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Hi Betty,

I'm a 44 year old woman and a smoker. i was on the pill from my late teens through my early 30s. since then i've used condoms for birth control. i'm not interested in having children ever.

I'm at a point though that i don't want to use condoms any longer (one partner) and i asked my doctor about my options. she suggested the non-hormonal IUD. my doctor says its safe and effective; the side effect would be heavier periods for the first month or two until my body adjusted. she said my biggest risk is possible disease, etc. from my partner but in my specific situation that's not a worry. what are your thoughts? i haven't thought about IUDs since 1980 and there certainly was a stigma about them at that point.

Thanks,
L

Dear L,

The thing I don't like about the IUD's is that if you do get pregnant and it happens, your body has a miscarriage due to the foreign object in your uterus. That's what causes the heavy bleeding from time to time. My other concern is that you are happy with your current partner now, but how can you be sure this is a "forever" thing? And how can you be sure he doesn't stray ever?

I know I'm considered "old fashioned" when it comes to birth control but for me the less I interfere with my bodies natural functions, the better. How about the diaphragm that has fallen out fashion? It safely saw me thru the sexual revolution with an abundance of partners. If that isn't an option, then let's hope the IUD works. Or have your boyfriend get his tubes tied. It's a relatively simple straight forward procedure if he, like you, is positive that no children are desired in the future.

Dr. Betty