Current:Home > InvestCan you get pregnant with an IUD? It's unlikely but not impossible. Here's what you need to know. -MoneyStream
Can you get pregnant with an IUD? It's unlikely but not impossible. Here's what you need to know.
View
Date:2025-04-19 16:55:41
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! (87)
Related
- Jury selection set for Monday for ex-politician accused of killing Las Vegas investigative reporter
- Melania Trump says she supports abortion rights, putting her at odds with the GOP
- Brandon Nimmo found out his grandmother died before Mets' dramatic win
- Nikki Garcia Gets Restraining Order Against Ex Artem Chigvintsev After Alleged Fight
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- South Korea adoptees endure emotional, sometimes devastating searches for their birth families
- Jersey Shore's Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Shares Daughter's Gut-Wrenching Reaction to His 2021 Legal Trouble
- Bank of America says that widespread service outages have been fully resolved
- British swimmer Adam Peaty: There are worms in the food at Paris Olympic Village
- Blake Shelton Shares Unseen Photos of “Favorite Girl” Gwen Stefani on Her Birthday
Ranking
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- Ranking NFL's stadiums from 1 to 30: What we love (and hate) about league's venues
- 6 migrants from Egypt, Peru and Honduras die near Guatemalan border after Mexican soldiers open fire
- Soul-searching and regret over unheeded warnings follow Helene’s destruction
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- Garth Brooks Accused in Lawsuit of Raping Makeup Artist, Offering Threesome With Wife Trisha Yearwood
- Olympian Suni Lee Calls Out MyKayla Skinner's Put Down to Gymnastics Team
- Saoirse Ronan made a life for herself. Now, she's 'ready to be out there again.'
Recommendation
NCAA hands former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh a 4-year show cause order for recruiting violations
Luke Bryan says Beyoncé should 'come into our world' and 'high-five us' after CMAs snub
'Joker 2' review: Joaquin Phoenix returns in a sweeter, not better, movie musical
‘Beyond cruel’: Newsom retaliates against this LA suburb for its ban on homeless shelters
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
Former county sheriff has been appointed to lead the Los Angeles police force
Singer El Taiger Found With Gunshot Wound to the Head in Miami
Two California dairy workers were infected with bird flu, latest human cases in US