An ectopic pregnancy (EUP) can endanger women’s lives and reduce their chances of having a child.
More and more women are opting for the IUD as a contraceptive method. It is a form of contraception recognized as effective by health professionals and which has the advantage of not being able to be forgotten, unlike the contraceptive pill. However, like any medical device, the IUD is not without risk. A new, very serious harm was revealed in a study commissioned by the National Medicines Agency (ANSM) and published on November 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine Evidence.
According to analyzes carried out by the ANSM with EPI-PHARE, an IUD marketed by the Bayer laboratory is associated with a risk “increased” of ectopic pregnancy compared to other IUDs used in France. When a pregnancy occurs despite this IUD, it is more likely to implant outside the uterus, most often in a fallopian tube. This information is all the more important since today in France it is estimated that there are between 55,000 and 60,000 women who still wear this IUD, the majority of whom have never given birth.
This IUD is the Jaydess hormonal IUD, it is the lowest dose of levonorgestrel. According to the ANSM, it exposes you to a risk of GEU two to three times higher than that observed with other IUDs (hormonal and copper). These new results confirm those of previous studies, a Swedish study in 2022 and a Danish study in 2023. An ectopic pregnancy is not trivial. The egg develops in the tube, which can become distended and then rupture, which can cause bleeding into the abdomen. In France, there are around 13,300 per year, or 2 per 100 births. It is a gynecological emergency which can “endanger life” of the patient recalls the ANSM, and, if she delays being diagnosed, reduce her chances of having a child later.
The ANSM, responsible for the safety of medicines and health products, recalls that effective contraception – including the IUD – reduces the risk of pregnancy, and therefore that of ectopic pregnancy. The problem only occurs when a pregnancy “escapes” contraception. In this specific case, she is more likely to be ectopic with an IUD than in a woman using another ceontraceptive method.
For users carrying Jaydess, the agency does not recommend systematic withdrawal. The device can be kept until the scheduled date, provided that you are well informed and “consult quickly” in case of unusual signs: late period, positive pregnancy test, pain in the lower abdomen, often on one side, sometimes intense, vaginal bleeding. If one or more of these symptoms are present, there is a risk of tube rupture.
Those who wish to change contraception can turn to other IUDs, copper or hormonal, whose safety profile is better established. The Jaydess IUD has no longer been marketed since November 2024 but some may still be available in community pharmacies until February 2027. The devices in place remain functional, provided that careful monitoring is ensured and warning signals are not ignored.
