Contraception Reviews

Hormonal IUD vs Natural family planning

Hormonal IUD

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Natural family planning

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Overview

Rated 3.5

79 reviews

3 - 8 years

Frequency

Over 99%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.9

5 reviews

Daily

Frequency

77% - 98%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Hormonal IUD ingredients

Main hormones in Hormonal IUD

progestin

Natural family planning ingredients

Fertility awareness methods is an umbrella term for a method of birth control that works by being able to identify when in the menstrual cycle you are fertile through a range of factors.

What Lowdown reviewers say

Mood

39% no impact on mood

Bleeds

44% stopped periods

Sex drive

41% no impact

Weight

49% no impact

Skin

42% no impact on skin

Cycle return

50% in 1 month

Mood

28% no impact on mood

Bleeds

68% stopped periods

Sex drive

56% lost sex drive

Weight

48% gained weight

Skin

55% no impact on skin

Cycle return

39% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this birth control can help with

Adenomyosis

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Menopause

Period pain

There are no benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this birth control

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Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Hormonal IUD reviews

79 reviews

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 8+ yr
25 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  4 days ago

Mirena IUD  

’m young (under 30) and yet desire is not there like it used to. I walk around with constant painful acne on my face no matter how many times I wash my face. I had it removed years ago and everything went back to normal. Then I got it again 3 years ago (still have it) and instantly remembered exactly why I got it removed in the first place.

Read more

Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  15th Apr 26

Kyleena IUD  

I've tried all the pills out there for BC, but my last resort was the hormonal IUD to stop me hemorrhaging every month. For the last 9 months, I've had 4 UTIs and constant pelvic pain. I've seen a urologist twice, and the hypothesis is that the IUD is drying out not only my skin but my vaginal tissues as well. I wish I could get it out to remove myself this constant UTI type pain, but I haven't bled a lot in the last couple of months. It's a very bad negative for a semi positive.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  2nd Apr 26

Hormonal IUD  

The insertion did cause me a great deal of pain, and the following days after I was cramping constantly. I am on my 2nd month of Kyleena and I do still experience some cramping in my day to day. It has made my period lighter but I have been bleeding for 22days.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 8+ yr
25 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  4 days ago

Mirena IUD  

’m young (under 30) and yet desire is not there like it used to. I walk around with constant painful acne on my face no matter how many times I wash my face. I had it removed years ago and everything went back to normal. Then I got it again 3 years ago (still have it) and instantly remembered exactly why I got it removed in the first place.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  15th Apr 26

Kyleena IUD  

I've tried all the pills out there for BC, but my last resort was the hormonal IUD to stop me hemorrhaging every month. For the last 9 months, I've had 4 UTIs and constant pelvic pain. I've seen a urologist twice, and the hypothesis is that the IUD is drying out not only my skin but my vaginal tissues as well. I wish I could get it out to remove myself this constant UTI type pain, but I haven't bled a lot in the last couple of months. It's a very bad negative for a semi positive.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  2nd Apr 26

Hormonal IUD  

The insertion did cause me a great deal of pain, and the following days after I was cramping constantly. I am on my 2nd month of Kyleena and I do still experience some cramping in my day to day. It has made my period lighter but I have been bleeding for 22days.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments


Natural family planning reviews

5 reviews

Natural family planning  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  28th Mar 25

Breastfeeding (Lactational Amenorrhoea Method or LAM)  

So Great


Very positive mood

1 more effect

1 helpful

0 comments

Natural family planning  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  28th Dec 23

Natural Cycles App  

Overall, I felt that this was a safer option. I only switched to the mini pill in an effort to get a handle on my PCOS pelvic pain.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Natural family planning  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  25th Jul 23

Natural Cycles App  

I was previously on the contraceptive pill, and as soon as i came off it i was immediately more in tune with my body, could feel the sex drive boost around ovulation etc and lost the weight the pill had put on me.


Very positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Natural family planning  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  28th Mar 25

Breastfeeding (Lactational Amenorrhoea Method or LAM)  

So Great


Very positive mood

1 more effect

1 helpful

0 comments

Natural family planning  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  28th Dec 23

Natural Cycles App  

Overall, I felt that this was a safer option. I only switched to the mini pill in an effort to get a handle on my PCOS pelvic pain.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Natural family planning  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  25th Jul 23

Natural Cycles App  

I was previously on the contraceptive pill, and as soon as i came off it i was immediately more in tune with my body, could feel the sex drive boost around ovulation etc and lost the weight the pill had put on me.


Very positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Natural family planning  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  21st Jul 23

Natural Cycles App  

I feel like I've gotten to know my body! I really like the partner view so my husband knows when I'm fertile and won't try to initiate sex. After a terrible experience with hormonal birth control, this makes me feel in control and it has taught me so much!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Natural family planning  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  19th Jul 23

Symptothermal method  

Never been this in tune with my body before! It is wonderful to see how my hormonal cycle affects different areas in my life and be able to live in alignment with this! It's great to know I'm not having to put up with any side effects on birth control and that my partner and I can share the responsibility. I also love knowing when to expect my period. Highly recommend!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Birth control alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Hormonal IUD with other birth control

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