Hormonal coil (IUS) vs Injection

Need help choosing? Speak to a doctor
Hormonal coil (IUS)

Add your Hormonal coil (IUS) review

Injection

Add your Injection review

Overview

Rated 3.5

902 reviews

Every 3-8 years

Frequency

Over 99%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.9

314 reviews

Every 2-3 months

Frequency

94% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

Short term

Effect on fertility

Hormonal coil (IUS) ingredients

Main hormones in Hormonal coil (IUS)

progestogen


Injection ingredients

Main hormones in Injection

progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

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

31% somewhat negative

70% stopped periods

56% lost sex drive

48% gained weight

45% no impact on skin

Cycle return

43% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Adenomyosis

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Menopause

Period pain

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Period pain

Try it now

Add your Hormonal coil (IUS) review

Try it now

Add your Injection review

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Hormonal coil (IUS) reviews

902 reviews

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

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.

Read more

Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal coil (IUS)  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

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
  •  1 week ago

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 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

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
  •  4 days ago

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
  •  1 week ago

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


Injection reviews

314 reviews

Injection  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Noristerat injection  

Right now l feel enlargement of breast and my periods are spotting


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I’ve been getting this shot ever since my first period and before I started taking it, I was having heavy period cramps and I disliked the constant pain from my period cramps


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I’ve been getting this shot ever since my first period and before I started taking it, I was having heavy period cramps and I disliked the constant pain from my period cramps


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Noristerat injection  

Right now l feel enlargement of breast and my periods are spotting


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I’ve been getting this shot ever since my first period and before I started taking it, I was having heavy period cramps and I disliked the constant pain from my period cramps


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I’ve been getting this shot ever since my first period and before I started taking it, I was having heavy period cramps and I disliked the constant pain from my period cramps


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

First 3 weeks were fine, I spent first 3 days filled with rage and nausea and a few headaches but fine. First expected period rolled around at 3 weeks in and didn't stop, like at all (day 77 as I write this). About 6 weeks in my mood crashed. As someone who has previously had mental health problems, I was incredibly apprehensive about going on any kind of hormonal birth control because I was scared of side effects. But in order to get my tubes tied, my doctors wanted to see me try this first and everyone reassured me that I was just being paranoid and it wouldn't be as bad as I imagined. Unfortunately it was worse than I imagined. I spent 4 weeks getting progressively more suicidal until I finally went to the doctors (which was its own story) but had to take three Valium a day in order to function and go to work. At the time of writing, I'm 2 weeks out of the 12-week expected window, still bleeding and still suffering mentally but less so and more manageably. This experience has put me off trying any other form of birth control. I had done this to try and reduce PMS symptoms and wish I never had. I was also recommended the mirena coil but didn't like the idea of having to have it inserted or removed if things went wrong/justify myself to a doctor


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  14th May 26

Depo-Provera injection  

I went on the depo injection due to the mini pill making my IBS constipation symptoms worse and the doctor saying this would be better. For first 6 months, no side effects. It did level out my moods and constipation, but it gave me vaginal dryness and a loss of sex drive after 9 months of being on it.


Somewhat positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5th May 26

Depo-Provera injection  

I got with a new partner a few years back and gave this ago as I wanted something I didn’t need to remember to take. I gained weight fast, I had mood changes, my skin broke out badly, my periods were heavier than before. I only ever had one injection then stopped as I no longer needed it and I didn’t like how it made me feel. Unfortunately I had a rare side effect where it stopped my periods/ovulation all together for 12 months I was referred to gynaecology at 6 months and luckily after all the scans everything was normal and by month 12 my cycle returned without needing to be medically induced. This is not a horror story but important that you could react the same or if you are reacting the same please get referred to gynaecology and hopefully your periods will return 🤍


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
46 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th Apr 26

Sayana Press injection  

Having used both Depot and Sanaya Press, these are the best method of contraception. No side effect and a huge positive: no periods.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3rd Apr 26

Depo-Provera injection  

This has made my sex life a living hell .I get scared to have sex with my partner since I associate the vaginal dryness with this Depo shot ,the sex is always pain towards the end as there’s not enough lubrication


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  14th Feb 26

Noristerat injection  

This was bad experience my stretch marks even increased and low libido is the worst


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3rd Feb 26

Sayana Press injection  

I would have rated this 5 stars last year. I used to be on the depo jab that had to be done at the doctors but I work 12 hour shifts meaning it was a struggle to attended every 12 weeks. So I was over the moon when I found out about sayana press that I could do myself. I usually do the injection around 11 weeks but the last 3 times I get to 10 weeks and get crippling period pain that completely debilitates me. Even after I’ve done the injection this will continue for about a week afterwards. I’ve never experienced child birth but the pain is horrendous. It will wake me up in the middle of the night, happen at work and is just completely random spouts of unbearable pain until at whatever point doesn’t happen again until I am next at the 10 week mark. I’ve recently learned that it’s a lower strength to Depo-Provera and maybe that’s why however I’m confused as to why it’s only started happening. My gp surgery is useless and it the whole process of going back to having the higher strength at the surgery is going to take some time but being able to do it at home is not worth this horrendous ordeal. I would not recommend switching


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

1 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Hormonal coil (IUS) with other contraceptives

Order online

Order online now

Use our online prescription in under 5 mins

  • No GP appointment needed

  • Free standard delivery

Speak to a doctor

Not sure yet? Speak to a doctor

Schedule an appointment now

87% of women are happier with their contraceptive choice after speaking with one of The Lowdown's doctors

The Lowdown Footer

Women's health, reviewed.

Get the best women’s health info in your inbox

You are signing up to receive The Lowdown's latest findings and news in women's health. Your data will be used in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie policy

Built by doctors and experts

Our tools are made by medical professionals for your peace of mind

Our website uses affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click on them