324 Cases of Misplaced IUCD — A 5-Year Study

Abstract

Copper-T remains the mainstay of family planning measures in developing countries but is associated with serious complications like bleeding, perforation and migration to adjacent organs or omentum. Patients with misplaced intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) may present with pregnancy or lost strings or may remain asymptomatic for years. In our series of 324 cases with misplaced IUCD¹; in 258 (79.93%) cases copper-T was found in the uterine cavity and in 47 cases (14.51%) it was removed from cervical canal. In only 18 cases (5.56%), it was translocated and of these 66.67% were inserted at primary health centres. Laparoscopic retrieval was successful in 61.11% cases. Endoscopy thus helps in the localization and retrieval of misplaced IUCDs. A regular follow up of IUCDs for visible threads would help in earlier detection of misplaced IUCDs. Proper training of paramedical staff is mandatory in developing countries to provide safe and better family planning services.