Post-IUD Removal Cycle: What to Expect & Conception Timing

Question
Hello, I have a few questions and I would be so grateful if you could help.  I had my IUD removed on 10/23 after consulting with my midwife on 10/20.  She thought I was ovulating on 10/20 which jived with my last menstrual period.  On 10/27 I began a 6 day period which seemed to be a week early.  My husband and I would like to conceive a third child so we had intercourse on 11/7 and 11/8.  I had some back cramping on 11/7 and thought some ovulation cramping on 11/8.  Now, today on 11/10, I look like I am starting my period again.  Is it normal to have a 14 day cycle after having the IUD removed?  My midwife told me I would be fertile once the IUD was removed and didn't advise that I could have irregular periods for an extended period of time.  How long should the irregularity last?  Could I be ovulating over the 14 day span?  

Thanks in advance for your time.

Cara

Answer
Hello Cara,

Sorry for the delay in responding.  I have been away for a meeting for the past few days.

What kind of IUD did you have?  Did you have a Mirena, which emits a hormone?

It is unlikely that you would get pregnant in the cycle immediately following an IUD.  That is an error on he midwife's thinking.  The way that an IUD works is that it causes a low-grade inflammation of the uterine lining, making it inhospitable to an embryo for implantation.  In addition, the ones with hormones block the ovary from functioning.  You have to wait for one to two cycles for things to get back to normal so that you can achieve pregnancy.

The bleeding you are having is probably dysfunctional bleeding and not a period.  It should resolve itself so you just ned to give it some time.  Let yourself have two normal cycles before starting to attempt pregnancy.  You can certainly continue to have intercourse and if lucky, you might turn up pregnant, but don't start worrying about trying for the two months.

Sincerely,

Edward J. Ramirez, M.D., FACOG
Executive Medical Director
The Fertility and Gynecology Center
Monterey Bay IVF Program
www.montereybayivf.com

Monterey, California, U.S.A.