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Reading 2 mins.
in collaboration with
Dr Odile Bagot (Gynecologist-obstetrician)
Medical validation:
March 20, 2023
It was during a routine smear that Jayne Huddleston discovered the unthinkable: her IUD had been “forgotten” in her uterus for 29 years. A medical error, which prevented her from having a child.
Essentially prescribed as a substitute for the pill, the IUD appears to be a practical and effective contraceptive solution. However, it is not without danger. A woman from Wistaston, England may have been the victim of this recently, after discovering that she had kept a copper IUD in her for 29 years.
A medical error that could have been avoided
It was in 1990 that Jayne Huddleston decided to get a new copper IUD – thinking (wrongly) that the first “had fallen off”.
Quickly, she suffers from many symptoms (heavy periods, bleeding, stomach pain, infections…), but decides to attribute these problems to hormonal imbalances.
She then began an IVF journey with her husband. The second is removed but the first forgotten remains in place. Result: the 8 attempts end in failure. A hard test to digest for the couple, who each time presented good quality embryos.
After giving up on her desire to have a child, Jayne begins to experience back pain in 2019 and is examined by a doctor. He then sees the famous IUD and confirms its presence through a scanner.
For the couple, who filed a complaint, this “medical error” could have been avoided. Jayne Huddleston now wants her story to serve as an example.
But for Dr. Odile Bagot, gynecologist-obstetrician, all this does not hold water.
“In the IVF course, we always check the patient’s uterus“, she assures.
IUD: when should it be removed?
The lifespan of an IUD depends on its mode of action and the model:
- “The Jaydess progesterone IUD, for example, has a shelf life of 3 years. The KYLEENA system, intended for women who have not yet given birth, has a shelf life of 5 years. The hormonal IUD Mirena, which releases progressively levonorgestrel, has a shelf life of 6 years Same thing for the Donasert intrauterine device“, reveals the expert.
- On the side of copper IUDs: “The one dosed at 380 square millimeters has an effectiveness of 5 years, but, from the age of 45, it can be kept for 10 years. Finally, the IUD which has copper on the branches has a lifespan of 10 years.”
Important detail: the closer the patient is to menopause, “the more we can afford to go beyond the date of the IUD.”
Be that as it may, the implementation of this system requires an annual check.
“At the slightest doubt, an ultrasound is carried out”, assures Dr. Bagot. “Any suspicious sign also requires a consultation“, she concludes.