Anonymous asked: I have not had PIV sex and am looking for appropriate birth control. Hormonal is not an option for me due to migraine issues / stroke risk. I love the idea of a non-hormonal IUD, but I'm worried about insertion given my lack of experience. Do you know of any work / publications on this issue? Or, are there readers out there who had IUDs inserted pre having ever had PIV sex? I know I can double up on barrier methods, but diaphragms just feel risky and IUDs are so much more hassle free.

Unless your hymen is intact, a gyno should be able to insert the copper IUD even if you have never had sex. It’s true that women who have not previously been pregnant often feel more pain at insertion than those who have. Some doctors will only insert the IUD if you’ve already had children, due to outdated fears about infertility risks and infections, but the most recent research and a new generation of providers have come to recognize its growing popularity as a safe and effective long-term contraceptive method among young women. (For reference, here’s one academic article from the Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology that supports the use of the IUDs in younger populations.)

Anyone have IUD stories they’d like to share in the comments? I’m always curious to hear about other solutions to finding non-hormonal contraception. And if you’re interested in reading about my Mirena insertion, I’ve wrote a piece for Bedsider about my own IUD procedure (not a particularly comfortable one).

More burning questions? Ask Lena.

Related posts on the IUD:

Reader Question: “Is rough sex with the IUD totally intolerable?”
No Pain, No Gain: The IUD Insertion Process
Consider An IUD: “I got my Mirena last April and never looked back”
How I Dumped The Pill And Met The IUD
5 Reasons Why Women Should Consider An IUD
Reader Question: “How Do You Like Your IUD So Far?”