Intrauterine devices are a safe form of contraception in users with solid organ transplantation: A single‐center experience

• Published in: Transplant infectious disease Vol. 26; no. 5; pp. e14220 - n/a
• Main Authors: Amaya, Stephanie I., Wolff, Sharon F., Ross, Meghan, French, Valerie A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Adult; Birth control; Contraception; Contraception - methods; contraceptive; Contraceptives; Female; Health risks; Humans; immunosuppressed; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Incidence; Inflammatory diseases; intrauterine device; Intrauterine devices; Intrauterine Devices - adverse effects; Intrauterine Devices, Copper - adverse effects; IUD; Kidney transplantation; Levonorgestrel - administration & dosage; Levonorgestrel - adverse effects; Liver transplantation; Middle Aged; Organ Transplantation - adverse effects; Pelvic inflammatory disease; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease - etiology; Population studies; Retrospective Studies; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; STD; transplant; Transplantation; Transplants & implants; Young Adult; transplant; intrauterine device; pelvic inflammatory disease; contraceptive; immunosuppressed
• ISSN: 1398-2273; 1399-3062; 1399-3062
• DOI: 10.1111/tid.14220

Patients who undergo organ transplantation are advised to use contraception for health optimization, yet limited data exists on safe contraceptive options for this population. This study investigates the infection risk of intrauterine devices (IUDs) in patients who have received a solid organ transplant by evaluating the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). We performed a retrospective chart review of subjects with a solid organ transplant who used an IUD between the years of January 2007 to February 2021. We included subjects ages 22–55 years at the time of IUD placement. We ed demographic information, transplant type, IUD type, immunosuppressive medications, screening for sexually transmitted infections, and diagnosis of PID. We identified 29 subjects that met the inclusion criteria. Six subjects had a copper IUD (21%) and 23 had a levonorgestrel IUD (79%). The most common organ transplanted was a kidney (n = 10) and liver (n = 10) while five subjects had multiple organs transplanted. Twenty‐five (86.2%) subjects took immunosuppressive medications at the time of IUD insertion. Twenty‐four (82.8%) patients had their IUD placed after transplantation. The average time of IUD use was 2.5 years. . In our study of IUD use in patients with solid organ transplantation, no patients developed PID. IUDs are a safe contraceptive option for immunosuppressed transplant patients.