Woman pregnant second time despite IUD

An ultrasound technician decided to perform a routine scan on herself to check if her IUD was still in place, but was baffled what she discovered.

A woman was shocked to discover she was pregnant for a second time, despite having an IUD.

After previously falling pregnant with her IUD in place, US ultrasound technician Scharon decided to perform a routine monthly check on herself to make sure the contraception device was still in place.

But, sharing a TikTok of her performing the ultrasound on herself, she was shocked to find it had happened “again”.

The video has amassed 8.3 million views.

Scharon, an ultrasound technician from the US, shared a TikTok performing a scan on herself. Picture: TikTok/itsscharonnotsharon

“When I’m doing my monthly IUD location check-up at work because I’ve been pregnant with one before … and I see a pregnancy sac next to my IUD,” she captioned the video.

Baffled by what she had just discovered, she could be seen leaning in forward to get a closer look, before pulling her mask down and mouthing the words, “What the f**k?”

“Not again,” she captioned the now-viral clip, alongside hashtags including #IUDPregnancy, #IUDBaby, and #Birthcontrolproblems.

She decided to do the routine scan after having fallen pregnant previously with an IUD. Picture: TikTok/itsscharonnotsharon

Her clip has attracted more than 6500 comments, with many sharing their experiences of how they too fell pregnant despite having the contraceptive device in place.

“I’ve always gotten pregnant on birth control and no one really believes it,” one woman wrote.

“Currently 26 weeks with my Copper IUD fail,” another woman said, adding a laughing emoji.

A third wrote: “I got pregnant on the Mirena! It was an ectopic and literally traumatising. I do not trust birth control anymore.”

Another woman said just found she is pregnant “and I have an IUD in too”.

Others who also use device were left terrified, joking about they “do not claim this energy”. wrote one person.

“Mine’s been working hard – don’t put that energy on me,” one woman claimed, while another said it was her “biggest fear”.

She was shocked to discover the IUD failed – and she was pregnant again. Picture: TikTok/itsscharonnotsharon

What is an IUD?

According to Health Direct Australia an intra-uterine device (IUD) is a small contraceptive device that is put into the uterus to prevent pregnancy.

The two types available in Australia are the copper IUD and the hormonal IUD (MirenaTM). The copper IUD is designed to stay in place for up to 10 years and the hormonal IUD (Mirena) for five years. Both can easily be removed sooner, if needed.

Her TikTok has been viewed more than 8.5 million times. Picture: TikTok/itsscharonnotsharon

How effective is the IUD?

Health Direct Australia states IUD works very well if inserted properly, and is one of the most effective reversible methods of contraception available.

“If 100 women use an IUD for a year, fewer than one will become pregnant,” the site reads.

In the event of an IUD fail and you become pregnant, there’s a small increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.

In most pregnancies involving coils, doctors try to remove the device at the earliest possible opportunity.

In July 2020, another woman also gave birth after her contraception “failed”. The woman’s baby boy arrived reportedly clutching his mum’s contraceptive device in a hilarious snap that also went viral.

The images were shared by obstetrician Tran Viet Phuong, who said she thought it was “interesting” he was clasping the intra-uterine device (IUD) as he came into the world.

“After delivery, I thought him holding the device was interesting, so I took a picture. I never thought it would receive so much attention,” she said.

The baby’s 34-year-old mother said she had the coil inserted two years earlier but it clearly didn’t work because she later found out she was pregnant.