Gynecological Exams / Tests
First day after IUD insertion: what to expect
Procedure day · After-IUD guide
The IUD has just been inserted and you are leaving the clinic. This page explains what will happen in your body from today to tomorrow and when you should call.
An IUD containing copper and gold contains no hormones; so the answer to "when does it start working" is short: immediately.
Short answer
What happens on the first day after IUD insertion, and does protection start right away?
Protection starts from the moment the IUD is inserted; your doctor decides whether an additional method is needed. On the first day you may have period-like cramps and light spotting. According to SoftCare Clinic's rule, there is no waiting period for sex, showering, bathing or sport. Most women do not need painkillers.
The IUD in the uterus
The IUD is in place at the fundus; on the first day the uterus may react to this new object by contracting.
Cross-section of the uterus with a gold IUD at the fundus; contraction waves in the uterine wall and a sign of light spotting.Illustration: SoftCare Clinic. Contraction waves and spotting are representative.
The clinic's rules
- Protection
- Starts the moment it is inserted
- Sex
- No waiting
- Bath, pool, sea
- No restriction
- Sport and heavy lifting
- No restriction
- Tampon and menstrual cup
- Allowed
- Painkillers
- Usually not needed
- String check
- Done by the doctor
- Check-up
- Day 15, with ultrasound
- Bleeding pattern
- Settles in 2–3 months
- Removal
- No time rule
Period
Procedure day
Check-up
15 days left
Protection
Ongoing
Bleeding pattern
Settling
What do you feel in the first hours?
The uterus may react to the object placed inside it by contracting; this is a cramp similar to period pain and usually eases the same day. Because the speculum and insertion tube pass through the cervix, light spotting is also common.
According to our clinic's doctor, most women do not need painkillers; they may be given to women who have not given birth. Since the effect is not the same in every woman, the doctor tells you whether you need them based on the structure of your uterus.
When does protection start?
With a copper IUD, protection starts the moment it is inserted. A "backup method for the first seven days" rule, as with hormonal methods, is not applied automatically at our clinic; if an additional method is needed, your doctor will tell you personally.
What is allowed today?
- Shower and bath: allowed.
- Sex: no waiting period.
- Walking, work, driving: allowed if it was done under local anesthesia; if sedation was used, spend the day resting.
Do
- Don't tire yourself today; if you have cramps, a warm shower helps.
- If your doctor gave you medication, use it as prescribed.
- Check your pad during the day: spotting is expected, a soaked pad is not.
Don't
- Don't keep taking painkillers on your own decision; the doctor tells you whether you need them.
- Don't try to find the string with your finger; not finding it today means nothing.
Special note
For women who have not given birth
At our clinic, care is taken to choose the right anesthesia during insertion for women who have not given birth; otherwise the procedure can be painful. This is why pain after the procedure is also usually milder than expected.
When should you call?
Call the clinic right away
- Heavy bleeding: Soaking one pad per hour, and this continuing.
- Fever and foul-smelling discharge: Fever, weakness with fever, or foul-smelling discharge.
Call the clinic
- If instead of spotting you have bleeding that soaks a pad every hour and it continues.
- If you have severe pain that keeps getting worse.
- You feel a hard tip: If you feel a hard object or the tip of the IUD in your vagina.
- Object in the vagina: If you notice that the IUD has come out of place or there is an object inside your vagina.
- Pain that does not go away: Abdominal pain that lasts beyond the first days and keeps getting worse.
SoftCare Clinic patients can reach the clinic by phone and WhatsApp. Call whenever you are unsure; what your doctor tells you always comes first.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have sex right after IUD insertion?
According to SoftCare Clinic's rule, there is no waiting period for sex. If cramps or spotting bother you, waiting a few days is a personal choice, not a medical necessity.
Should I take painkillers after IUD insertion?
According to our clinic's doctor, most women do not need them. They may be given to women who have not given birth; the doctor decides based on the structure of the uterus. If none were given and your pain is getting worse, call the clinic.
Can I drive on the day of IUD insertion?
If it was done under local anesthesia, yes. If sedation was used, you should not drive that day; your doctor will tell you this before the procedure.
SoftCare Clinic for your questions
For any question about your IUD, you can reach us by phone and WhatsApp.
This page is for general information only; it does not replace an examination or your doctor's advice. Every woman's uterus and response to the IUD is different. What your doctor tells you takes precedence over this page.
Medically reviewed by Op. Dr. Şükrü Sanus, Obstetrician & Gynecologist · Last medical review: