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You might experience bleeding after IUD removal. How long the bleeding lasts – several hours to several days – can tell you if you need to worry. Extended vaginal bleeding after an IUD is removed is not normal. Instead, it may be a symptom of a more serious medical condition.
Key takeaways about heavy bleeding after IUD removal
- Heavy bleeding after IUD removal can be serious.
- The Paragard IUD is prone to breaking before or during removal, which may result in heavy vaginal bleeding and painful cramps.
- People are filing Paragard lawsuits seeking compensation for pain, bleeding and the need for additional medical interventions such as hysterectomies.
What to expect during IUD removal
A person anticipating IUD removal might wonder what will happen during this procedure. Below is a brief description of the process and more information about IUD removal and replacement.
A qualified medical professional will remove an IUD at a doctor’s office. Although removal can be done at any time, it is easier to do during menstruation when the cervix is slightly open. Some physicians recommend that you abstain from sex for seven days before the removal appointment to prevent pregnancy if you decide not to replace the IUD.
During removal, the doctor grasps the threads of the IUD with ring forceps to remove it. Most of the time, the arms of the IUD collapse upward and the device slips out. Some light bleeding or cramping may happen during or after the procedure.
Taking a painkiller before IUD removal will help reduce discomfort. Antibiotics or other treatments might be prescribed if the IUD needs to be removed because of an infection. If there are no infections or other complications, a doctor can insert a new IUD to replace the old one at the same appointment.
If the IUD doesn’t come out with a light pull, the doctor will need to remove it some other way:
- Forceps: Occasionally, the IUD won’t come out easily because it is lodged in the wall of the uterus. In that case, the doctor might use medication to widen the cervix and pull the device out with an instrument, like forceps.
- Hysteroscopy: If the IUD has become attached to the uterine wall, a hysteroscopy may be required. During a hysteroscopy, a doctor widens the cervix and inserts a hysteroscope to enable small instruments to fit inside the uterus. Anesthesia may be necessary, and the procedure could take a few minutes up to an hour to complete.
- Ultrasound-guided removal: An effective way to remove an IUD that can’t be removed with forceps is ultrasound-guided removal. This method can be performed in an outpatient setting. It is typically less invasive and more cost-effective than a hysteroscopy, even if the IUD is embedded in the uterine wall.
A doctor also might use imaging to determine if the IUD has perforated or become embedded in the uterus, especially if it cannot be removed with a slight tug. If a Paragard IUD breaks or becomes embedded in the uterine wall, removal can be difficult.
What if my IUD breaks during removal?
An IUD breaking during removal is not normal or expected, and severe complications can occur. Many women whose Paragard IUDs broke during removal required surgery to remove the broken product. Some have even undergone hysterectomies, losing their ability to conceive children.
People are filing Paragard IUD lawsuits because of the dangerous complications and injuries that can occur when the IUD breaks during removal.
What to expect after IUD removal
You might experience cramps, light bleeding or spotting after IUD removal. It is common for these side effects to continue for a few days or weeks. Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help relieve the pain.
You should call your doctor if you experience any of the following IUD removal symptoms:
- Chills
- Fever
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
- Heavy period after IUD removal
- Serious cramps
- Severe IUD removal pain
Normal IUD removal symptoms
Normal IUD removal symptoms include cramping and light spotting. According to the Paragard label, removal can lead to fainting, pain and/or bleeding, seizures and slower-than-normal heart rates, particularly in people who are susceptible to these issues.
Serious IUD removal symptoms
Before removal, if the IUD perforates the uterus near important blood vessels, you may experience bleeding and problems with blood flow to vital organs. If it leaves the uterus and moves into your abdominal cavity, it can cause inflammatory reactions and bowel adhesions or perforations.
After IUD removal, issues such as infection can occur. You should contact your physician if you have any of the following IUD removal symptoms:
- Bad-smelling vaginal discharge: Itching, redness, irritation and an unpleasant-smelling discharge could all be signs of an infection.
- Fever: A fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit could indicate a serious problem.
- Heavy bleeding after IUD removal: Soaking through one or more tampons or pads every hour for several hours, bleeding that requires you to wear more than one pad at once or bleeding that includes clots the size of a quarter or larger is not normal.
- IUD removal pain: IUD removal can be uncomfortable, particularly if your IUD has moved or shifted. You could experience cramping after IUD removal as your body adjusts.
