When my IUD was replaced at the doctor’s office, it wasn’t the pain that shocked me; it was the question I was asked after the procedure.
“Do you want to keep it?” New York-based gynecologist Yuliya Boruch asked as she held up the device she’d just removed from my body for me to see.
I thought she was joking, so I awkwardly replied “no” (I didn’t want to take it home on the New York City subway) and looked at her, waiting for her to laugh—but no, she was dead serious.
Dr. Boruch revealed that more and more of her patients are asking to take the T-shaped device—a long-term form of birth control that’s placed in the uterus—home with them, where they can transform it into wearable jewelry.
“Several of my patients have also framed them and hung them on their walls at home,” she added.
Dr. Boruch told me that she now asks all of her patients if they want to keep their IUDs, because she’s noticed the emerging trend.
A quick Google search shows that “IUD jewelry” is indeed something to “celebrate femininity” and “spread birth control awareness.”
“I’m clearly behind the times,” I thought.
An IUD is a T-shaped device that is more than 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.
An IUD is inserted into the vagina through a tube and passes through the cervix into the uterus
One of the best results that came up was a Reddit post titled “I turned my old IUD into a necklace.”
In the post, the Redditor explained how she had an IUD for five years and had a great experience with it: “No severe cramps, less weight and mood swings than when I was on the pill, and very minimal/almost nonexistent periods.”
When she had it removed and replaced, she asked her midwife if she could keep it.
She continued, “I took (my IUD) home, soaked it in hot dish soap and scrubbed it REALLY well, then went to a friend’s house who taught me how to make resin jewelry.
“I made this necklace to celebrate womanhood, access to birth control, and my own inner strength! I’m happy to share this piece to raise awareness about birth control.”
A photo of her IUD shows the device in resin, with small flower and butterfly motifs around it.
An IUD is one of the most effective forms of birth control, with a success rate of over 99 percent in preventing pregnancy.
There are two types of IUDs: copper and hormonal. The former releases a small amount of copper into the uterus, which causes an inflammatory reaction that is toxic to sperm and eggs.
A creative Redditor shows how she turned her IUD into a resin pendant with flowers and butterflies around it
Many women are sharing on social media how creative they’ve been with their old IUDs
The latest IUD releases a small amount of the hormone progestin, which thickens the cervical mucus and makes it harder for sperm to reach an egg. It can also prevent an egg from being released from the ovaries.
According to the 2023 National Health Statistics Reports, when it comes to contraceptive use—the most recent year for which data is available—20 percent of sexually active women ages 15 to 49 reported using an IUD at some point between 2015 and 2019.
But there’s no information on how many women keep their IUDs.
Getting an IUD is a minor procedure in which a doctor inserts a speculum into the vagina and uses a tube to guide the IUD through the cervix and into the uterus.
To remove the device, a doctor pulls small threads attached to the base of the IUD through the vagina.
After this removal, people are apparently asking to take their IUD home with them.
Further into my TikTok search, I found dozens of other women who had taken their IUD home to make jewelry and decorations.
Content creator @i.love.almondbutter shows how she made an earring from her old IUD, while @claraburke42069 turned her IUD into a necklace and asked her followers if it was appropriate to wear it to work.
TikTok user Camille Schim filmed herself going to a craft store for supplies to turn her old IUD into wall art
Schim Washed Her IUD in the Sink, Showed Off Her Framed Device
Taking her creativity to the next level, @adrienneog took her old IUD home in a medical sample cup and turned it into a car accessory. She spray-painted it gold, attached it to a chain, and hung it from her rearview mirror.
Meanwhile, @camilleschim took her followers to a craft store to buy a lampshade frame to transform her IUD into a piece of wall art.
She filmed herself washing her IUD in the sink, then showed off her device in a frame surrounded by pink flowers.
“We’ve been best friends for the past five years,” the TikToker wrote in the caption.
While commenters called these repurposed IUDs “cute” and “adorable,” others called these projects “gross, weird,” adding, “I hope you don’t wear it. Kind of weird.”
One Reddit user considered taking it home, but said her old IUD was “covered in uterine gunk.”
Dr. Boruch told me the devices are perfectly safe to keep in, but “they need to be cleaned with soap, water, and alcohol wipes because they’ve been in the uterus for years… in some cases, as long as 10 years.”
The gynecologist added, “Surprisingly, they come out pretty clean, but there are always a few drops of blood left after removal.
“The cost of an IUD is $1,200 to $1,500 depending on the brand if you don’t have insurance, so it’s definitely an expensive piece of jewelry!”
Regardless of public opinion or doctors’ recommendations, I’m glad I declined the offer.