How to Know if You're Pregnant with an IUD

Spotting Signs of Early Pregnancy

Track your periods to make it easier to tell if you miss one. A missed period is probably the most obvious sign of pregnancy, but if you have an IUD, your periods may be irregular, infrequent, or stop altogether. That can make it hard to tell if you’ve missed one. However, if you track the dates of your periods, you may notice a pattern that can make it easier to tell, such as having a period every 3 months, or having 2 regular periods, then skipping one. If your periods stop altogether or occur sporadically, tracking may not help you determine if you’ve skipped one, but it can help you and your doctor narrow down your conception date if you do become pregnant. Sometimes, shortly after you become pregnant you may experience light spotting or cramping, which indicates that the egg has implanted. This will be much lighter than a regular period.

Notice if your breasts become tender or swollen. Soreness and swelling in the breasts is a common sign of early pregnancy. If you notice that your bra fits more tightly than usual, or if your breasts feel unusually heavy or tender to the touch, it could mean that you’re pregnant. This can also have other causes, including impending menstruation. On its own, it’s not a reliable indicator of pregnancy.

Consider taking a pregnancy test if you experience unexplained nausea. Although nausea during pregnancy is often called morning sickness, it can actually happen at any time of day. Morning sickness can be as simple as a queasy feeling that comes and goes, or you may experience bouts of vomiting. Either way, if you feel sick and don’t think it’s related to a stomach bug or something you ate, it could be a sign that you’re pregnant. Nausea can have a lot of different causes, so take a pregnancy test to be sure. You can also be pregnant without experiencing any morning sickness at all, so if you notice other indications you might be pregnant, you should still take a test.

Pay attention to feeling more fatigued than normal. If you’re pregnant, you might start feeling more tired than usual as early as a week after you conceive. You might have an overall feeling of exhaustion, but you might also feel worn out quickly during normal exercise or other activities, or you might suddenly feel the urge to take a nap or go to bed early. Feeling fatigued can be a sign of a number of different medical conditions, so if the feeling continues and you determine that you’re not pregnant, you should still see your doctor. Other early signs of pregnancy may include: Mood swings, bloating, constipation, the frequent need to urinate, and food aversions or cravings.

Visit the emergency room if you experience pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding. If you feel pain in your lower abdomen, especially if it’s concentrated in the left or right side, along with vaginal bleeding, it’s important to seek emergency medical care. This could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. The pain might be sharp, or you might feel a heaviness, similar to feeling like you need to have a bowel movement. You might also feel lightheaded, you might faint, or you could go into shock, especially if you’re experiencing heavy bleeding. If you have shoulder pain along with any of these symptoms, tell your medical care providers immediately, as it could be a sign of a hemorrhage.

Taking Steps if You Think You're Pregnant

Take a home pregnancy test if you have any reason to think you’re pregnant. Since you may not be sure when to expect your period, if you think you might be pregnant, take a home test as soon as you can. Although the exact direction will vary depending on the test you choose, in general, you’ll have to uncap one end of the test and hold it under your urine stream for several seconds. Then, wait for the indicator to show a result. If the test is negative, take another one about 3 weeks later to be sure. Did You Know? While home pregnancy tests are most effective once you’ve missed your period, some are accurate 4 or 5 days before your period is due.

Make an appointment with your doctor right away if you get a positive result. If you discover that you’re pregnant and you have an IUD, visit your doctor for an evaluation. Explain the situation when you call, so they’ll know to schedule you as soon as possible. At your appointment, your doctor will confirm your pregnancy by doing a blood test to evaluate your hCG level. More than likely, if you become pregnant, it will be because the IUD has come out, or it may have been inserted improperly.

Ask your doctor to determine whether the pregnancy is intrauterine or ectopic. If your doctor determines that you’re pregnant and your IUD is properly in place, they may order a transvaginal ultrasound, where they insert an ultrasound wand into your vagina to determine where your pregnancy is located. If the fertilized egg is implanted in your uterus, it's an intrauterine—or normal—pregnancy. If it's anywhere else, it's an ectopic pregnancy, and unfortunately will not be viable. You’ll need to be 5-6 weeks pregnant for this test to be performed, so you may have to return for another appointment after your initial blood test.

Have your IUD removed if your pregnancy is intrauterine. If your ultrasound determines that you are pregnant and the embryo is located in your uterus, they’ll more than likely want to remove your IUD. Leaving it in place can increase the risk of miscarriage, infection in the amniotic sac, and preterm birth. At this point, you’ll need to follow your doctor’s instructions on how to have a healthy pregnancy. In some cases, the IUD can't be reached, and it will be safer to leave it in place. Even if you aren’t sure whether you want to carry the pregnancy to term, it’s best to take out the IUD to prevent potential complications from a miscarriage.

Undergo treatment if it's determined you have an ectopic pregnancy. It’s very dangerous to allow an ectopic pregnancy to develop. The embryo will be located somewhere that it doesn’t have room to grow, which could lead to serious damage to your body. For those reasons, your doctor will likely administer you a medication used to stop the pregnancy from growing, or you may have to undergo surgery to remove the fertilized egg, and sometimes part of your fallopian tube. Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include a sharp, stabbing pain in your lower abdomen or shoulder, as well as weakness, dizziness, or fainting. If you suspect you have an ectopic pregnancy, get medical care immediately to help you avoid dangerous complications. Allowing an ectopic pregnancy to continue could lead to permanent damage to your reproductive organs, and it could even lead to your death if you have a hemorrhage. It can be hard to deal with the loss of a pregnancy, even if you were on birth control to prevent one. Consider speaking with a therapist if you struggle with feelings of loss after an ectopic pregnancy.