- No periods: If your period has not resumed six months after IUD removal, you should call your doctor. They can check for any hormone problems or underlying reasons why you are not menstruating.
- Severe pain: Pain that cannot be controlled using over-the-counter medications like Tylenol and Motrin.
What to do if you experience heavy bleeding after IUD removal
People should stay in contact with their doctors after their IUD removal. They should seek medical attention if they feel light-headed because of blood loss or if the bleeding does not resolve on its own. Vaginal bleeding lasting several hours to several days after the IUD removal is common.
Some patients have been able to file Paragard IUD lawsuits after extreme reactions to IUD removal. These women and their doctors relied on Teva Women’s Health LLC. and The Cooper Companies (the makers and distributors of Paragard) to provide reliable information about the safety of Paragard use.
But the companies did not address the IUDs safety issues. This absence of information occurred even after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received over 2000 adverse event reports about Paragard harm. These reports described a defect causing the IUD to break inside the body, leading to serious health risks.
Even though they were aware of this defect, Paragard’s makers did not update the device’s warning label until 2019. Before that, the label didn’t warn consumers that Paragard tended to break during routine and non-surgical removal procedures. The label also failed to mention the frequency of breakages. In 2019, the companies added this information to the label.
Despite this knowledge, the companies overstated the IUD’s safety and downplayed its risks. They marketed Paragard as the “safest form of long-lasting, non-surgical, non-permanent birth control.” The marketing materials say a healthcare provider can remove Paragard during a routine office visit in a few minutes. They infer that removal is easy and safe without risk of complications.
However, Paragard can cause serious harm if it breaks in utero or during removal. Numerous consumers have required additional medical intervention to retrieve broken pieces of Paragard from their bodies via surgery or hysterectomy, leading to infertility.
If you are experiencing heavy bleeding or severe pain due to Paragard removal, seek medical attention immediately. If you were forced to undergo additional medical procedures, including a hysterectomy, because of complications during Paragard removal, you might be eligible to file a lawsuit. Contact a Paragard lawyer today.
Contact a birth control defect lawyer
If you or a loved one have or had the Paragard birth control device (IUD) and experienced complications, you may have a legal claim.
Complete this form or call 1.800.768.4026 for more information and to discuss a potential Paragard lawsuit with a qualified women’s health attorney.
Our women’s health lawsuit experience
The attorneys at Motley Rice have extensive experience representing people alleging harm by defective medical devices, including:
- Acting as court-appointed lead counsel for coordinated cases involving permanent birth control device Essure®
- Acting as court-appointed co-lead counsel for the Mirena® IUD multidistrict litigation (MDL)
- Serving on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (PSC) for Nuvaring® multidistrict litigation (MDL)
Medical attorney Fidelma Fitzpatrick is a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee (PEC) of the Paragard MDL. She has also served as court-appointed lead counsel and a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee (PEC) for more than 32,000 Essure® cases consolidated in California state court. She also serves as court-appointed co-lead in the federal Hair Relaxer MDL that is focused on women with reproductive cancers.
Read more on our birth control litigation experience.
Do not stop taking a prescribed medication without first consulting with your doctor. Discontinuing a prescribed medication without your doctor's advice can result in injury or death. Paragard remains approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
What to expect during IUD removal
What to expect after IUD removal
What to do if you experience heavy bleeding
Our women's health lawsuit experience
- Sources
- FPA Women’s Health. Topic Tuesday: Vaginal odor.
- GoodRx Health. IUD Removal: Here’s What to Expect.
- Healthline. How is an Intrauterine Device (IUD) removed?
- Medical News Today. Everything you need to know about IUD removal.
- Motley Rice. Paragard Lawsuit.
- Nationwide Children’s. Intrauterine Device (IUD) Removal.
- UPMC Health Beat. How Long Does It Take for Periods to Regulate After IUD Removal?
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. These highlights do not include all the information needed to use PARAGARD® safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for PARAGARD.
- Verma U, Astudillo-Davalos F, Gerkowicz S. Contraception Journal. Safe and cost-effective ultrasound guided removal of retained intrauterine device: our experience. Volume 92, Issue 1, pp 77-80. July 2015.
- Web MD. IUD Removal: What to Expect.
- Web MD. Signs Your IUD Is Out of Place.