Light bleeding and spotting is normal for a few days after getting an IUD, and heavier periods are common for the first few months. Severe bleeding may indicate a punctured uterus and requires medical attention. Most bleeding and spotting should go away within a few months.
A small amount of light IUD bleeding is usually normal for a few days immediately after an IUD is inserted. For most women, this light bleeding is really just light spotting and should go away within two to three days at most. Some women may also notice some spotting between periods during the first few months of IUD use. Additionally, heavier menstrual periods are also common for the first few months after inserting an IUD. When severe IUD bleeding occurs shortly after an IUD has been inserted by a doctor, it is likely that the uterus was punctured by the IUD during insertion.
Nearly all types of IUDs cause minor bleeding after they are initially put in place. This light bleeding or spotting shouldn’t be a cause for concern unless it escalates to the point that it’s similar to bleeding experienced during a menstrual period or worse. If bleeding from the IUD does not go away within three days or less, a woman should go back to her doctor to confirm that the IUD was inserted correctly.
It can take several months for the body to fully get used to an IUD and, for this reason, some women have bleeding between periods for a while after receiving the IUD for the first time. This bleeding is usually not serious and many women describe it as mild spotting. After three to four months, most women report that the IUD bleeding between periods has disappeared and that their menstrual periods are much lighter than before they got their IUDs.
In addition to the occasional mild bleeding from the IUD, an IUD could also cause heavy menstrual periods during the first few months of use. A small percentage of women report that the first three or four periods they have after IUDs are inserted are much worse than normal, and some women even consider taking the IUDs out because they can’t deal with the excess bleeding. In most cases, the severity of menstrual bleeding decreases after a few months, and you no longer experience menstrual cycle problems while the IUD is in place.
Very severe bleeding that occurs immediately after inserting an IUD is almost always related to uterine puncture. Inserting an IUD can be tricky for some doctors because it has to be done very carefully at the correct angle. When you make a mistake inserting an IUD, the IUD can perforate your uterus. Uterine puncture typically causes severe bleeding that can be much worse than what commonly occurs during menstruation. Doctors usually have to remove an IUD if this occurs and advise their patients to return in a few weeks for reinsertion to give the sting time to heal.
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