The Outcome of Pregnancy After Failure of an Intrauterine Contraceptive Device

Abstract

Summary The outcome of 82 pregnancies associated with failure of an intrauterine device is reported. Four of the pregnancies were extrauterine, and 31 per cent of the 78 intrauterine pregnancies were legally terminated. Spontaneous or missed abortion occurred in 57 per cent of the remainder and over half of these abortions were in the second trimester. Threatened abortion, antepartum haemorrhage and manual removal of an adherent placenta were encountered more frequently than expected. One neonatal death due to prematurity was recorded, and there was one congenital fetal abnormality.

An Epidemiological Study of Recent Trends in Ectopic Pregnancy

“…Vessey et a/. (1974) found that 8.9 per cent of all pregnancies with the IUCD in situ were ectopic, and Steven and Fraser (1974) found four ectopic pregnancies in a retrospective analysis of 82 pregnancies occurring after failure of an IUCD. The pregnancy rate with the device in situ is around 2 per 100 women per year (Vessey, personal communication).…”

The evaluation of 318 intrauterine pregnancy cases with an intrauterine device

“…This is 2.5 to 5 times more often than in other women 22,24,25 . More than half of the spontaneous abortions in IUD users occur in the second trimester 20,26 . Because infection can occur in any pregnancy with an IUD in place, the IUD should be removed as soon as pregnancy is confirmed 13,27 .…”

“…Some 50-60% of uterine pregnancies spontaneously abort if the IUD is not removed [18][19][20][21][22][23] . This is 2.5 to 5 times more often than in other women 22,24,25 .…”

Relationship between congenital anomalies and contraception

“…All 5 anomalies were distinct (bald spot, eyelid ptosis, lipoid tumor, congenital hip dislocation, spina bifida). At least four other authors have also failed to detect an association between IUDs and anomalies [63][64][65][66].…”