Pregnant with a Mirena Coil

[Tillytoes14]

Hi, I hope somebody can help. I have two children and unexpectedly have fallen pregnant whilst having a Mirena Coil. I found out today, having experienced nauseous all day every day this week with an absent bleed, I am and still am in complete shock. Does anyone have any experience of pregnancies with a Mirena Coil, I'm not sure how far into a pregnancy I am. To be honest I am shocked and confused, we only wanted two children and we aren't in the right position to have another baby, I'm due to go back to work next year and we will be buying a house next year. I never thought I would fall pregnant with a coil, but I know it can happen. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[OhMjh]

I'm currently 37 weeks pregnant after my coil fell out unknown to me! My partner was actually conceived with his mum on the coil and it was in the entire pregnancy with no damage done to him whatsoever - I think it's common practice to leave them in now; my midwife said some babies even come out holding the coil!
Not much else to say but lots of love! Get yourself a referral to the early pregnancy unit to see how far along you are and have a sit down with your OH and work out what it is that is right for you. No one else can answer that one for you.

[ilovepowerhoop]

they will probably try to take it out as the mirena is dangerous for the baby as it has hormones that thin the lining of the womb

[UpUpAndAway123]

you will probably find the coil has fallen out. as pp says you need to get checked out x

[Tillytoes14]

Thanks for the responses. Sorry for the tmi but last time me and my husband had sex he could feel the strings and always has been able to, so I'm not sure whether it has fallen out or moved. I've read that removing the coil whilst pregnant can cause a miscarriage, but leaving it in can be dangerous, but have also read that it's better to leave the coil in place until the baby is born. I am seeing the doctor tomorrow, so hopefully I will get referred to the early pregnancy clinic and I will know a little more then. Thanks again!

[ilovepowerhoop]

the mirena information leaflet says this:

There are also risks if you become pregnant while using Mirena and the pregnancy is in the uterus. Severe infection, miscarriage, premature delivery and even death can occur with pregnancies that continue with an intrauterine device (IUD). Because of this, your healthcare provider may try to remove Mirena, even though removing it may cause a miscarriage. If Mirena cannot be removed, talk with your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of continuing the pregnancy.

[Floppypotato]

Hi there

I am currently pregnant (16 weeks) and found out I was pregnant with the Mirena coil in place. I know the shock!

My GP advised me removal of the coil was the safest option. The non hormonal coils are aometimes left in but as PP have said - leaving the Mirena in can cause all kinds of mischief.

She did explain to me there was a raised chance of miscarriage too. I had it removed at 6 weeks and had a internal scan 2 days later at my local EPU to check if the pregnancy wasn't ectopic. Apparently the coil can often cause an ectopic pregnancy so I would certainly make sure you see your GP etc.

Our baby is due in early April and I feel although it was a huge shock - they certainly want to make an appearance after a) being conceived regardless of the coil and b) managing to hang on in there after it was removed.

Really hope you're okay and manage to see a doctor. I know you mentioned this hasn't come at a great time for you - but sending you love.
X

[Cuppachaplz]

Apologies to OP and others for an unhappy response.
I had a pregnancy a few years ago with a mirena coil. I went to see practice nurse as I could no longer feel the wires, who performed 6 tests, 2 of which were positive. I had had regular periods, but was 2 weeks late and my 2 home tests had been negative. I had a history of recurrent MC, so while I had not planned on pregnancy was excited. I was advised coil if it was still there removal for all of the reasons stated above, and referred for a scan to see if the coil was still present, assess the pregnancy and in order to facilitate removal. The scan revealed that I was approx 18 weeks pregnant, and that the coil was at the top of the uterus, and buried under/in the top of an anterior placenta. I was given risks of removal causing another MC as quite high, and this was when mirena coils were quite new so not great deal was known about them being in situ during pregnancy, however it was known that if the repugnance was uterine, copper coils didn't cause too bi a problem. I elected to leave it, however at 22 weeks the coil appeared to be interfering with the placenta, causing bleeding and reduced foetal growth. The baby died a week later, and I required induction in order to complete the miscarriage. I required surgery later to remove the coil as it remained high in the uterus following the miscarriage.
As I said, I have a history of recurrent miscarriage, so it is possible that this would have been the result anyway.
The fact that you can still feel the words suggest that your uterus is still small, therefore pregnancy likely to be early. I have since found out that my experience is not unique, so please see someone sooner raher than later to discuss your options. If you want to PM me, please feel free.
Many apologies for replying with such an unhappy story, and am only doing so in order to illustrate the need for prompt removal.

[Manda5]

Hi. I think I may have been the first, falling back in 2002 (certainly from what a Doctor said to me a year or so after falling pregnant, it would indicate this. At that point there had been "no reports of pregnancy on the Mirena coil").
Anyway, sadly for me it didn't end well, resulting in ectopic pregnancy and an emergency operation to save my life.
However, if pregnancy is caught early enough I believe removal of the coil can result in good results