Cap or diaphragm vs Hormonal coil (IUS)

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Cap or diaphragm

Add your cap or diaphragm review

Hormonal coil (IUS)

Add your Hormonal coil (IUS) review

Overview

Rated 3.8

16 reviews

During or before sex

Frequency

84% - 94%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 3.5

905 reviews

Every 3-8 years

Frequency

Over 99%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Cap or diaphragm ingredients

A contraceptive diaphragm or cap is a circular dome made of thin soft silicone although they come in different shapes sizes and materials. You need to use it with a gel that kills sperm called spermicide. The most common active ingredient of spermicides is nonoxynol-9.

Hormonal coil (IUS) ingredients

Main hormones in Hormonal coil (IUS)

progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

88% no impact on mood

88% no change

94% no impact

100% no impact

83% no impact on skin

Cycle return

50% in 1 month

43% no impact on mood

46% stopped periods

47% no impact

59% no impact

53% no impact on skin

Cycle return

33% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

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

Adenomyosis

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Menopause

Period pain

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Add your Hormonal coil (IUS) review

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Cap or diaphragm reviews

16 reviews

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th Dec 25

Cap or diaphragm  

I decided to invest in the Caya diaphragm since I was determined to find a non-hormonal method I could use that wouldn’t impact sex too much (I get irritation with condoms and the copper coil moved out of place pretty much immediately). I really wanted it to work but unfortunately it was way too uncomfortable during sex. It feels like there’s just way too much ‘stuff’ inside me. And I think it obstructs my natural wetness (I suspect that’s why some people mention a lot of discharge upon removal). My partner also said while he could definitely feel it, it wasn’t uncomfortable. I’d choose condoms over the diaphragm unfortunately. Hope this helps :)

Read more

Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Apr 25

Cap or diaphragm  

I’ve enjoyed using the cap around my fertile window but struggle to feel 100% confident I have inserted it correctly. When removing the cap I notice a lot of discharge but not after use, only when removing. Way better than the pill or condoms for me.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th May 24

Cap or diaphragm  

Apart from the issue I'm currently dealing with (it getting stuck inside of me), I LOVE the diaphragm. I found out I wasn't never fitted (which is why it kept getting stuck upon removal), so my new, awesome doctor actually sized me. It's easier than popping in a tampon once you learn how to do it and then ya pop it out the morning after sex. No side effects, no hormones, no emotional hangover. It's very hard to find though. Pharmaceutical companies don't want women to buy one silicone object that lasts for the rest of your life, so finding the right size and actually getting it has been a challenge. My mom used it and only got pregnant to have me (her only child) and I've been using it for 5+ years with no issues.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th Dec 25

Cap or diaphragm  

I decided to invest in the Caya diaphragm since I was determined to find a non-hormonal method I could use that wouldn’t impact sex too much (I get irritation with condoms and the copper coil moved out of place pretty much immediately). I really wanted it to work but unfortunately it was way too uncomfortable during sex. It feels like there’s just way too much ‘stuff’ inside me. And I think it obstructs my natural wetness (I suspect that’s why some people mention a lot of discharge upon removal). My partner also said while he could definitely feel it, it wasn’t uncomfortable. I’d choose condoms over the diaphragm unfortunately. Hope this helps :)


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Apr 25

Cap or diaphragm  

I’ve enjoyed using the cap around my fertile window but struggle to feel 100% confident I have inserted it correctly. When removing the cap I notice a lot of discharge but not after use, only when removing. Way better than the pill or condoms for me.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th May 24

Cap or diaphragm  

Apart from the issue I'm currently dealing with (it getting stuck inside of me), I LOVE the diaphragm. I found out I wasn't never fitted (which is why it kept getting stuck upon removal), so my new, awesome doctor actually sized me. It's easier than popping in a tampon once you learn how to do it and then ya pop it out the morning after sex. No side effects, no hormones, no emotional hangover. It's very hard to find though. Pharmaceutical companies don't want women to buy one silicone object that lasts for the rest of your life, so finding the right size and actually getting it has been a challenge. My mom used it and only got pregnant to have me (her only child) and I've been using it for 5+ years with no issues.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments


Hormonal coil (IUS) reviews

905 reviews

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Kyleena coil  

for me it works great, but i have a feeling my sex drive changed plus also the intensity of my orgasm. But you know I cannot tell for sure that the coil is the causing this..


