Current:Home > StocksCan you get pregnant with an IUD? It's unlikely but not impossible. Here's what you need to know.-LoTradeCoin
Can you get pregnant with an IUD? It's unlikely but not impossible. Here's what you need to know.
View Date:2024-12-23 15:41:29
More than 65% of women in the U.S. between the ages of 15 and 49 used some form of contraception between 2017 and 2019, according to the most recent National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) analysis.
More than 10% of them used an intrauterine device (IUD) or other kind of long-term contraceptive implant. For context, that's less than those who used oral contraceptive pills (14%) but more than the amount who used condoms (8.4%).
As lawmakers across the United States attempt to ban or limit contraception options, medical experts are hoping to clear up misinformation.
Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, are a long-term, reversible form of birth control that lessens the ability of sperm to reach and fertilize an egg. The small T-shaped device inserted through the vagina into the uterus and can remain in the body for three to 10 years depending on the type, according to Yale Medicine.
Here's what medical experts want you to know about IUDs.
Can you get pregnant with an IUD?
IUDs are "one of the most effective birth control methods," gynecologist Karen Tang, M.D., tells USA TODAY, noting that they're more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. That makes it one of the most effective forms of birth control alongside hormonal implants and permanent sterilization, per statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Of course, there's always that 1% chance of getting pregnant. It's unlikely, but if the IUD happens to move or start to fall out, pregnancy is possible, adds Tang, author of the upcoming book “It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told)."
Can anything make an IUD less effective?
There aren't any known medications, foods or other substances that would lessen the efficacy of an IUD.
It's also worth noting that hormonal IUDs start to work within a week of insertion, while copper IUDs work immediately, according to Yale Medicine.
What is IVF?Explaining the procedure in Alabama's controversial Supreme Court ruling.
What are signs of pregnancy while on IUD?
If you do happen to become pregnant while on an IUD, regular pregnancy symptoms including missed periods, cramping or light spotting may arise. Unfortunately, many of those are also side effects of having an IUD, which can make it more difficult to decipher.
If the IUD begins falling out, or if you have any other reason to believe you may be pregnant with an IUD in place, Tang stresses that you should call a gynecologist "immediately." It's important in these cases to take a pregnancy test and get an ultrasound to determine whether the IUD is still in place.
In the meantime, she suggests you either abstain from sex or use another form of birth control, such as condoms.
Vegan birth control:What is it and does it work?
veryGood! (8)
Related
- Ariana Grande Shares Dad's Emotional Reaction to Using His Last Name in Wicked Credits
- Michigan Woman Eaten by Shark on Vacation in Indonesia
- Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy, suffers stroke
- Is a Spirit Christmas store opening near you? Spirit Halloween to debut 10 locations
- Wisconsin’s high court to hear oral arguments on whether an 1849 abortion ban remains valid
- A Celebration of Bella Hadid's Riskiest Looks: Sheer Dresses, Catsuits and Freeing the Nipple
- The 2025 Met Gala Co-Chairs—And the Exhibition Name—Revealed
- First and 10: Even Lincoln Riley's famed offense can't bail USC out of mess
- Rare Alo Yoga Flash Sale: Don’t Miss 60% Off Deals With Styles as Low as $5
- Prime Day Alert: Get 46% Off Yankee Candle, Nest, and Chesapeake Bay & More Candles as Low as $5.88
Ranking
- Candidates line up for special elections to replace Virginia senators recently elected to US House
- How to use iPhone emergency SOS satellite messaging feature to reach 911: Video tutorial
- Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Engaged? Here's the Truth
- AI ΩApexTactics: Delivering a Data-Driven, Precise Trading Experience for Investors
- Bohannan requests a recount in Iowa’s close congressional race as GOP wins control of House
- October Prime Day 2024 Home Decor Deals Worth Shopping—$11 Holiday Plants & 75% Off Fall and Winter Finds
- Largest water utility company in the US says it was targeted by a cyberattack
- Why a small shift in Milton's path could mean catastrophe for Tampa
Recommendation
-
Powerball winning numbers for Nov. 9 drawing: Jackpot rises to $92 million
-
How to use iPhone emergency SOS satellite messaging feature to reach 911: Video tutorial
-
Jon Batiste’s ‘Beethoven Blues’ transforms classical works into unique blues and gospel renditions
-
Luke Combs, Eric Church team up for Hurricane Helene relief concert in North Carolina
-
'I heard it and felt it': Chemical facility explosion leaves 11 hospitalized in Louisville
-
14 days to reach 'The Summit': Why the new competition series is not another 'Survivor'
-
Voters in the US don’t directly elect the president. Sometimes that can undermine the popular will
-
Not Sure How To Clean a Dishwasher or Washing Machine? These Pods are on Sale for $15 & Last a Whole Year