Copper coil fitting during Csection

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Hi all,

I’m just wondering if anyone has had a copper coil fitted during a csection? What were your experiences? Thank you :)

Not had it fitted during section but had one pre-baby and it was horrific.

Intermittent really heavy bleeding, awful period pains, general twinges in my lower abdomen a lot of the time, I left it for 5 months and it just got worse so opted to have it out in the end, and symptoms improved dramatically.

I would think it's too soon after you've given birth? I had my merina fitted when my son was four months old and when I came to have it removed it had embedded. The doctor who eventually got it out said I'd had it fitted far too early and that it was becoming more common to have them embedded as they were placed too soon after birth.

@InAPrettyCabinet what happened with the removal after it had embedded? Did you recover fully? I had mine fitted at about 4 months op and I'm worried this will be the case with me after the pains I suffered in the months after fitting. I really want it removed but have to wait because of COVID now.

Hey, haven’t had this myself but I do know it’s quite different from having it fitted after that immediate delivery time (ie 1 day to 6 weeks after). Your doctor or midwife should be able to provide info too? Basically advantages of doing it at time of CS = no separate procedure so no pain involved with insertion (they just place it in prior to closing your womb after delivering the placenta); less pain/cramping involved with it “settling in” as your womb is sort of used to having something inside it; no need to organise contraception later as it’s done and you can more or less just forget about it. Disadvantages are that you do need to visit a doctor a few weeks later for a quick check to trim the strings of the device - as your womb shrinks down after birth the strings will protrude further into the vagina; and there’s a higher risk of it coming out than if it was done at a later date. Other things about it are kind of the same regardless of when you have it put in - can cause heavy periods, can cause some discomfort esp first few months.
For PP talking about higher risk of embedding etc, as far as I know that isn’t a problem with insertion at the time of delivery, more so if done during the first few weeks after having a baby using a speculum and an inserter device. When you’ve just delivered the muscle wall of the womb is quite soft and squidgy - easier to accidentally perforate. That’s not an issue at CS as it’s all in direct view, does that make sense?
If I was certain of wanting a copper IUD I would def have it at the time of CS myself.

I was told I had to wait 12 weeks after my c-section to have one, maybe it varies trust to trust.

@MarchSurprise * @InAPrettyCabinet what happened with the removal after it had embedded? Did you recover fully? I had mine fitted at about 4 months op and I'm worried this will be the case with me after the pains I suffered in the months after fitting. I really want it removed but have to wait because of COVID now.*

I was sent away from the sexual health clinic (as the nurses there aren't allowed to go looking for it if they can see it) and was referred to a different clinic where there was a doctor who specialised in removal of embedded coils. She talked me through it all and was really firm on the fact that lots are put in too soon.
It came away after some of effort and was pretty painful. She was honest about the fact that if I hadn't been able to handle the level of pain I would have had to have it surgically removed but I gritted my teeth.
I was sore for a few days but nothing major. I have to add that this was my second coil, the first I had came away easily and if I was to need one I would have one again. I didn't have any issues to make me think I would have problems with it's removal x