How to prepare for IUD removal and potential side effects to expect after

• You can schedule an IUD removal close to the IUD's expiration date and at any point in your cycle.
• The removal process involves a doctor inserting a speculum and pulling the IUD out by the strings.
• After IUD removal, you may have spotting or cramping, and your period will return to normal.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a popular type of long-acting, reversible birth control method that's 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. About 12% of women on birth control use an IUD, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

An IUD can stay inside the uterus for a number of years. However, at some point, the IUD will need to come out because it's about to expire, you want to try a different type of birth control, or you're ready to get pregnant.

Just as a gynecologist or nurse practitioner placed the IUD, you need them to remove it, too. It's usually a very quick, easy process, but occasionally, it can require more attention.

Schedule and prepare for removal

IUDs tend to expire after three to 12 years, depending on what kind you have. While you don't have to get it removed on the exact day it was inserted, you shouldn't wait too long.

"There is a little flexibility, but not too much. I would not recommend delaying removal for more than a few weeks without having a direct conversation with your doctor," says Kameelah Phillips, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Calla Women's Health. "Depending on the IUD, the risks of delaying beyond the recommended time frame can include irregular bleeding, challenges with removal, and an increased chance of pregnancy."

You can schedule your IUD removal at any point during your menstrual cycle, according to Barb Dehn, NP, a women's health nurse practitioner in the Silicon Valley area of Northern California.

Some women with hormonal IUDs don't even have periods, because the progesterone released by the IUD keeps the lining of the uterus so thin that it doesn't need to slough off and come out.

The only preparation you need to do before removal is to schedule the appointment. No other preparation is needed, regardless of whether you have a hormonal or non-hormonal type of IUD, according to Dehn.

However, "if a woman is prone to cramping or has more pain with her periods, she can take an over-the-counter pain reliever one to two hours ahead of time," says Dehn. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or naproxen should be fine.

Expect a quick removal

The removal process usually doesn't take long. Typically, your doctor will have you lie down on the exam table, just like you would for a pelvic exam. The process requires no anesthesia or other sedating drugs.

The actual removal starts when your healthcare provider locates the strings that dangle from the end of the IUD. "It's literally just seconds," says Phillips. "It involves putting in the speculum, locating the IUD strings, and gently pulling. Seconds."

"It takes longer for a woman to have her blood pressure checked than it does to remove the IUD," says Dehn.

You might feel a little cramping as the IUD comes down through the cervix and the vagina and out of your body. Once it's out, you can get a new IUD placed right away, if that's your desired plan.

Occasionally, it can be hard to find the strings for removal, though. In that case, your doctor or NP might need to use a small brush or other tool to tease or pull the strings into place. In rare cases, a doctor might need to take you into the operating room and use ultrasound to aid in removal.

Resume normal activities after removal

You might have a little spotting afterward. "Spotting is very common and not a cause for concern," says Tristan Bickman, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Santa Monica, California.

You might also feel a little cramping for a few minutes afterward, but don't worry.

"It really should resolve in a few minutes, typically," says Phillips, adding that if it doesn't, take some ibuprofen or curl up with a heating pad for a little while, and that should help. However, you should contact your doctor if you experience pain that doesn't go away, but that's rare.

Once the IUD is out, you can immediately resume your regularly scheduled activities, says Phillips. You can go back to work or run errands or even hit the gym.

It may take a few months, but your period will return to normal after IUD removal. If your period became very light due to the IUD, it should return to how it was before you had the IUD inserted.

One very important thing to remember: unless you're getting a new IUD put in at the same time, you'll need to start using another method of birth control right away to prevent pregnancy. That's because your fertility returns to normal after your IUD is removed.

That may be good news, though, if you're eager to try to get pregnant. You can start trying to get pregnant the day you get your IUD removed, though your chances will be greatest during your fertility window.

Quick tip: For more information on increasing fertility chances, check out our article about when you are most fertile.

Insider's takeaway

You should schedule an IUD removal appointment with a medical professional around your IUD's expiration date. You can have it removed at any point in your cycle.

The removal often takes seconds, and you might feel some cramping as the IUD is taken out. You can get a new IUD inserted immediately.

You will be able to get pregnant right after your IUD removal, though it might take a few months for your period to regulate. If you still want to prevent pregnancy, you'll need to start another form of birth control right away.