I got an IUD today, which if you don’t know is a form of birth control. It’s a small T shaped plastic that may or may not use hormones, depending on your choice, that prevents the sperm from fertilizing an egg or thickens the mucus and thins the uterine lining. It’s inserted through the vagina, past your cervix openings, and placed into your uterus. They typically last about 10 years and often to not have any long lasting side effects. Sounds great right? Sounds like a longtime solution for the current controversies surrounding women’s ability to receive some gynecological care right? Well yes, but it hurt like a bitch to get inserted.
I’m not trying to scare you into not getting one because it truly is useful and allows for a peace of mind at times, but I have never experienced pain like that before. Now granted I’ve never broken a bone or gotten into an accident (thankfully) but I have had SEVERE cramps during my periods. And girl those make me hunch over like I belong ringing the bell at notre dam. Nah bestie this hits different. If you’ve gotten an IUD before then you most likely know that there is typically no anesthesia provided, just advice to take some Advil and squeeze these stress balls. And of course the Advil will help, but very minorly when compared to the pain that is coming. Now keep in mind that everyone has a different body with different health levels and different pain tolerances so my experience is definitely not what the next girl in line experienced, but I can for sure say it is definitely an uncomfortable experience.
My medical team was wonderful and talked me through every step and allowed for breaks between steps if I needed it, which obviously I took numerous breaks because I am weak. But that didn’t stop me from screaming F*CK and SH*T dozens of times. About 15 minutes after several attempts of inserting the IUD into my uterus and having to dilate the last opening because the damn device wouldn’t fit, it finally got in. And 12 hours later I continue to lay on my bed attempting to find positions where my uterus won’t scream in pain to me about a foreign object in my body (like I know girl I was there when they inserted it trust me I know it’s there). Of course now I have about a week of cramps and a couple of weeks of spontaneous bleeding, god don’t you just fucking love women hood? *Play the tiktok feminine rage now*
Now I don’t have feminine rage because of my cramps because I mean I guess I understand why my body doesn’t like foreign objects in it. No No No honey I’m pissed because after DECADES of medical professionals inserting IUDs into thousands of uteruses and hearing the literal cries and screams of pain their patients experience through the process, there is STILL no anesthesia given. Personally I would prefer to have been knocked the fuck out for that experience but shit I guess my voice is just another woman’s voice unheard within the medical field. Women’s voices have been ignored and overlooked for centuries as we are always ‘dramatic’ about our pain and experiences. And who thinks were too dramatic? Cis Men. Oh you mean the same cis men who hunch over onto the floor into a fetal position after a tap at their balls Yeah bitch yall got nothing on the people who have a uterus.
Whether you get an IUD or the birth control pills or any other form of birth control that requires the medical system, just keep in mind that the cis men are the reason it’s so hard for access towards these health care services. Fuck You Men.