IUD insertion cost in the Netherlands: what you pay yourself

IUD insertion cost in the Netherlands splits into three separate items: the device itself, the placement, and your deductible. They are not reimbursed the same way, which is exactly why people quote such different numbers. Under 21 you pay almost nothing. From 21 you usually pay for the device yourself.

The amounts below are indicative for 2026. They vary by pharmacy, practice and policy, so treat them as orientation rather than a quote.

The three items on your bill

The key rule sits in that fourth row. GP care falls outside the deductible. Have the device placed by your own GP and you do not touch your deductible at all. Go through the hospital and you do, which can lift the bill by a few hundred euro at once.

Why does your age matter so much?

Until you turn 21, contraception sits inside the basic insurance. The device is reimbursed and the deductible does not apply, because it starts at 18 and GP care is outside it anyway.

From 21, contraception leaves the basic package. Placement stays covered as regular care, but you pay for the device yourself, unless you hold supplementary insurance covering contraception or there is a medical reason.

That medical reason is the exception many women miss. If you receive a hormonal IUD not for contraception but for heavy menstrual bleeding, the device can be reimbursed. It runs through the indication your doctor records, so it is a conversation you have beforehand, not afterwards.

How long does an IUD last, and what is that per year?

An IUD is expensive on the day and cheap across its lifespan. That is the mirror image of the pill, where you pay monthly.

Lifespans differ per brand and are occasionally extended on new evidence. Your doctor or pharmacy knows what applies to your device.

Where can you have an IUD placed?

Most Dutch GPs place IUDs themselves, or a colleague in the practice does. That is usually the cheapest route, precisely because of the deductible. Referral to a gynaecologist happens mainly when there is a reason: a previous failed placement, an unusual uterine shape, or a procedure under sedation.

When you book, ask two things: whether the device comes by prescription through the pharmacy or is supplied by the practice, and whether a separate tariff applies to the placement. That tells you in advance which of the three items above will land on your bill.

What the cost does not tell you

Price is rarely the deciding factor here, and rightly so. The difference between a hormonal and a copper IUD is mostly about what happens to your bleeding. A hormonal IUD usually makes it lighter; a copper IUD often makes it heavier in the first year.

That difference has a practical edge no cost page mentions: heavier bleeding costs iron. If you notice fatigue, breathlessness or hair shedding after placement, a ferritin blood test is the logical check, because ferritin falls before your haemoglobin does. Also read what the first year with a copper IUD is like and hormonal IUD side effects before choosing.

Frequently asked questions

Is an IUD covered by basic insurance?

Under 21, yes. After that the placement is covered but the device usually is not. Supplementary insurance or a medical indication can change that.

Does an IUD come out of my deductible?

Not if your GP places it, because GP care sits outside the deductible. Through the hospital, it does.

How much is a Mirena IUD?

Expect roughly 100 to 160 euro for the device, depending on pharmacy and brand. Across eight years that is one of the cheapest forms of contraception.

Can I buy the device more cheaply somewhere?

It goes by prescription through the pharmacy, so there is little room. Do ask whether a generic version with the same active substance exists.

References

• NHG-Standaard Anticonceptie, Dutch College of General Practitioners
• Thuisarts.nl, information on the IUD and on choosing contraception
• Farmacotherapeutisch Kompas, levonorgestrel-IUD and copper-IUD monographs
• World Health Organization, Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use

Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.