.

First Period after Mirena Insertion- Expectation Vs Reality!

After Mirena’s insertion, you need to be ready for the unexpected here. It won’t be totally peanut butter and jelly here. 

Every woman has a different body structure and our internal organs work differently. So what to expect after Mirena insertion? 

After the first period, it gets easier. Mirena will alter your menstrual cycle and make your periods lighter over time. You will just have to stick to it. And soon it will all pass. 

However, many women suffer erratic bleeding during the first three months of usage, and around 20% have periods that extend longer than eight days. Bleeding becomes more frequent after three months and may eventually stop. 

The real question is, why hasn’t inserting the Mirena period stopped immediately? Well, just think. The period is a body’s response to hormonal change. Every woman has to go through it. If it is stopped immediately, your body won’t react well. 

The menstrual cycle needs to be adjusted slowly, gradually, and properly. Mirena has minimal negative effects aside from these menstrual abnormalities. 

This is because it contains such a modest quantity of hormones. While not having a period is a fantastic bonus to inserting birth control like  Mirena, it is also the only IUD FDA-approved to treat heavy or painful periods. 

Therefore many women choose a Mirena just for those advantages! 

It is perfectly safe to not have a period when using a kind of birth control like the Mirena, which causes it to cease while you have it. 

So the bottom line here is Your first period with the IUD will often be a little longer than usual. That is to say, it is not always the case and there is nothing to worry about even if your bleeding comes out lighter. 

It will take many months to see how the IUD affects your bleeding pattern. 

There are certain drugs that can assist if you continue to have uncomfortable bleeding after 3 months, but these aren’t really advised until we get a feel of your IUD’s bleeding patterns. 

To know more about this subject, you need to have a deeper understanding of Mirena. Don’t worry I am here to tell you all about it. Let me explain it clearly.

All You Need to Know about Mirena 

Mirena is a type of intrauterine device (IUD) that provides low doses of progestin.  This is the same hormone found in birth control tablets. 

The Mirena, like other IUDs, is a little T-shaped device that your healthcare professional inserts into your uterus. Because the hormones are injected directly into the uterus, only very few dosages are required to prevent conception.

It is almost around one-seventh of the quantity required by a birth control pill. Unlike other birth control mechanisms, Mirena is nearly 100 percent effective in preventing conception. 

This ratio is much greater than the 98-99 percent effectiveness of a traditional copper IUD. 

However, the downside is Mirena does not provide protection against sexually transmitted infections for you or your partner. 

These types of IUDs are not indicated for women who have lengthy, heavy, crampy menstrual cycles since these are its potential side effect for the first few months. Mirena will shorten a woman’s cycles and may be an effective therapy for those who are suffering from mild to severe fibroids or excessive menstrual flow. 

But how is it inserted into the uterus? Can you do it by yourself? I will answer those in the next segment so that you can clearly paint a picture of whether you should go for it or not. 

Inserting Mirena

Well, let’s get one thing straight, you can not and should not insert Mirena by yourself. 

Mirena must be implanted at a clinic or doctor’s office. When your caregiver is certain that you are not pregnant, it is commonly implanted during your period or shortly after having an abortion or giving delivery.

These strings are clipped to precisely the right length for you to confirm that the IUD is in place and for healthcare. Practitioner to use to remove the IUD at a later date. 

When the IUD is implanted, most women have cramps. For a month you need to be careful. You may want to use another form of birth control as a backup in case the IUD moves or falls out. Return to your doctor or clinic for a check-up after six weeks, and then continue with your scheduled check-ups. 

The Mirena can be left in place for up to five years before being removed by a healthcare professional. 

Even with all the hassle, why should you invest in the Mirena? Let’s find a few of its advantages. 

Pros of Mirena Insertion

There are two main advantages of this type of birth control. We have already discussed them. 

When I was researching Mirena before trying it out for myself, one thought crossed my mind. If period bleeding goes away after the first few irregulars and heavy menstrual cycles (Which is a plus from my side) can there be some actual risk factor? 

I won’t say there are some major issues. But there are some potential side effects. 

Cons of Mirena Insertion 

But the matter of fact is these are all what-ifs. In 90 percent of cases, you won’t have any of those bodily harms. 

The cost is a factor here but it is outweighed by the advantages Mirena gives. So the matter of fact is, when should you see the doctor after the insertion process? We will discuss them right now. 

When to See the Doctor?

If your period continues to be heavier than normal for more than 6 months, you should see your doctor. Apart from that, see the doctor who inserted your IUD if you experience the following symptoms:

After all the things said and done, what if you don’t have any symptoms of period or spotting like most say they do. Next, let me explain the matter. 

In Case of No Spotting

After reading so far you know that, after the IUD is implanted, women may have spots, and the adjustment period for the IUD is usually three months. Most women will experience spotting in the first three months, with the majority of spots occurring in the first month. 

But it can linger for the entire three months while your body adjusts. 

Not spotting, on the other hand, is perfectly OK, and you may consider yourself fortunate—if you don’t spot. There is no need to worry. It is even more fantastic and perfectly healthy for you. In fact, you are one of the luckiest ones actually. You are not required to spot.

It’s simply that most women will spot, which is why physicians will notify them since most people are more concerned if they spot on a regular basis than if they don’t. And I would say no to having your period straight immediately. 

It depends on where you are in your cycle. Because the copper IUD contains no hormones, you will receive your period when you are meant to. 

However, aside from the spotting, we explained earlier, you would not have a new period if you had just had your period. And if you are close to that time of the month and you hadn’t had it till now, you’ll have it anyhow, so there’s no link between having an IUD and starting your period straight away. 

It’s the spotting that most people are talking about.

FAQs

Is inserting Mirena painful?

Answer: The implantation of Mirena might cause some sort of discomfort to some women. Just for a few minutes though, The discomfort normally passes after 5 or 6 minutes or so. 

After how many days will the Mirena start to take effect after the insertion? 

Answer: According to an article in Time magazine, Mirena works seven days after implantation. Women should either use another form of birth control or refrain from having sex until that time comes.

How long is your first period after Mirena insertion?

Answer: After Mirena insertion, you will have your period. The first one might be on due time if you are lucky, But in most cases, it comes late and stays for a long time. Instead of 7 days, you might experience heavy bleeding for 9 to 10 days. 

How long does it take for Mirena to stop period? 

Answer: Your period should totally stop after 3 to 4 months. Maximum 6 months. If it doesn’t go see the doctor from where you have inserted it.

Conclusion

So as you can see, the first period after Mirena insertion is a tough one. Those that are lucky have an easy time with it. But you see when there is a new intrusion in your body, the body needs to be well adjusted with it. 

So, the irregularities, heavy bleeding, and cramps are your body’s way of coping. 

And when your body perfectly adjusts with it, the process becomes complete. My first period after the insertion wasn’t easy. But gradually it became easier. After 3 months, I completely fell in love with it and have been using it for 2 years now.