Heavy periods are not so much of a fright for me, but I've heard IUD makes your periods more painful, and you shouldn't consider it if you have a history of painful periods.
I've had painful periods, but only while taking the pill (as well as migraines). My periods aren't a breeze now, but they're actually less painful. However, I assume that varies from person to person. It's possible that yours would be more painful I guess, but I think the only way to know for sure would be to give it a try.
Also, what is the reasoning behind doctors being somewhat reluctant to put them on women who haven't given birth? I heard that if you are young and haven't been pregnant before, your uterus might try to eject it, and there is a higher risk of it falling outside
!
The womb is often smaller, but that's pretty much it. Really, they're reluctant to prescribe them to women who have had kids, too. They typically prefer things like the pill that they have to keep prescribing every month, and not just once every ten years.
It will depend on the doctor. Some are ignorant and actually think you can only have one if you've had children, or if you're over a certain age (I know a 15 year old whose first and only birth control was a copper IUD) or that they'll turn you sterile.
Some other find more advantages to have you take another form of birth control. I have known women who had to try a different pill once a month or so because none worked for them. Of course the gynecologist could charge for a visit every single time. Some doctors aren't like that, but some certainly are.
And finally I think for some it's habit. They know hormonal forms of birth control better so they like prescribing them. Some aren't used to actually inserting IUDs, but that's really no excuse, they should be trained for it.
One thing with IUDs is that if you get a STI, the IUD can cause complications. So it's important to still practice safer sex.
And another side effect that worries me is that although nobody knows exactly how the IUD works (talking about coppers here), it introduces some sort of sterile infection
in the lining of the uterus. Does it increase the risk of having an uterine infection? Should I be extra careful because I used to have yeast infections from HELL?
The copper kills sperms, it's as simple as that. The presence of something in the uterus also makes it less likely for implantation to occur, which is why it can be used as emergency contraception (can work after fertilization, but before implantation, so only works if you're not pregnant yet).
I don't know about yeast infections, and if they'd make them more likely. an IUD doesn't make an infection more likely, it simply can make STIs worse, but they need to be there in the first place. Not sure if yeast nfections would be affected one way or the other by an IUD.