THE TAKEAWAY
Even the most reliable method of contraception can fail—so pregnancy should always be in the differential diagnosis for a sexually active woman. Location of IUD placement is important; it must be in the right place to be effective. The tenets of LAM must be followed precisely in order for breastfeeding to provide protection against pregnancy. Patients can successfully carry a pregnancy to term with an IUD, as this patient did, but it places them at higher risk for ectopic pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, and infection.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author thanks Jenny Walters, lactation consultant, for her assistance in the preparation of the manuscript.
CORRESPONDENCE
Hannah Maxfield, MD, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, MS 4010, Kansas City, KS 66160; hmaxfield@kumc.edu