Turns out your IUD is doing a lot more than preventing pregnancy.
According to Live Science, a study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that the rate of cervical cancer was 1/3 lower in women who had IUDs implanted.
Although they still don’t know precisely why this pattern has occurred, they do have a few theories.
The author of the study Victoria Cortessis told LiveScience,
“When an IUD is inserted, it triggers an immune response in the body that could ‘kick out’ an HPV infection.”
So cool! Another theory has to do with the “long-term immune response.”
“The immune system reacts over time to the foreign body of the IUD, and this immune response could also target the HPV.”
This is one of the first studies of its kind so further studies will be needed in order to announce conclusive findings. But this study is looking extremely promising and we can’t wait to see what the researchers discover next.
