Miudella (IUD) – everything you need to know

The Miudella is the newest non-hormonal birth control option in the US. Here we explain everything you need to know…..

What is the Miudella?

The Miudella is a new form of copper IUD. It is a non-hormonal, long acting birth control option that is fitted in the womb. It is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy and can be used for up to 3 years.

It was approved by the FDA to be used in the US in 2025. The Miudella has an innovative design that hasn’t been used before. It consists of a flexible frame made of nitinol. Nitinol is a flexible metal with elastic properties. Miudella measures 30mm long and is 32mm wide at the top, and vaguely looks like a T shape similar to other IUDs. The nitinol frame has “copper sleeves” from which copper is slowly released into the womb. The Miudella contains less than half of the amount of copper as the Paraguard IUD.¹

How does the Miudella work?

The Miudella is inserted by a healthcare provider into the womb using a small, thin, plastic inserter. Learn more about IUD fittings.

The Miudella contains copper which is slowly released into the womb. Copper makes it harder for sperm to move so they are unable to reach an egg to fertilise it and cause pregnancy. The copper can also prevent a fertilised egg from implanting into the womb lining so it cannot grow into a pregnancy.

Pros and cons of Miudella

The advantages of Miudella are it:

• Is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy
• Is non-hormonal birth control
• Can be used for up to 3 years
• Does not interrupt sex
• Does not rely on remembering something everyday
• Can be used if you are breastfeeding
• Can fitted if you have medical conditions that mean you cannot use hormonal birth control
• Does not affect your baseline fertility

The disadvantages of Miudella are it :

• Has to be fitted and removed by a healthcare provider
• Can cause heavier, longer or more painful periods
• Does not protect against STIs
• Contains nickel which some people may be sensitive to

Risks of Miudella

There are some small risks of Miudella which include:

• Pelvic infection which can occur after the Miudella is fitted. Please see your healthcare provider if you develop a fever, green or smelly discharge or lower abdominal pain.
• Expulsion – this is where Miudella falls out. This happens in around 3-4 out of 100 users over 3 years.
• Perforation – this is where Miudella can move and make a small hole in the wall of the womb. This happens around 1 in every 1000 fittings of Miudella¹.
• Ectopic pregnancy – this is where a pregnancy grows outside of the womb. It is very rare that you get pregnant with a Miudella, but if you do, there is a slightly increased chance of an ectopic pregnancy compared to getting pregnant without an IUD fitted. This means the chances of an ectopic pregnancy overall are much smaller with Miudella than without birth control.
• Allergic reaction to copper, nickel or titanium

What are the side effects of Miudella?

From research so far, the main side effects of Miudella are heavy, painful and longer periods. In the 1st year, 8.5% of users stopped using Miudella due to these side effects.¹

Other copper IUDs can increase the risk of yeast (thrush) infections or bacterial vaginosis, but these have not been researched yet for Miudella.

Miudella v Paraguard

Miudella is a smaller IUD and contains less copper than Paraguard. Miudella is effective for 3 years, while Paraguard is effective for 10 years. It is currently easier to find a provider to fit a Paraguard than a Miudella. The Miudella cannot be used as emergency contraception, whereas Paraguard can be, although this is off-label.

Where to get a Miudella?

Currently, the Miudella is restricted and can only be fitted by healthcare providers who have been trained. Providers also need to be part of the Miudella Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Scheme. Miudella is not currently being marketed, but we hope to see it widely available as another birth control option soon!