The social media platform TikTok has been an interesting place of late. Countless trends have been making waves on the internet, including a frozen honey and crate challenge – both trends that have been lambasted by users and experts alike.
However, another disturbing trend is making the rounds on the video-sharing platform – the IUD home removal. For those who are unfamiliar, an IUD or Intrauterine Device is a T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that removing this device without the help of a medical professional is dangerous.
Healthcare professionals are now slamming the trend, which appears to have been popularised by an American TikTok creator. Despite the creator’s disclaimer that she wasn’t giving medical advice to her viewers, countless women followed with their own “IUD home removal” videos.
@mikkiegallagherthis is NOT medical advice but it only took 2 minutes ? #fyp #momsoftiktok #periods #iudremoval #iud #mirena #momtok #diy #birthcontrol #gonefishing
OB-GYN Dr Anar Yukhayev stated that it’s always best to have a professional perform the procedure as they would have the right tools, as per IOL.
“If you’re using too much force that might mean something is wrong like the IUD might be stuck.
“When you pull it, you can actually lodge it in a different part of the uterus and make the embedding of the IUD even worse.”
While women have been removing their IUD’s at home for some time now, many doctors state that it’s best to perform the removal procedure in a controlled environment. According to a study, around 326 women were willing to remove their IUD’s themselves, and while the process can take about four minutes, removal is hinged on the length of the IUD string. Strings that are around seven centimetres or longer are easier for women to grab.
However, don’t do it at home! Always seek help from a medical professional.
Read More:
Picture: Unsplash