How to rule out pregnancy

How can you be reasonably certain that a woman is not pregnant?

You can be reasonably certain a woman is not pregnant if she has no symptoms or signs of pregnancy AND she meets any of the following criteria:

• ≤ 7 days after the start of normal menses.
• Has not had sexual intercourse since the start of last normal menses.
• Has been correctly and consistently using reliable method of contraception.
• ≤ 7 days after spontaneous or induced abortion.
• ≤ 4 weeks postpartum. (not breastfeeding)
• Fully or nearly fully breastfeeding, amenorrheic, and < 6 months postpartum.

In other circumstances, a pregnancy test should be done on the day before or the day of placement.

Black D. and Waddington A. et al. Build Your Expertise: IUC slide deck: 89, 90, 92.
Costescu D. and Guilbert E. et al. Preceptorship Program on IUC insertion - Module 3
SOGC Clinical Practice Guideline, Canadian Contraception Consensus (part 3): Chapter 7 – Intrauterine Contraception