Women are encouraging each other to get IUDs before Trump becomes president

There's no way to sugarcoat this: Trump and Pence's election is likely terrifying news for women's health.

One major reason women are worried is that Trump and Pence (not to mention a Republican-controlled congress) could threaten access to affordable birth control.

Both men have said that they will work to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which requires that insurers cover birth control as a form of preventative care. As governor of Indiana, Pence slashed women's health funding through Planned Parenthood and signed a bill that would have held some doctors who performed abortions liable for wrongful death. Trump has also called for punishments for doctors who perform abortions, and falsely suggested that women get abortions just days before birth.

See images of the history of birth control:

The good news is that there may be an opportunity for some women to protect themselves against that threat.

As Gabriella Paiella argues in New York Magazine, and Erin Gloria Ryan does in The Daily Beast, an intrauterine device (IUD) offers some women the option to take care of their birth control needs in a way that could outlast any changes made by the Trump-Pence administration.

An IUD is a small device that sits inside a woman's uterus and prevents pregnancy by keeping sperm from reaching an egg. Some are copper, which has a strong sperm-blocking effect. Others release hormones that induce the body to block sperm on its own. Once they're in, IUDs generally remain effective for longer than a presidential administration lasts.

Here are the basic IUD facts:

• IUDs are remarkably effective, preventing more than 99% of pregnancies.

• That makes them vastly more effective than the pill.

• They are also safe for the vast majority of women, including teenagers.

• Some versions can remain in place for up to 12 years.

Women looking to get an IUD that's covered by insurance should consider taking the initial steps as soon as possible. Though it's unclear how fast Trump and Pence would work to roll back the ACA and it's birth control provisions, an IUD can cost up to $1,000 without coverage.

Some women are already taking steps to get themselves protected.

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/796398442289528832
I made an appointment for tomorrow for a consultation to get an IUD, here's why https://t.co/lfIDcgfgDB

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/796430627507732483
I've been fucking around with getting an IUD for months. Trump won and I now have an 8:45 appointment tomorrow morning to get it.

It's also important to recognize that IUDs are not an option for everyone.

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/796429514125361152
i love all this IUD talk, but birth control fucks with my body too much so it's not really an option and that's scary

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/796429753322504199
@evepeyser i had to get the copper IUD because all forms of hormonal birth control give me migraines and it fucking SUCKS

Planned Parenthood offers a very helpful guide for people interested in learning more about IUDs.

President Barack Obama will remain in office until Friday, January 20, 2017. It is almost certain the ACA will remain in place through that date. Afterward, Obamacare's fate becomes far more uncertain.

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See Also:

• US President-Elect Donald Trump has said vaccines cause autism, and he couldn't be more wrong

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