The Mirena(R) levonorgestrel system

C. Jay McGavigan, McGavigan CJ, Cameron IT, Cameron, I.T., Iain T. Cameron
Drugs of today (Barcelona, Spain : 1998) · 2003 · vol. 39(12) , pp. 973 · doi:10.1358/dot.2003.39.12.799415 · PMID:14747842 · W1989532259
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

The levonorgestrel intrauterine system is a safe and effective long-term contraceptive that reduces menstrual blood loss and may treat gynecological disorders, though breakthrough bleeding can limit compliance.

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Abstract

The levonorgestrel intrauterine system is a safe, efficacious, long-term contraceptive device. Additionally, it results in a decrease in the volume of menstrual blood loss in women with normal periods and those with menorrhagia. It may also have a role in the treatment of other benign gynecological disorders, such as adenomyosis or endometriosis, and it has been advocated as a means of delivering progestogen to the endometrium as part of combined hormone replacement therapy. Despite the beneficial effect on menstrual volume, compliance is sometimes limited by breakthrough bleeding during the first months of use. The precise mechanism of this bleeding is unclear, but it may be related to a direct effect of levonorgestrel on endometrial vascular development. Detailed counseling is crucial to explain this anticipated side effect in order to reduce unnecessary discontinuation of treatment.

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Condition tags

endometriosisadenomyosis

MeSH descriptors

Intrauterine Devices, Medicated Levonorgestrel Contraceptive Agents, Female Contraceptive Agents, Female Contraceptive Agents, Female Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Female Humans Levonorgestrel Levonorgestrel Multicenter Studies as Topic Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

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