Pregnancy with IUD
Question
I am 24 weeks pregnant with an IUD in place. My doctor was unable to remove it, as it is embedded in the top of my uterus. I have been having upper abdominal pain and I am wondering if this is because of the IUD. The pain has been happening for about two days. Thanks.
Answer
Last Updated: July 12, 2013
Pregnancies can occur with all methods of family planning, including IUD’s. In the first trimester of pregnancy, if the IUD string is visible, it is better to pull the IUD, as there is a lower rate of miscarriage. If the string is not visible or breaks when there is an attempt to pull on the string, the IUD is left in place. Even in this situation, the vast majority of pregnancies go to delivery without problems. The IUD is almost always painless.
There are many normal discomforts of pregnancy, including abdominal pain. There can be intermittent contractions of the uterus, pressure sensations in the lower abdomen or groin, or ligament pain on either or both sides of the uterus. All of these can be very uncomfortable. Ordinary upper abdominal discomforts can come from intestinal gas or acid reflux into the lower esophagus from the stomach. Pregnant women can also get gallstones. Usually if there is no bleeding, no fever, no urinary or bowel problems and no rhythmic tightening of the uterus, a lower abdominal pain is a musculoskeletal pain.
To know more about your pain, it would be better to have a more complete description. To be absolutely sure nothing harmful is going on, I would check in with your physician. A brief exam could distinguish a more serious problem from ordinary discomforts.
Very rarely a pregnant woman with an IUD can develop a uterine infection, which is a very serious condition. Usually the woman feels ill, and can have a fever. For this reason I would recommend you check in with your physician if you have abdominal pain. Eventually you will recognize what “ordinary” abdominal discomfort feels like. Usually when you are pregnant more than five months you can go right into the labor and delivery department of your hospital to get examined without waiting in the emergency room. Women at risk for premature labor, or in your situation a uterine infection, should have a low threshold for having an exam when they have abdominal pain. This will detect potential problems early, and most of the time will confirm that the pain is not of a serious nature.
Mary L. Davenport, M.D.
There are many normal discomforts of pregnancy, including abdominal pain. There can be intermittent contractions of the uterus, pressure sensations in the lower abdomen or groin, or ligament pain on either or both sides of the uterus. All of these can be very uncomfortable. Ordinary upper abdominal discomforts can come from intestinal gas or acid reflux into the lower esophagus from the stomach. Pregnant women can also get gallstones. Usually if there is no bleeding, no fever, no urinary or bowel problems and no rhythmic tightening of the uterus, a lower abdominal pain is a musculoskeletal pain.
To know more about your pain, it would be better to have a more complete description. To be absolutely sure nothing harmful is going on, I would check in with your physician. A brief exam could distinguish a more serious problem from ordinary discomforts.
Very rarely a pregnant woman with an IUD can develop a uterine infection, which is a very serious condition. Usually the woman feels ill, and can have a fever. For this reason I would recommend you check in with your physician if you have abdominal pain. Eventually you will recognize what “ordinary” abdominal discomfort feels like. Usually when you are pregnant more than five months you can go right into the labor and delivery department of your hospital to get examined without waiting in the emergency room. Women at risk for premature labor, or in your situation a uterine infection, should have a low threshold for having an exam when they have abdominal pain. This will detect potential problems early, and most of the time will confirm that the pain is not of a serious nature.
Mary L. Davenport, M.D.
Answered By:
Mary Davenport, MD, MS
Mary Davenport, MD, FACOG, an obstetrician/gynecologist from the Oakland Region of California, offers telehealth services over MyCatholicDoctor.com She graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed her residency at UC San Diego. Dr. Davenport is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and serves on the Advisory Board of the California Association of Natural Family Planning.
