IUD lost effectiveness?

Question

I had Sadie five years ago. About a month afterword I opted for an IUD that would last for five years. Therefore I need to have it removed in the beginning of Sept.. This is the last month. With that said, here's the dilemma. I missed the last period. Which was normal with the device until about a year and a half ago. Symptoms are arising! Getting a test tomorrow. Since I have gone this long with no pregnancies, it seemed a little off to me. For crying out loud could someone who knows just come flat out and answer a dad gum question I've been searching for the last two hours? Can the IUD have lost it's effectiveness with me in the last month of it's duties? I am also a little alarmed because I went to check it tonight and one string is either not there or very hard to find, and the other is way shorter than usual! I know I need to get it removed if I am pregnant. And I know the risk of ectopic pregnancies. I don't want to hear that a IUD automatically causes miscarriages because of it's hormone (it does not. It can cause a miscarriage because it's in the same tiny space your baby needs to grow ~duh~). But, this is something frustrating the living h**l out of me. Someone please give me a direct answer without all this beat-around-the bush until the question is lost c**p all the sites are giving me? please?!

Answer 1

If the IUD is still in place, you should not be pregnant because it blocks sperm from entering the tube and reaching the egg. However, if it is or has came out then you may be pregnant. The hormones in the IUD is just helps regulate the hormones and it does not automatically cause a miscarriage but of course the chances of having ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages are higher in women with IUD due to the device and endometriosis that can occur.

Answer 2

Okay first of all calm down....I know what you mean by how you can't find anything about it on the net. First off, I doubt it has lost it's effectiveness cause it's not just the hormone that keeps you from getting pregnant. There are many things that contribute to that. Such as, the shape of the IUD CAN (but doesn't always) keep your eggs from even coming down, the IUD is implanted into your cervical wall which keeps anything else from implanting itself. Plus the IUD MAY contain some copper on the ends of it which has been said to kill sperm. As for you missing your period, I am thinking it's just stress. I hope I helped you. Or at least calmed your nerves some. =]

Also, even you do become pregnant (which I dont think you will be) there is only a slight chance that you will have a miscarriage. And they will try to remove it but it cant always be done. The doctor will decide if it's neccessary or not. If you have any other questions please let me know.

Answer 3

I have been wondering this same thing!  I have an IUD currently (Mirena) and it needs to be taken out in October.  I noticed on the Mirena website (http://berlex.bayerhealthcare.com/html/p... page 14 it states that after 5 years, the amount of hormone that is released is about half!  So it seems quite possible to become pregnant!

Hope this helps!