Everything You Need to Know About Exercising After Getting an IUD

When it comes to pregnancy and your workout routine, most of the chatter is about how to exercise when you are pregnant — not how to do so if you’re trying to prevent pregnancy. But you actually do need to think twice before working out after an intrauterine device (IUD) insertion — at least in the very short term.

Below, ob-gyns answer all your questions about exercising after getting an IUD, including how long you should wait to exercise after IUD insertion and whether exercise can dislodge an IUD.

When Can I Exercise After IUD Insertion?

You should wait 24 hours after IUD insertion before hitting the gym, says Felice Gersh, MD, an ob-gyn based in Irvine, California, and author of PCOS SOS: A Gynecologist’s Lifeline to Naturally Restore Your Rhythms, Hormones, and Happiness. “After either hormonal or nonhormonal IUD insertion, the standard recommendation is to wait one day before exercising,” she says.

Once the slider is in place, a plunger inside the slider is used to push the IUD into place in the uterus. Then the slider is removed from the vaginal canal while the IUD is left behind, Gersh says.

This is generally considered a minor procedure, but a “foreign object” is being placed inside the uterus. Some people experience pain or cramping for a few hours afterward as the body adjusts to the feeling of the device, Gersh says.

Waiting a day to return to exercise helps keep cramps from worsening. “And it gives time for the body to adjust to having a foreign object in it,” Gersh says

Can Exercise Dislodge an IUD?

There is no evidence that exercising immediately following insertion can cause the IUD to shift inside your uterus, or cause the IUD to expel from your body completely, Gersh says. “Even if you were to run a marathon right after getting the IUD inserted, the risk of partial expulsion, expulsion, or shifting is very marginal,” she says. In other words, your moving won’t move the device.

While the cause of expulsion is not known exactly, age, pregnancy history, and overall health all seem to be involved. “When expulsion happens, it typically happens within the first 12 weeks of insertion,” Gersh adds.

• Cramping
• Heavy or abnormal bleeding
• Abnormal discharge
• Fever
• You or your partner can feel the device during penetration

Whether you just wrapped up a sweat session or not, if you think your IUD is causing pain or bleeding, call your healthcare provider.

“If you have concerns about expulsion or are experiencing any long-lasting or worsening pain from IUD insertion, you should consult a medical professional who can help give you a personalized treatment plan and assessment,” says ob-gyn Amy Roskin, MD, chief medical officer of Seven Starling, a virtual provider of maternal mental health services that’s based in New York City.

IUD Side Effects and Exercise

After getting an IUD, some people notice changes in their menstrual cycle that can affect their ability to move and groove.

“Menstrual cramping and pain and tiredness can interfere with someone’s ability to move and exercise,” Dr. Roskin says. If your symptoms are severe, you may need to take an additional rest day the week of your period.

Or, you may choose to dial back the intensity. “Some people find that light and low-volume physical activity like walking or light cardio, yoga, and weight training with low weights can help minimize these symptoms,” Roskin says. Heavy weights and strenuous exercise may worsen symptoms — especially if you’re dehydrated, she notes.

Don’t want to schedule your workouts around your flow? There are other things you can do to alleviate period pain. “Over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen can help treat cramping from period pain,” Roskin says. “Taking a bath, drinking tea, or using a heating pad can also help to ease cramps.”

Sex and orgasm can also provide relief, adds Dr. Dweck.

The Takeaway

• You should plan to lay low for the first 24 hours following IUD insertion to avoid exacerbating cramping or bleeding.
• If you must exercise post-insertion, don’t worry — your IUD isn’t going to come out and you won’t be putting your long-term health at risk.
• Be sure to contact a healthcare provider if you notice intense cramping or bleeding following insertion.