IUD expulsion can occur in 2-10% of women in the first year after insertion. Expulsion can be more likely for women who:
- Have not been pregnant
- Are younger than 20 years
- Have a history of very heavy or very painful periods
- Had the IUD put in right after giving birth or have a 2nd-trimester abortion
Partial expulsion may mean that the IUD was not quite in the right position: it may have been too low in the uterus and just worked its way out. This could be something that happened around the time of insertion or may be related to uterine characteristics, such as size, angle, or presence of conditions like fibroids that can cause irregular shape. For women who have an IUD expulsion, the chance of expelling a 2nd IUD may be higher – in the 20% range (up to 30% in some studies)[1].
Still not working? If you like the ease of using an IUD but are having problems with expulsion, you could try switching to the implant – a long-acting and low-maintenance option
Try a different method: implant
References
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- Madden T et al. “Association of age and parity with intrauterine device expulsion.” Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2014, 124:718. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000000475 Accessed March 2024.
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