In the news - menstrual cup with IUDs

23 June 2022

Recently, the Volkskrant a news report published about the use of a menstrual cup with an IUD. Due to the growing popularity of the menstrual cup, especially among users of copper coils, it is important to pay attention to an increased risk of expulsion. This means that an IUD is expelled. In October 2020, Titus Health Care wrote a news report on the use of menstrual cups when using an IUD as contraception. In this news item, we discussed a study from 2020 in which 17% of the women had lost their IUD while using a menstrual cup. According to the NHG-Standard Contraception, the risk without use of a cup is 2 to 5%. The increased risk of ejection was reason for the researchers to advise caution regarding the simultaneous use of menstrual cups and IUDs. Titus Health Care considers it important that health care providers are aware of this and can take it into account when counselling about contraception.

Research has further shown that women who use a copper IUD are more likely to choose a menstrual cup compared to women who choose a hormone IUD. However, research by Seale in 2019 also reported expulsions while using a hormonal IUD. So beware, the risk of an expulsion can occur with both copper and hormone coils.

- Schnyer AN, Jensen JT, Edelman A, Han L. Do menstrual cups increase risk of IUD expulsion? A survey of self-reported IUD and menstrual hygiene product use in the United States. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2019 Oct;24(5):368-372. doi: 10.1080/13625187.2019.1643836. Epub 2019 Jul 23. PMID: 31335218.