If It's Not Bothering Her, Leave That Malpositioned IUD Be

Use of intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) is rising in the U.S. To assess risk factors, management, and outcomes in women with sonographically identified malpositioned IUDs, researchers searched 1748 ultrasound reports performed at a single institution and conducted a retrospective case-control study in which medical record data were evaluated in 182 women with malpositioned IUDs (in the lower uterine segment or cervix or described as rotated, embedded, intraperitoneal, or expelled) compared with 182 women who had normally positioned IUDs.

Overall, 10% of IUDs were described as malpositioned on ultrasound. Of the IUDs reported as malpositioned, 73% were in the lower uterine segment or cervix. Postabortion or postpartum IUD placement w…