If the pill remains “the” main method of contraception in France, 25% of French women are carriers of an intrauterine device (IUD) or “IUD”, according to an Ifop survey for IllicoMed carried out in 2018.
Attention: in a press release published on Tuesday July 27, 2021, the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) recommends that women with a Novaplus or Ancora IUD inserted before March 2019 have it removed “without urgency“…
This recommendation results from two observations: first, the Novaplus and Ancora IUDs present an increased risk of spontaneous expulsion (in short: they can detach from the uterus, due to a lack of stability), second, they run a risk of unwanted pregnancy (because they can come off, therefore).
An alert concerning IUDs placed before March 2019
How do I know if I have a Novaplus or Ancora IUD? The mark of the IUD inserted normally appears on the “patient card” given by the healthcare professional during insertion – the date is also found there. To note :
As the ANSM specifies, “in the absence of this card or if the date of insertion is not there, it is advisable to contact the health professional who carried out the installation because he has this information in the medical file of his patient. If the date of IUD insertion cannot be identified [et qu’il s’agit d’un DIU Novaplus ou Ancora], as a precaution, we recommend removing it.“
The ANSM specifies that this preventive withdrawal is not urgent: “this withdrawal can be carried out during a next gynecology consultationAs a reminder, when you have an intrauterine device (IUD), it is recommended to see your gynecologist every 6 months or every year for a check-up …
Read also :
- The hormonal IUD (Mirena®) in 8 questions
- “I decided to turn to hormone-free contraception”
- Contraception: what changes at 40?
