I have had the sterilet for 3 months and every month, a week before my period, I have a strange smelling discharge, is this normal?

Hello,

It can indeed have cycle debilitation the first few months of initiation. So irregular light bleeding is possible at first. However if the discharge you mention is "vaginal discharge" with odor, it may be a vaginal infection.

One of the vaginal infections is called "Yeast Vaginitis". Vaginal discharge is present in larger amounts (resembling "cottage cheese") with the presence of itching, pain during sex, irritation, and swelling in the labia. Wearing synthetic clothing that is too tight, taking antibiotics or corticosteroids, having sex, or even certain methods of birth control (spermicides, hormonal contraception, IUDs), can be risk factors. If you have had a treatment prescribed by a doctor in the past, your pharmacist may even prescribe it for you (under certain conditions). Otherwise, you can simply ask your pharmacist to recommend the appropriate treatment for you from the products available in the pharmacy.

In the case where the infection is characterized by a "fishy" odor, which is persistent even after getting out of the shower or worsens after sexual intercourse and/or with increased moisture (tight clothing, menstruation,), it could very likely be a vaginal infection known as "Bacterial Vaginosis". This infection is also more likely to appear after unprotected sex (or with a new partner) or the use of irritating products in the vulva or vagina (such as "douches", perfumed soaps or Vagisil brand products). At this point, you will need to see your doctor to get a prescription for an antibiotic.

If the discharge is beige or yellow-greenish and you have pain when you urinate, it may be more of a sexually transmitted infection. A consultation with your doctor will also need to be done to treat it.

For your information, I'm also leaving you a document explaining the symptoms to watch out for following the insertion of an IUD; https://www.chumontreal.qc.ca/sites/default/files/2018-06/363-1-Le%20sterilet.pdf