Doctor Should Help Choose Right Birth Control WDSU, LA - Nov 13, 2008 ... popular method of birth control that fell out of favor seems to be making a comeback -- the IUD, or Intrauterine Device. One IUD is called the Mirena. ...
Women urged to ditch the pill Scotland on Sunday, UK - Nov 8, 2008 ... a small rod implanted into the arm which gives three years of protection; the coil; and Mirena, an intra-uterine device which lasts five years. ...
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Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: mirena iud + iud + mirena Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/5/2008)
IUDs are safe, sound birth control despite their risky past ... The Free Lance-Star, VA - Jul 19, 2008 The copper IUD can stay in place for 10 years, while the Mirena IUD can be used for five. Why, you may ask, would anyone choose a five-year IUD when they ...
Breast checks made easy? About time! Quad City Times, IA - Jul 30, 2008 If you use Implanon, or either the Mirena or Paragard IUD, I?d like to ask about your experience. Contact me by e-mail (dbaker@qctimes.com), ...
Sonographic demonstration of a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD (Mirena) - Y Zalel, D Kreizer, D Soriano, R Achiron - Harefuah, 1999 - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Sonographic demonstration of a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD (Mirena)] [Article
in Hebrew] Zalel Y, Kreizer D, Soriano D, Achiron R. Obstetrics and Gynecologic ...
Lost levonorgestrel IUD: diagnosis and therapy - S Nitke, D Rabinerson, A Dekel, E Sheiner, B … - Contraception, 2004 - Elsevier ... The first case that attracted our attention was a 37-year-old woman admitted to
our unit after been diagnosed with a lost MirenaIUD (patient 1, Table 1). The ...
Mirena is an intrauterine device (IUD) that is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It is made of plastic, formed in the shape of a 'T' and is about the size of a quarter. It contains a small amount of a hormone, levonorgestrel, which is released continuously while the device is in place. Mirena is extremely effective in preventing pregnancy - fewer than 1 in 100 women using it will become pregnant.
How it Works
Mirena affects the body in a number of ways to prevent pregnancy, and it is likely that a combination of factors is responsible for Mirena's contraceptive effect:
Mirena thickens the mucus at the entrance to the uterus, thus blocking sperm entry. Mirena inhibits ovulation (release of an egg), although not always 100%. Like all IUD's, Mirena creates an environment within the uterus that limits sperm survival and prevents fertilization.
Mirena and the Menstrual Cycle
Mirena thins the lining of the uterus leading to lighter menstrual flow, so in general, you can expect to have less menstrual blood loss while using Mirena. However, during the first three to six months, you may have irregular and frequent bleeding as your body adjusts to the IUD. After that, your bleeding will most likely become lighter and less frequent. After six months of use, about half of women stop having periods, although light spotting occurs on average about three days per month. After one year of use, 20 percent of women stop having periods altogether. This makes Mirena an attractive alternative for women who may have painful periods, or heavy or prolonged menstrual flow.
If you are bothered by the idea of not having your period, or do not like to experience any shift in your menstrual pattern, then Mirena may not be the best option for you. On the other hand, if you are bothered by heavy, irregular or painful menstrual flow, Mirena may be a good option.
There are currently two other IUDs available in the United States: the Para Gard IUD and the Progestasert IUD. ParaGard is effective for up to ten years, but unlike Mirena, may cause heavy menstrual flow or cramps. The Progestasert, like Mirena, contains a progestin hormone, but this device needs to be replaced annually. If you have had heavy bleeding or cramps while using the ParaGard IUD, or have heavy periods or severe menstrual cramps, Mirena may be a good choice for you.
Mirena Safety
Levonorgestrel, the hormone contained in Mirena, has been used in birth control pills for decades, although the dose found in Mirena is much lower than in birth control pills.
IUD's have been used for many years to prevent pregnancy. In the past, there were problems with some IUD's due to design flaws and use in women at risk for sexually transmitted infections. Since then, changes in IUD design and careful evaluation of which women are best suited for the device, have made IUD's an extremely safe form of birth control, much safer than pregnancy itself can be. But remember that IUD's are safest when used by women in long-term, monogamous relationships.
As with all IUD's, there is a small risk - about 1 in 1000 - of infection associated with the Mirena insertion. This is because the vagina, like the mouth, is colonized with bacteria. If these bacteria gain access to the normally sterile uterine cavity during IUD insertion, infection may result. The risk of infection persists for about 6 weeks after the insertion. For this reason, your doctor cleanses the cervix with antiseptic prior to the insertion, and may delay the procedure until any existing vaginal infection is cleared. To try to prevent infection, some doctors prescribe antibiotics at the time of IUD insertion. But this may not be necessary for women with low risk of sexually transmitted diseases, as this practice has not been found to decrease their risk of infection.
Signs of infection after IUD insertion include pelvic pain, fever, heavy bleeding or new vaginal discharge. Be sure to notify your doctor if any of these symptoms occur.
Other side effects
About ten percent of women using Mirena report some lower abdominal cramps. Less than five percent complain of breast tenderness, acne, or mood changes.
Women Who Should Not Use Mirena
Women with multiple partners, or whose partners have outside sexual relationships, should not use Mirena or any other IUD. These women are at risk for acquiring sexually transmitted diseases that can lead to serious pelvic infections if an IUD is in place.
