IUD - Does it cause an abortion?
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IUD - Does it cause an abortion?
| Tue, 04-11-2006 - 5:28pm |
I'm not sure how IUD's work. Do they cause an abortion of some kind? Are they up for moral debate?
I'm just curious, because I'd like to know if it could be an option for me.
Thanks!

Hi keylime_pie, welcome back!
The Mirena Patient Information http://berlex.com/html/products/pi/mirena_patient_insert.pdf says:
“How does MIRENA® work?
There is no single explanation of how MIRENA® works. It may stop release of your egg from your ovary, but this is not the way it works in most cases. It may block sperm from reaching or fertilizing your egg. It may make the lining of your uterus thin. We do not know which of these actions is most important for preventing pregnancy and most likely all of them work together.”
The medical community believes that a pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg implants in the endometrium and that is the definition this board uses. Therefore, we believe IUDs do not cause abortions. On the rare occasion of an unintended pregnancy with an IUD in place it can cause severe complications for the fetus and the mother.
A good post about IUDs in our FAQs is: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-bhcontracept&msg=12558.1&ctx=0 and information about IUDs on the Planned Parenthood site is: Facts about Reversible methods – IUDs http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/medicalinfo/birthcontrol/pub-birth-control-09.xml and: Understanding IUDs: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/medicalinfo/birthcontrol/pub-contraception-iud.xml#1103415834078::-5296972147787008669
It would be a good idea to talk with your doctor about IUDs and see if s/he can allay any concerns you may have about them.
Thanks for stopping by. Let us know what you decide and how you’re doing, ok?
Good luck,
Jill