When my IUD was replaced at the doctor’s office, it wasn’t the pain that shocked me; it was the question I was asked after the procedure.
“Do you want to keep him?” New York-based gynecologist Yuliya Boruch asked as she held up the device she had just removed from my body for me to see.
Assuming she was joking, I awkwardly replied “no” (I didn’t feel like taking it home on the New York City subway) and studied her eyes, waiting for her to crack a smile – but no, she was deadly serious.
Dr. Boruch revealed that an increasing number of her patients are asking to take the T-shaped device — a long-term form of birth control that is inserted into the uterus — home, where they can turn it into wearable jewelry.
“Several of my patients have also framed them and hung them on their walls at home,” she added.
Dr. Boruch told me that she now asks all her patients if they want to keep their IUDs since she has noticed the emerging trend.
A quick Google search shows that “IUD jewelry” is indeed something to “celebrate femininity” and “spread birth control awareness.”
‘I’m clearly behind the times,’ I thought.
An IUD is a T-shaped device that is more than 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy
An IUD is inserted through a tube into the vagina and passes through the cervical opening into the uterus
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One of the best results that came up was a post on Reddit titled “I turned my old IUD into a necklace.”
In the post, the Redditor explains how she had an IUD for five years and had great experiences with it: “No major cramps, less weight and mood swings than when I was on the pill, and very sparse/almost non-existent period.”
When she had it removed and replaced, she asked her midwife if she could keep it.
She continued, “I took (my IUD) home, soaked it in hot dish soap and scrubbed it VERY well, and then went to a friend’s house who taught me how to make resin jewelry.
‘I made this necklace to celebrate femininity, access to contraception and my own inner strength! I’m happy to share this piece to spread more awareness about contraception.’
A photo of her IUD pendant shows the device encased in resin, with small flowers and butterfly motifs surrounding it.
An IUD is one of the most effective forms of birth control, with a success rate of more than 99 percent in preventing pregnancy.
There are two types of IUDs: copper and hormonal. The first releases a small amount of copper into the uterus, causing an inflammatory response that is toxic to sperm and eggs.
A creative Redditor shows how she turned her IUD into a resin pendant with flowers and butterflies around it
Many women reveal on social media how creative they have been with their old IUD
The latter releases a small amount of the hormone progestin, which thickens the cervical mucus and makes it difficult for sperm to reach an egg. It can also prevent an egg from being released from the ovaries.
According to the 2023 National Health Statistics Reports In terms of contraceptive use – the latest year available – 20 percent of sexually active women aged 15 to 49 reported ever using an IUD between the years 2015 and 2019.
But there is no information about how many women keep their IUDs.
Getting an IUD is a minor procedure in which a doctor inserts a speculum into the vagina and uses a tube to guide the IUD through the cervical opening into the uterus.
To remove the device, a doctor pulls small strings attached to the bottom of the IUD through the vagina.
It is after this removal that people apparently ask to take their IUD home with them.
Further into my search on TikTok, I found dozens of other women who had taken their IUDs home to make jewelry and decorations.
Content creator @i.love.almondbutter shows how she made an earring with her old IUD, while @claraburke42069 turned hers into a necklace and asked her followers if it was appropriate to wear to work.
TikTok user Camille Schim filmed herself going to a craft store for supplies to turn her old IUD into wall art
Schim washed her IUD in the sink and showed off her framed device
Taking creativity up a gear, @adrienneog took her old IUD home in a medical sample cup and turned it into an accessory for her car. She spray-painted it gold, attached it to a chain and hung it from her rearview mirror.
In the meantime, @camilleschim took her followers on a trip to a craft store to purchase a shade frame to turn her IUD into a wall art piece.
She filmed herself washing her IUD in the sink and then showed off her device in a frame surrounded by pink flowers.
“We were best friends for the past five years,” the TikToker wrote in the caption.
While commenters found these repurposed IUDs “cute” and “cute,” others called these projects “gross, weird,” and added, “I hope you don’t wear it.” A bit strange.’
One Reddit user considered taking it home, but said her old IUD was “covered in uterine gunk.”
Dr. Boruch told me the devices are perfectly safe to hold, but ‘they need to be cleaned with soap, water and alcohol wipes because, after all, they have been in the womb for quite a few years… in some cases as long as ten years.’
The gynecologist added: ‘Surprisingly they come out quite clean, but a few drops of blood always remain after removal.
“The out-of-pocket cost for an IUD is $1,200 to $1,500 depending on the brand if you don’t have insurance, so it’s definitely an expensive piece of jewelry!”
Regardless of public opinion or doctors’ recommendations, I’m glad I turned down the offer.
RIP to my IUD – it was nice knowing you.
