A doctor has taken to social media app TikTok to demonstrate exactly exactly how an IUD is inserted.
An IUD is a small T-shaped device made from plastic and copper that is inserted into the uterus. It releases copper into the womb which alters the mucus in the cervix to make it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg. It can also stop a fertilised egg from implanting into the lining of the womb.
Doctor Nighat Arif, who posts under the username @drnighatarif appeared on BBC Breakfast on Thursday where she gave the demonstration. She later shared her guest spot on TikTok.
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Watch the clip below:
The doctor shows two different sizes used to insert the IUD and says she shows both of them to her patients and lets them handle the equipment before the procedure.
She then shows the patient what the coil IUD actually looks like. "We have lots of misconceptions about the coil and how big it is," she says. The coils is "about five centimetres" and is inserted through the cervix and into the womb and the 'arms' open up.
"I'm always very honest with my patients and I tell them pain is on a spectrum. You will find how you experience the pain on a different level.
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"And yes we know that if you're anxious and also worried about the procedure, especially if questions aren't answered, that's when I find that women are slightly more anxious.
"We try and say to them that it is painful and I stop if I find that actually the procedure is painful and, especially women who are experiencing vaginal atrophy or who have had difficulty having their smears, there's no point doing it.
"And that's where we should have intermediate gynaecological services where women should be offered a coil to be put under a general anaesthetic if that's necessary or have gas and air."
The NHS website says: "Having an IUD fitted can be uncomfortable, and some people might find it painful but you can have a local anaesthetic to help. Discuss this with a GP or nurse beforehand.
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"Let the person fitting your IUD know if you feel any pain or discomfort while you are having it fitted. You can ask to stop at any time. You can also take painkillers after having an IUD fitted if you need to."
The video comes after a petition calling for better pain relief for IUD insertion and removals went viral earlier this week after women began sharing their own harrowing stories after receiving the contraceptive device.
The petition has received more than 10,000 signatures as of Thursday and several high profile women, included Naga Munchetty, have shared their own IUD experiences. The BBC Radio 5 Live host called it "one of the most traumatic physical experiences I've had."
You can sign the petition here.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Health