The INSIDER Summary:IUDs are a great way to prevent pregnancy.But it's possible for them to move out of place after insertion.Gynecologist Alyssa Dweck told INSIDER whatwarning signs to lookfor.Her advice: Check the strings, watch for excessive pain and bleeding, keep your follow-up appointment, and call your doctor if you suspect something's amiss.IUDs are surging in popularity right now. (No surprise, consideringthey're a supereffective, low-maintenance way to prevent pregnancy.) But the ideaof a foreign object lodged in your uterus can be disconcerting at first 'and it's understandable to be a little freaked out about the possibility of your IUDbeing in the wrong place once it's inserted.So INSIDER asked gynecologist Alyssa Dweck, MD, author of "The Complete A to Z for your V," about the warning signs of wandering IUDs. Here's what you need to know.1. Go to your follow-up appointment.Most doctors will ask you to come back about a month after insertion just to check that the IUD hasn't moved. Since complications are most likely to occur in the weeks just after insertion, it's importantthat you keep this appointment.2. Check yourstrings.At the end of every IUD there are two thin strings that the doctor will eventually use to pull the deviceout of your body. When the IUD is in place, the strings will hang down from your cervix into the very topof your vagina. Most doctors will advise you to reach up and feel the strings once a month, at home, just to make sure that the IUD is still in place.If you're unsure of how to reach them'or you just want to know what they feel like ' askyour doctor toteach you right when you get the IUD inserted.Dweck said it's important to check your strings every month. Not being able to feel them doesn'talwaysindicate a problem, but it could meanthat your IUD has moved."If you've always felt the strings and all of a sudden you don't, call your doctor and come in and get checked," Dweck said.3. Check the toilet (seriously).It is possible for the IUD to be expelled from your uterus. But don't worry ' it'd be really difficult to miss."Normally you're going to have some pretty bad cramps, maybe some bleeding, and you're going to find your IUD either in your underwear, in your vagina, or in the toilet," Dweck said.If that happens, call your doctor.4. Know about perforation.Perforation ' when the IUD pushes through and out of your uterus ' only happens inabout 1 in 1,000 IUD insertions. But it is possible, and if it happens, you may need surgery to get the IUD removed.If the IUD has traveled outside your uterus, you'll probably have significant pain or discomfort. Women who've written accountsof their own IUD perforations usually say that the pain is incapacitating.Also, do a self-check on your strings. If you can't find them, it could indicate that your IUD isn't in place. When in doubt, trust your instinct and call your doctor."I have to really make the plug for common sense," Dweck said. "If something doesn't feel right, just come in. We'd rather see."5. Look out for abnormal pain or bleeding.After insertion, you should expect some amount of cramping and irregular bleeding, but excessive pain and bleeding could signal that something's amiss."After a day or two [post-insertion], requiring medication for pain is not expected," Dweck said. If the pain is that bad, make an appointment to see your doctor."Foul-smelling bleeding should be checked out, because that could be a kind of infection," she added. "Very heavy bleeding, where you're soaking or saturating a pad or two every hour ' that's way too much and should be checked out."Have more questions about IUDs' Check out INSIDER's handy FAQ right here.Join the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: This company makes molds of your baby belly
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