Abstract

PIP: The published literature reports an increase of ectopic pregnancies in patients wearing an IUD. Over the total number of pregnancies with IUD in situ, ectopic pregnancies account for about 10-17%. The incidence is lower for the first 6 months after insertion, and higher after that. The mechanism responsible for extrauterine pregnancies can be the appearance of infectious lesions in the genital tract, or the slow and continuous secretion of prostaglandin promoted by the presence of the IUD. Diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy is not always easy, and it usually follows episodes of pelvic pain and metrorrhagia.