Originally having the copper coil fitted in 1989, the following year during a smear test, Jayne was told the contraceptive device must have fallen out. At the time, she and David weren’t ready to start a family together, so a second coil was fitted. It was at that moment when Jayne suffered from heavy periods, bleeding, stomach pain, and infections.
“It wasn’t nice at all,” recalled Jayne. “I remember visiting my GP on several occasions and being told it was just hormonal.”
When the couple decided to expand their family two years later, the coil was removed, but Jayne found it extremely difficult to conceive.
“Me and David tried everything we could think of, but nothing happened and we were referred to specialists who suggested IVF,” said Jayne.
“Even after initial failed cycles, the doctors didn’t seem too concerned. They said we had good-quality embryos and I also had proven fertility.
“I remember at one stage David even asking the doctor whether they were sure a coil wasn’t still there. We were told, ‘No it would have shown up on a scan.'”
Jayne shared: “Despite further attempts, I didn’t fall pregnant. We gave ourselves a cut-off point and decided we couldn’t face the emotion of going through [any more].”
Decades later, in 2019, Jayne sought medical advice for the back pain she was suffering from.
Upon further investigation, a doctor spotted the first coil Jayne originally had put in.
“I was devastated. I was crying and could only think about the babies me and David should have had. It was just a complete shock,” Jayne said.
“All me and David wanted was to have a child together to make out family complete. I couldn’t believe that we had had so many cycles of IVF.
“Everything we went through, all of the emotion, then having to pick ourselves up to try again just felt like a waste.
“It felt like it was all for nothing because I still had a coil in place.”
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Since the removal of her coil, Jayne’s symptoms have disappeared but she’s still impacted by the emotional turmoil she has faced.
“I’m not sure we’ll ever get over the psychological pain of the last 30 years,” said Jayne.
“I just hope that by speaking out I can raise awareness of the issues we’ve faced to hopefully mean others don’t have to go through what we have.”
Jane sought legal advice from Irwin Mitchell for her case and secured a six-figure settlement from the GP’s insurers.
The contraceptive coil
The NHS explains it is “a small T-shaped plastic and copper device that’s put into your womb (uterus) by a doctor or nurse”.
“It releases copper to stop you from getting pregnant, and protects against pregnancy for between five and 10 years,” the NHS adds.
Women who have the coil fitted should be able to feel two “thin threads” inside the vagina.
“It’s very unlikely that your IUD will come out, but if you cannot feel the threads or think it’s moved… see a GP or nurse straight away.”
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