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Family Planning with Mirena & ParaGard

What Is Mirena®?

Mirena (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) is an intrauterine contraceptive that delivers small amounts of hormone directly to the uterus. Made of soft, flexible plastic, it is put in place by the physicians at Family Practice of Atlanta during an office visit. Mirena is birth control that lasts as long as you want, for up to 5 years. Mirena works continuously, without a pill, without a daily hassle. Mirena also treats heavy periods in women who choose intrauterine contraception.

Once Mirena is properly placed, all you have to do is check the threads once a month. Your healthcare provider can show you how. If you have trouble finding the threads, be sure to use a backup form of birth control and call Family Practice of Atlanta.

What Mirena does:

• Offers an over 99% effective form of contraception, among the most effective forms of birth control
• Prevents pregnancy for as long as you want, for up to 5 years
• If you decide you would like to have children, Family Practice of Atlanta can remove the Mirena IUD and you can try to become pregnant immediately. Mirena reports that tthere is an approximate 80% chance of women becoming pregnat within 12 months after removing Mirena removed.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT MIRENA

Only you and your physician at Family Practice of Atlanta decide if Mirena is right for you. Mirena is recommended for women who have had a child.

• Don't use Mirena if you have a pelvic infection, get infections easily or have certain cancers. Less than 1% of users get a serious infection called pelvic inflammatory disease. If you have persistent pelvic or abdominal pain, see your healthcare provider at Family Practice of Atlanta.
• Mirena may attach to or go through the wall of the uterus and cause other problems. If Mirena comes out, use back-up birth control and call Family Practice of Atlanta.
• Although uncommon, pregnancy while using Mirena can be life threatening and may result in loss of pregnancy or fertility.
• Ovarian cysts may occur and usually disappear.
• Bleeding and spotting may increase in the first few months and continue to be irregular. Periods over time may become shorter, lighter or even stop.

Mirena does not protect against HIV or STDs.

How Mirena® Works

Mirena (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) slowly releases very small amounts of the hormone levonorgestrel directly into your uterus.

There is no single explanation for how Mirena works. Mirena may:

• Thicken cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering your uterus
• Inhibit sperm from reaching or fertilizing your egg
• Make the lining of your uterus thin

Mirena may stop the release of your egg from your ovary, but this is not the way it works in most cases. Most likely the above actions work together to prevent pregnancy. Like other forms of birth control, Mirena is not 100% effective.

Mirena keeps hormone levels steadier and lower than the Pill.

What Mirena looks like

Mirena is a tiny T-shaped piece of soft, flexible plastic that is placed in the uterus by your healthcare provider during an office visit. It's designed to be small and comfortable, so that you and your partner most likely won't even feel like it's there.

ParaGard® is right for women who don't want or can't use hormones.

ParaGard® Intrauterine Contraceptive (IUC) is a different kind of birth control. But it's one of the most effective kinds available. It's even more effective than the Pill. But, unlike the Pill (and patch, ring, and shots), it's hormone-free. So it's great for women who prefer not to use hormones or can't for health reasons.

It's also virtually hassle-free. No more daily or weekly routines, just a simple monthly self-check. So it's great for the busy woman who's got a lot going on.

Once it's inserted, it starts working immediately. And keeps working as long as you need itto - whether it's 2 years, 5 years, or even up to 10 years. Plus, ParaGard® gives you the flexibility to change your mind. Just have it removed whenever you and your healthcare professional choose.

ParaGard® Is Effective

ParaGard® is 99.4% effective.

That's just as effective as having your tubes tied - but ParaGard® doesn't require surgery or anesthesia and is fully reversible.

That's more effective than the Pill, patch, or ring - but ParaGard® works whether you're thinking about your birth control or not.

So if you want highly effective birth control that's long-term but easily reversible - or birth control that doesn't require you to remember a pill, change a patch, or put in a ring - ask your healthcare provider at Family Practice of Atlanta.

ParaGard® Is Hormone-free

Pill, patch, ring, shots - they all work by adding hormones to alter your body's natural cycle.

ParaGard® is 100% hormone-free, so it lets your body cycle naturally. And lets you stay free from hormonal side effects like weight gain, mood swings, or reduced sex drive.

ParaGard® is the only hormone-free birth control that's 99.4% effective. So it's great for women who prefer not to use hormones or can't for health reasons. Just ask your healthcare professional at FYour browser may not support display of this image. amily Practice of Atlanta.

What Is ParaGard® ?

The ParaGard® T 380A intrauterine copper contraceptive is a T-shaped device (IUD), measuring 32 mm horizontally and 36 mm vertically with a 3 mm diameter bulb at the tip of the vertical stem. A monofilament polyethylene thread is tied through the tip, resulting in two white threads, each at least 10.5 cm in length, to aid in detection and removal of the device. The T-frame is made of polyethylene, with barium sulfate to aid in detecting the device under x-ray. ParaGard® contains approximately 176 mg of copper wire coiled along the vertical stem and a 68.7-mg copper collar on each side of the horizontal arm. The total exposed copper surface area is 380 ± 23 mm2. No component of ParaGard® or its packaging contains latex

ParaGard® is believed to work primarily by preventing sperm from reaching and fertilizing the egg.

It may also prevent the egg from attaching to the uterus. The contraceptive effectiveness of ParaGard® is enhanced by the continuous release of copper into the uterine cavity. ParaGard® is indicated for intrauterine contraception for 1, 5, even up to 10 years, but patients may have it removed anytime before then, depending on their needs and family circumstances.

ParaGard® Is Safe

ParaGard® has been approved by the FDA and used safely for nearly 20 years by millions of women. In fact over 70 million women worldwide have chosen an IUC as their birth control method, making it the most widely used form of reversible contraception in the world.

ParaGard® is ideal for many women because it's virtually hassle-free and totally hormone-free. But it's not right for every woman. So see the important safety information below, and be sure to talk with your healthcare professional.ParaGard® was approved by the FDA in 1984 and has been sold and used in the United States since 1988.

ParaGard® may be appropriate for a variety of women seeking contraception, including those who:

• Want an option that offers rapid return to fertility
• Should not use hormones due to medical conditions that may include hypertension, breast cancer, or uncontrolled diabetes
• Want an option without associated hormonal side effects such as weight gain
• Want an option without daily or weekly routines (just a simple monthly self-check)
• Want an option that is long term and reversible
• Have not had children, but want to keep their options open

ParaGard® does not protect against HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections.

ParaGard® must not be used by women who are or may be pregnant; have acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or current behavior suggesting a high risk for PID; have had a postpregnancy or postabortion uterine infection in the past 3 months; have cancer of the uterus or cervix; have an infection in the cervix; have an allergy to any component; or have Wilson's disease.

The most common side effects of ParaGard® are heavier and longer periods and spotting between periods; for most women, these typically subside after 2 to 3 months. If a woman misses her period, she must be promptly evaluated for pregnancy.

Some possible serious complications that have been associated with intrauterine contraceptives, including ParaGard®, are PID, perforation of the uterus, and expulsion.