Do IUCDs cause early abortions as their mechanism of providing contraception?
A popular idea about IUCD’s that has limited their acceptance by many women is that the way in which they prevent pregnancies is by acting as an abortifacient. That is, they prevent fertilized eggs from implanting in the endometrial lining. More recent studies, however, suggest that the copper IUD prevents fertilization of the egg. It somehow blocks the sperm from getting to the faloppian tube and those that do are damaged and thought not capable of fertilization. Also supporting the concept of not being an abortifacient is that super sensitive pregnancy tests show that women without any contraception have much higher rates of slightly positive HCG levels and do not end up being clinically pregnant. Women with IUDs have very low rates of low level positive pregnancy tests. No one could ever say for certainty that IUDs do not cause early abortion but the best evidence suggests that is not the primary mechanism by which they work. Which women are the best candidates to use an IUCD as a c
