Table of contents:
- Why can a woman using an IUD get pregnant?
- Why are you using an IUD, but not menstruating or getting pregnant?
- IUD position shifted
- The IUD has passed its expiration date
- What should be done if pregnancy symptoms occur when using an IUD?
- 1. Do a pregnancy test
- 2. See a doctor
- 3. Remove the IUD
- Various risks that can be experienced by pregnant women when using an IUD
- 1. Infection of the amniotic fluid
- 2. Premature birth
- 3. Miscarriage
- 4. Ectopic pregnancy
- 5. Placental abruption
The IUD or spiral birth control is a T-shaped contraceptive that is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. The level of efficacy of the IUD reaches 99.7 percent, so it is quite popular to use by women who want to delay or do not want to get pregnant again. However, in fact, women who have used the IUD can still get pregnant, even though the chances are very small. It is important that you know the risks and complications of pregnancy from using the IUD.
Why can a woman using an IUD get pregnant?
The IUD is one of the most effective contraceptives and can prevent long-term pregnancy. There are two types of IUDs that can be used, namely hormonal and non-hormonal.
Hormonal IUDs work by releasing the progestin hormone which functions to thicken the mucus in the cervix. This can stop the sperm from fertilizing the egg, so that pregnancy will not occur.
Meanwhile, the non-hormonal IUD is a copper-coated spiral IUD. The function of copper is to prevent sperm cells from meeting the egg, so fertilization will not occur.
Why are you using an IUD, but not menstruating or getting pregnant?
In preventing pregnancy, the IUD has a contraceptive failure rate of less than 1%, meaning that only 1 in 100 women using spiral birth control can get pregnant every year.
Unfortunately, although it is classified as very rare, a woman can get pregnant can occur in women who are using an IUD, both hormonal and non-hormonal.
The risk of getting pregnant or not menstruating after using spiral birth control can occur in the first year of insertion. This condition can be caused by several things such as:
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IUD position shifted
An IUD that shifts partially or completely out of the uterus can increase the risk of a late period or even pregnancy, even if you use an IUD.
Some of the factors that cause the IUD to shift include being inserted at a very young age, after a normal delivery, and after a miscarriage.
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The new hormonal IUD is effective only when it is inserted in the first 7 days of your menstrual period. If the IUD is not inserted in the menstrual cycle, the IUD will be effective 7 days later.
This case occurs in about 5% of women during the first year of use. That's why doctors recommend that women who use the IUD get a control one month later to make sure the IUD is still properly inserted in the uterus.
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The IUD has passed its expiration date
Some hormonal IUD products are no longer effective at preventing pregnancy if they are used beyond the expiration date.
What should be done if pregnancy symptoms occur when using an IUD?
Women who get pregnant while using the IUD experience the same signs and symptoms as other pregnancies. These symptoms include pain in the breasts, nausea, and fatigue.
This is because many women experience irregular menstrual cycles in the early months after inserting an IUD.
This condition is usually followed by menstrual cycles that are lighter and shorter. In fact, some women may be late or have no menstrual cycles at all after using spiral birth control.
If you experience any of these symptoms, there are three things you can do to find out if you are pregnant or not even though you have used an IUD.
1. Do a pregnancy test
If you think you are pregnant even though you have used an IUD, you can do a pregnancy test. This test can also be done independently in your own home.
This can be done to confirm whether you are really pregnant or not even though you have used spiral birth control.
In addition to taking a home pregnancy test yourself, you can schedule a blood test for pregnancy with your doctor so you can be more sure of the results.
2. See a doctor
If you are pregnant, using an IUD could be the cause of your ectopic pregnancy. Therefore, it is very important for you to see a doctor, if you think you are pregnant even though you are already using spiral birth control.
3. Remove the IUD
If your doctor has confirmed that you are pregnant, still using the IUD can harm both you and the fetus. Therefore, it is better if you ask your doctor to help you remove the IUD.
For the removal process, it is not recommended that you do it yourself. It's best to ask a doctor or medical professional who already knows how to properly remove the IUD.
However, you should also know that there is a risk of miscarriage when your IUD is removed. Even so, the chances of you having a miscarriage while you're pregnant with spiral birth control are also higher, which means that, whether it's released or not, you are at risk of miscarriage. However, the IUD can indeed endanger your health condition if you keep it on while pregnant.Various risks that can be experienced by pregnant women when using an IUD
Did you know there are various risks that can occur if you keep using the IUD while pregnant? Yes, forcing yourself to use spiral birth control while pregnant can cause you to experience various health risks.
This does not only apply to pregnant women, but to babies in the womb as well.
Therefore, if the pregnancy continues, it would be better if the IUD was removed immediately. The following are some of the risks that may be experienced if you continue to use the IUD while pregnant.
1. Infection of the amniotic fluid
One of the risks that can occur if you use an IUD while pregnant is an infection of the amniotic fluid. This infection is characterized by the placenta separating from the uterine wall.
Women who become pregnant using spiral birth control may be at risk for developing chorioamnionitis infection.
This infection attacks the amniotic fluid which functions to protect the baby while in the womb. Chorioamnionitis cannot be taken lightly because it has the potential to threaten the life of both the mother and the fetus in the womb.
2. Premature birth
Another risk that you can experience if you keep using the IUD while pregnant is premature birth.
Women who still use the IUD while pregnant are up to five times more likely to have a premature baby. Meanwhile, women who get pregnant without using an IUD have a smaller risk.
When a woman who is declared pregnant while still using the IUD immediately removes it, the chances of having a preterm birth are reduced.
However, that does not mean the possibility of preterm delivery will not occur at all. That is, the possibility of giving birth prematurely remains.
3. Miscarriage
As previously mentioned, one of the risks that you are using spiral birth control while pregnant can cause you to have a miscarriage.
To prevent miscarriage, you can remove the IUD immediately. However, unlike other risks, removing the IUD can also cause you to have a miscarriage while pregnant.
Unfortunately, if the IUD is not removed, the risk of miscarriage is even greater. So, like it or not, this risk is quite unavoidable.
4. Ectopic pregnancy
Using an IUD while pregnant can also cause an ectopic pregnancy. In fact, about 0.1% of IUD users experience an ectopic pregnancy.
Launching UT Southwestern Medical Center, an ectopic pregnancy is a condition in which an egg that is fertilized or fertilized outside the uterus, for example in the fallopian tube, can cause health risks for you. Ectopic pregnancy is also known as pregnancy outside the womb.
Most cases of ectopic pregnancy always end in miscarriage. This is why getting pregnant with an IUD should be closely monitored by a doctor to prevent permanent damage to a woman's reproductive system.
If you experience it, consult a doctor immediately. Your doctor will likely do one test of your blood and continue after 48 hours to make sure the hCG hormone (pregnancy hormone) continues to increase.
If so, this is a sign that your pregnancy can still be maintained and does not include wine pregnancy (abnormal placenta formation).
The main task of the IUD is to prevent pregnancy, so of course there will be dangerous risks for the mother and the baby if you get pregnant while using the IUD.
In this case, usually the obstetrician will recommend that the IUD be removed immediately for safety and health while you are pregnant.
5. Placental abruption
Another condition that can occur when using spiral birth control while pregnant is placental abruption. Placental abruption is characterized by the placenta detaching from the uterus before delivery.
There is a risk of using an IUD causing late menstruation or being able to get pregnant, but it is very rare. Although pregnancies using the IUD can lead to complications, many have healthy and normal pregnancies.
If you become pregnant while using spiral birth control, see your doctor immediately and make sure you have regular checkups to monitor any possible complications.
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