Newb here... cervix high, soft, open, with IUD in place?

[msan]

Just wondering if anyone would be so kind as to give me some info :)   Yesterday I felt a little pain on my left lower abdomen, ovary area, and then I felt kind of strange in the night so checked my cervix just to be sure my Mirena strings were still there. I never regularly checked my cervix until I got the Mirena 7 weeks postpartum, because of course you have to check to make sure your strings are still there.   I could feel my strings, but I was really surprised to find how high up, soft/mooshy, and kind of open my cervix seemed to be. Could I have ovulated?? My cervical fluid was not stretchy at all. Just vaguely wet/nonexistent, although clear. 

Sorry if I'm not very good on the lingo :) I'm a total newbie with all this stuff.  I started reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility recently and find it really enlightening.  Regretting putting the Mirena in, but I suppose I'll leave it for now since I don't plan to TTC until my LO is 2.  (12 months right now, nursing all the time). 

[Jaimee]

Welcome to MDC!! 

Most women still ovulate with the Mirena in place such that you could actually chart and see it happening.  In some women the hormone released does prevent ovulation, but that is not how it works for most.  IUD's are a bit mysterious.  We don't really know exactly how they work.  But it is thought that the IUD itself gets in the way of the sperm fertilizing the egg and if an egg does get fertilized it is thought the IUD gets in the way of implantation.  Again, it's not fully understood.  And there are plenty of women that do end up getting pregnant with an IUD in place, though overall it's thought to have a 99% effectiveness rate if it does not fall out of place (which is a risk in the first few months).   Also, in case your doctor didn't tell you... it can take quite a while for your cycles to regulate again after having it removed.  I think like 20-some% of women take over a year to conceive after having the Mirena removed.

Anyway since you're reading TCOYF, give charting a try and see what you find out!  Post if you have charting questions!

[msan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaimee 

Welcome to MDC!! 

Most women still ovulate with the Mirena in place such that you could actually chart and see it happening.  In some women the hormone released does prevent ovulation, but that is not how it works for most.  IUD's are a bit mysterious.  We don't really know exactly how they work.  But it is thought that the IUD itself gets in the way of the sperm fertilizing the egg and if an egg does get fertilized it is thought the IUD gets in the way of implantation.  Again, it's not fully understood.  And there are plenty of women that do end up getting pregnant with an IUD in place, though overall it's thought to have a 99% effectiveness rate if it does not fall out of place (which is a risk in the first few months).   Also, in case your doctor didn't tell you... it can take quite a while for your cycles to regulate again after having it removed.  I think like 20-some% of women take over a year to conceive after having the Mirena removed.

Anyway since you're reading TCOYF, give charting a try and see what you find out!  Post if you have charting questions!

Thank you!   So does it sound like I may have ovulated?  Despite my lack of cervical mucous?  I haven't had any periods or spotting of any kind . My babe  nurses often around the clock but I suppose he has been eating more solids this past month or so.  I thought of starting to chart, but then I wondered if it was even worth it with the IUD in throwing everything off, plus the breastfeeding. I am thinking of taking it out prior to the 2 year mark but honestly it has worked very well as a method. I just worry about getting pregnant on it or having some complication at some point. 

[JMJ]

Yes, it is possible that you ovulated.  If you did, it is possible that you may experience some spotting in about a couple weeks, though it wouldn't be a normal period.  The progestin in your IUD works to thicken your CM, giving you a dry feeling, so not having observable CM is expected.  If you were charting, you would mostly have to go by temp to know if/when you are ovulating.

Many women who are nursing around the clock do not ovulate/menstruate until about a year (with lots of variability) after the birth of the baby.  It is quite possible that the reason you have not been spotting or feeling like you are ovulating is not because of your IUD at all but because of breastfeeding.  If you suddenly start experiencing symptoms of ovulation while breastfeeding, I would guess that is why.

I'm sorry to hear that you have an IUD that you regret getting.  As Jaimee said, some women take some time to be able to conceive after having the mirena.  It is possible to chart effectively while coming off the mirena.  It just takes some extra caution.  It can be a while before your body ovulates on its own, and it can be hard to know what is going on, so you would have to assume that you are fertile, perhaps for a whole month or more, but sooner or later, your cycle will regulate, and your body would be more healthy for TTC.

[msan]

Thank you so much for your responses. That is very helpful information. 

Yes, I regret the Mirena in a way because I think it was a bit "overkill" and possibly more invasive than I am comfortable with at this point. That being said, I have had a great experience with it.  Very few symptoms, feeling very good overall with it in.  I have read several threads on this forum that alluded to the Mirena being responsible for miscarriages, thinking it causes scar tissue, secondary infertility, etc.  So that stuff scares me although I know it is anecdotal and there really haven't been studies proving/disproving any of that (that I am aware of). 

However, I don't have a good family planning alternative otherwise because I need something with really high reliability, since as much as I'm already longing for another newborn, I don't want to get pregnant and then cause my little boy to wean early due to the pregnancy. I know that doesn't always happen.... but I was hoping to nurse him at least until he's 2 years old. Our nursing relationship is very important to both of us.  I thought of switching to the minipill but I'm nervous that I would react badly to it - mainly I'm afraid of the potential side effect of depression worsening. I already have enough trouble with that as it is.

But it's very interesting to me that I could be ovulating right now.... I think I have had the  "Mittelschmerz" ovulation pain in the past but was always so completely out of touch with my own body that I didn't ever connect the dots and attribute it to ovulation.

I'm on the fence about everything! Haha... I really am not sure what to do next in the family planning category.  I keep going back and forth, "take the mirena out? leave it in? take it out?" It changes weekly!

[Jaimee]

Well maybe start charting now and see what's happening, see how you do with charting, and then decide if you want to try CTA and remove the IUD a bit early so you can be sure to regulate in time for when you wanted to TTC.  Warning though: you will need to be very cautious and either abstain or use back up frequently during that time b/c your cycle will likely be unpredictable for a while- due to the IUD hormones and due to breastfeeding.  I have had to oops pregnancies trying to CTA while breastfeeding b/c I was not as cautious as I should have been.

JMJ is an invaluable resource when it comes to CTA.  So be sure to ask questions and maybe join the CTA thread in the fertility forum.