Q: Hello, I have a question about postpartum birth control. My patient is a 29 year old who just had her first baby (vaginal birth). She is exclusively breastfeeding. Her pre-pregnant BMI was 45. Because of her weight, one of my partners thought it would be...
Q I am 35 years old and have had the Mirena IUD for over 3 years with no problems. My periods stopped during that time. My menstrual history is good with regular periods and no problems. My husband and I are ready to have another baby, so I had my Mirena...
Q I had the ParaGard IUD placed about a week or so ago. I started bleeding bright red blood about 2 days after and it has not stopped. It is not heavy, but more like my normal periods are and I had a period 8 days before my device was inserted. I had an...
Q: Dear Dr. Hatcher, Can a half year or so of zinc supplementation damage a ParaGard IUD or make it less effective? I’ve come across a few articles saying copper and zinc “antagonize” each other, but those articles are older (70’s and 80’s) and hidden behind...
Q: I am 52 years old. I have been using my Mirena for a full 4 years. I have not had any problems so far, but I will also say I did not have normal periods of bleeding. I had a few blood discharges on wiping only. I did not have a proper period since I get the...
Ask Dr. Z!
Board-certified as an OB/GYN with a fellowship in contraceptive research and education, I aim to help people make informed decisions about their health.
I’ve co-authored sixteen editions of Managing Contraception* with over one million copies in circulation. I’m here to answer your questions about birth control.