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

1 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Kyleena coil  

Positive - first one for 5 years, protected against pregnancy, stopped periods after about 18 months so saved money on tampons. No significant side effects initially. Set and forget method was great. Negatives - I found the fitting incredibly painful. When I had it changed after 5 years the reinsertion was traumatic and I won't have it again. I suffered with mouth ulcers every month that got progressively worse over time. My mood wasn't bad but it was overall flattened. The new one never settled and I had problems with the threads travelling upwards, I found medical staff across the board (GP, clinic, hospital for ultrasound) very uninterested when I had issues after fitting which was difficult because I was frightened of possible consequences if it moved or they couldn't get the threads to remove it. I have honestly never had thrush so much in my life as I did when I was on kyleena. Noticed more and darker body hair over time.


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  30th Jul 26

Mirena coil  

Works well for me, was hoping would take away periods altogether but definitely made them lighter. Found fitting comfortable as just had some cramping. But I have quite a low cervix, so I could feel the strings and needed them trimmed.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Kyleena coil  

for me it works great, but i have a feeling my sex drive changed plus also the intensity of my orgasm. But you know I cannot tell for sure that the coil is the causing this..


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

1 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Kyleena coil  

Positive - first one for 5 years, protected against pregnancy, stopped periods after about 18 months so saved money on tampons. No significant side effects initially. Set and forget method was great. Negatives - I found the fitting incredibly painful. When I had it changed after 5 years the reinsertion was traumatic and I won't have it again. I suffered with mouth ulcers every month that got progressively worse over time. My mood wasn't bad but it was overall flattened. The new one never settled and I had problems with the threads travelling upwards, I found medical staff across the board (GP, clinic, hospital for ultrasound) very uninterested when I had issues after fitting which was difficult because I was frightened of possible consequences if it moved or they couldn't get the threads to remove it. I have honestly never had thrush so much in my life as I did when I was on kyleena. Noticed more and darker body hair over time.


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  30th Jul 26

Mirena coil  

Works well for me, was hoping would take away periods altogether but definitely made them lighter. Found fitting comfortable as just had some cramping. But I have quite a low cervix, so I could feel the strings and needed them trimmed.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2nd Jul 26

Mirena coil  

Not pleasant to put in but completely stopped by periods after few months. Reassuring that no pregnancy, however absolutely 0 sex drive and this effects relationships.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2nd Jul 26

Mirena coil  

Initial 3 month settling in period is intense, lots of bleeding and emotional side effects plus insertion pain. After 3 months it settled and I thought I had found the holy grail, emotionally stable and no side effects. At 6 months I developed a large ovarian cyst which put me in agony and A&E, doctors said this was caused by the coil and had to remove it. Unfortunately I cant recommend, the search continues.


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  29th Jun 26

Mirena coil  

No periods but developed acne. I also get cysts now regularly (never had before) that burst and hurt so bad that the first time it happened I went to the ER.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  19th Jun 26

Mirena coil  

only had mirena coil fitted 3 weeks ago but so far it’s been good, i have had quite a lot of lower back pain but other than that i don’t feel any different


Lost weight

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  18th Jun 26

Mirena coil  

Prior to having the mirena coil I had the most horrific periods literally to the point of passing out. I can say I have had my coil in for nearly 6 years and not had a period since and now I feel like I have my life back! It has been one of the decisions I have ever made and also hardly had any hormonal side effects.


Very positive mood

2 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  17th Jun 26

Mirena coil  

I loved the mirena but over 3 different coils, shortly after insertion I would get kidney infections that didn’t respond to antibiotics. The link was only made on the third despite me asking the gyno about it. Such a shame because I loved it otherwise. Kidney infections mostly skipped the uti stage and went straight to them but bacteria wouldn’t grow in pee. If this sounds like you remove it!


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  16th Jun 26

Levosert coil  

Had it inserted at birth during a c section so no pain for insertion. Periods for lighter every month with significantly less pain than before and have virtually stopped after 8 months - just a small amount of spotting.


Very positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

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