IUD Pregnancies

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Reading the thread about withdrawal being safe (which I know it is not...have known too many people who have gotten pregnant using this method) got me to thinking about the people who say they have gotten pregnant with an IUD. I currently have the Paraguard (copper) IUD and I have heard of many people getting pregnant with this. I was told it is 99.4% effective (as effective as a tubal). I know that if it get embedded or starts to expel that a pregnancy can occur but I am talking about people who say the baby went ahead and implanted with the IUD sitting there in proper place. Have you guys seen this alot? It kind of freaks me out really. I guess if I get pregnant with an IUD sitting safely in place it is meant to be but I really have heard of this happening alot (or it seems like alot). I am talking about the Copper IUD specifically. I know it can happen with Mirena also.

Michelle

I am sorry but I have to disagree with this statement! I knew I was pregnant at 2 weeks after fertilization. My husband was in the military and there was no way I was pregnant before that date becasue he was gone. Morning sickness can vary from person to person. I was sick at 2 weeks and knew 2 days before the start of my proposed period start date. Also, as for speaking of the Mirena IUD (which I have and LOVE!) it in no way interferes with the fertilzation/implantation process more than any other form of birth control. It contains the same hormones as the pill and in some cases stops ovulation. I am not sure if you are only speaking of the copper (which I am not familiar with), but just thought I would add that about the Mirena.

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:lol2: Don't worry, I get that part and believe it or not even respect that belief. I have a couple of friends who feel that way and they don't use various birth control methods because of it. I don't feel that way and it allows me to use a very reliable and effective birth control method.

I just meant I didn't think even people who believe life begins at conception would term a woman pregnant, when the woman herself wouldn't even know if her egg had been fertilized. They'd generally have no way of knowing if it happened or not.

For instance, I'd say I've never been pregnant. I've never even had a pregnancy scare (knock on wood). But, my birth control method works by preventing fertilization AND by preventing implantation if fertilization should occur. So would someone tell me I've been pregnant before? As far as I know, my OB/GYN still has me listed as G-0.

When I was learning about my cycle with the Natural Family Planning method, I remember reading stats about how many times women are actually pregnant and don't realize it. The body, most of the time, realizes if there is a genetic anomaly and you miscarry right around the time of your regular cycle so you never realize it.

steph

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Specializes in Cardiac.
I am sorry but I have to disagree with this statement! I knew I was pregnant at 2 weeks after fertilization.

Sigh....this makes you 4 weeks pregnant.

Trust me, I think I have morning sickness at the end of every single cycle. It's called hope. The mind can cause lots of things....

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Specializes in CCU MICU Rapid Response.

hi all.... I have a copper t- paragard currently for (2.5yrs) and had one prior to baby #2 for 5.5 years. It works well for me. I did get pregnant my 1st year in nsg school with it when my baby was about 6 mos. I was devastated. As we bagan to wrap our heads around the idea of another baby, I lost the pregnancy. I felt so guilty, and was devastated all over again.

As others have said, there are risks and benefits to leaving the IUD in. I think it has to do with placental placement in regard to the IUD. ~Ivanna

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Thanks for all of the feedback. I guess for me the bottom line is that I feel like conception is bigger than me. I have had 2 miscarriages (one where the baby didn't develop past 5 weeks that we found out about at our first prenatal during u/s, I thought I was 9 wks pregnant and had no warning signs that there was a problem and I also had a chemical pregnancy in March) and I did not have an IUD in place either of these times. I know we have free will and have a choice to make but I feel like if a life is meant to be it will be regardless. I know some people will definitely disagree with this line of thinking but that is just my belief. I am trying to avoid another pregnancy and I feel that this can be a reliable method. All birth control methods have a failure rate. It does sound like that this method isn't 99.4% effective though from all the pregnancies being reported.

Michelle

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When I was learning about my cycle with the Natural Family Planning method, I remember reading stats about how many times women are actually pregnant and don't realize it. The body, most of the time, realizes if there is a genetic anomaly and you miscarry right around the time of your regular cycle so you never realize it.

steph

I've read that as well, I just don't remember it being termed as a pregnancy. I suppose it doesn't matter in the end though...

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I've read that as well, I just don't remember it being termed as a pregnancy. I suppose it doesn't matter in the end though...

"Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades" . . .. . . ;)

You are either pregnant or not. Whether you realize it or not.

Off topic . . I know.:nono:

steph

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"Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades" . . .. . . ;)

You are either pregnant or not. Whether you realize it or not.

Off topic . . I know.:nono:

steph

But, the docs wouldn't say I've been pregnant before would they? I think you have to know you're pregnant to be able to say you've been pregnant and have that statement really mean anything. A fertilized egg failing to implant doesn't describe a pregnancy to me. To me, that's no different from what happens with IVF and we don't call those women pregnant unless implantation is successful. I've never had one of them say they got pregnant the moment the eggs were fertilized in the lab... Science has really made childbearing an interesting thing :) As I've gotten into it more, I've become much more understanding of how people can look at the same process and see it completely differently. As far as my one friend is concerned, anyone who uses the pill or depo-provera or IUDs has had multiple abortions. I would never use that term to describe it, but she can certainly defend her views with the facts and how she sees them. We look at one thing and define it differently. A rose by any other name maybe...

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Okay, I am freaking out. I have a Mirena. No pregnancies so far, but I have taken care of patients with copper IUDs who delivered (healthy) babies.

Anyhow, here's a link for info on some stuff I found. Hopefully it's somewhat reputable:

http://www.infoforhealth.org/pr/b6/B6boxes.shtml

:)

I too have the Mirena. Mirena works by using hormones to "atrophy" the lining of the uterus, therefore stopping your periods. And it thickens cervical mucus to prevent sperm from even entering the uterus. There should be NO conception with the Mirena, of course nothing is 100%. I LOVE my IUD and haven't seen a pregnancy from one where I work. I have seen pregnancies with other IUDs, and have seen them come out when the baby delivers. Pretty strange.......

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I don't have an IUD because I'm kind of funny about foreign objects being inside my body. Should I ever need a new knee, I might think differently but that's my view for now. JMO. And you could really say the same thing but from a chemical view for the Pill, Depo, or really any medicine except maybe insulin...

That said, I have plenty of friends who have IUDs and do great with them. Great for them.

Either way, the way I see it, if the good Lord wants me to be pregnant, He will make it happen no matter what I am doing to stop it.

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Arwen,

I agree with you actually. If it is meant to be it will be....God is bigger than anything and if he wants you to conceive an IUD won't stop it.

As for the Mirena from what I have read it doesn't always stop Ovulation. I think a prior post said that. I have heard of people getting pregnant on the Mirena as well. I know that it has to do with absorption of hormones so my theory (which is just MY opinion) is that maybe they are not absorbing the full amount of hormones which could lead to an unexpected pregnancy? I know the failure rate is supposed to be much lower with the Mirena though. I just didn't go that route because it is hormonal.

This has been a very interesting discussion...I have enjoyed reading everyones opinions about it.

Michelle

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Yes, the IUDs do interfere with implanatation. If they only worked by interfering with sperm motility and cervical mucus impairment, then people wouldn't be getting pregnant with them, now would they?

Not to get picky but if they interfered with implantation then people wouldn't be getting pregnant with them would they? Obviously the pregnancy has to implant for people to get a positive hpt. So would it be safe to say that if the sperm gets past all the other factors then that is where the IUD fails? Obviously we don't know for sure but if there are women getting pregnant with an IUD then the IUD isn't keeping the baby from implanting....just a thought.

Michelle

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