Reader Question:
Fix Your Intrauterine Device V Codes
Published on Mon Jul 21, 2008
Question: A patient presented with a positive pregnancy test and had an intrauterine device (IUD) in place. Is there a diagnosis for that? Is it V22.1 and V45.5?
Wyoming Subscriber Answer: If your ob-gyn has not documented that the presence of the IUD is not complicating the pregnancy or that its presence is incidental to pregnancy, you must code it as an ob complication under ICD-9 rules. In that case, you should report 648.93 (Other current conditions in the mother classifiable elsewhere, but complicating pregnancy; antepartum condition or complication) and V45.51 (Presence of intrauterine contraceptive device). Code V45.5x (Other postsurgical states; presence of contraceptive device) requires a fifth digit.
If your ob-gyn does document that the IUD is incidental to pregnancy or not complicating the pregnancy, you would only report V22.1 (Supervision of other normal pregnancy). The reason is that the presence of the IUD is not altering normal obstetric care at the time of the visit. " The answers for Reader Questions and You Be the Coder provided by Melanie Witt, RN, CPC-OGS, MA, an ob-gyn coding expert based in Guadalupita, N.M.
