Is there an increase rate of ectopic pregnancy if the patient has an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) in situ?
No. Women using an IUCD have between one-half and one-fifth of the risk of ectopic pregnancy faced by a woman using no contraception. This translates into an incidence in IUCD users of less than 1.5 ectopic pregnancies per 1,000 woman-years of use. Nevertheless, because of the potential seriousness of the diagnosis a woman who conceives with an IUCD in place should have a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy excluded. However when a pregnancy results from a contraceptive failure, ectopic pregnancy is more likely in IUCD users than in women using other methods of contraception.
Women using an IUCD have between one-half and one-fifth of the risk of ectopic pregnancy faced by a woman using no contraception. This translates into an incidence in IUCD users of less than 1.5 ectopic pregnancies per 1,000 woman-years of use. Nevertheless, because of the potential seriousness of the diagnosis a woman who conceives with an IUCD in place should have a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy excluded.
Related Questions
- How should the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) be removed in the unlikely event that the patient becomes pregnant with the IUCD in situ?
- What should be done if a woman experiences amenorrhoea or a delayed period with an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) in situ?
- Is there any increase in infertility after discontinuing the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD)?