Serum and peritoneal fluid levels of levonorgestrel in women with endometriosis who were treated with an intrauterine contraceptive device containing levonorgestrel

Levonorgestrel intrauterine releasing system: long term health impact

“…The discontinuation rates increased with the duration of use escalating from 30-32% after 1 year to 50-60% after 5 years of use. 17,18 The common reasons for early removal were unscheduled bleeding and progestogenic adverse effects. This has also been emphasized in the guidelines of The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), United Kingdom which recommend that healthcare professionals should be aware that up to 60% of women discontinue using mirena within 5 years due to unscheduled bleeding, pain and/or systemic progestogenic adverse effects.…”

Pharmacologic therapies in endometriosis: a systematic review

“…Biopsy samples of endometriotic tissue from women treated with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) for 6 months showed a decrease in the expression of glandular and stromal ER-a, ER-b, and progesterone receptor, reduced cell proliferation index, and increased Fas expression (175,176). Significant levels of LNG appeared in the peritoneal fluid of these women (177).…”

Contraception for Cancer Survivors

“…42 However, the levonorgestrel-IUD does produce detectable serum levels of levonorgestrel. 43 While women with cancers such as breast cancer are cautioned about the potential for hormonal stimulation of residual disease, 44 several studies ( Table 2) have examined the use of the levonorgestrel-IUD by women with histories of breast cancer who are being treated with tamoxifen. One recent study found no higher recurrence risk in breast cancer patients using a levonorgestrel-IUD.…”