Intrauterine Levonorgestrel

The Basics

What is Intrauterine Levonorgestrel?

Intrauterine device that works by thinning the lining of the uterus to prevent pregnancy from developing, thickening the mucus at the cervix to prevent sperm from entering.

Brand names for Intrauterine Levonorgestrel

Liletta, Mirena, Skyla

How Intrauterine Levonorgestrel is classified

Contraceptives, Contraceptives – Oral and Synthetic

Intrauterine Levonorgestrel During Pregnancy

Intrauterine Levonorgestrel pregnancy category

Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Intrauterine Levonorgestrel while pregnant

N/A

Taking Intrauterine Levonorgestrel While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Intrauterine Levonorgestrel?

This record contains information specific to the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (IUD). Although nonhormonal methods are preferred during breastfeeding, progestin-only contraceptives such as levonorgestrel are considered the hormonal contraceptives of choice during lactation. Fair quality evidence indicates that levonorgestrel does not adversely affect the composition of milk, the growth and development of the infant or the milk supply. Expert opinion holds that the risks of progestin-only contraceptive products usually are acceptable for nursing mothers at any time postpartum.[1][2][3][4] Some evidence indicates that progestin-only contraceptives may offer protection against bone mineral density loss during lactation, or at least do not exacerbate it.[5][6][7] The levonorgestrel IUD (Myrena) is recommended to be inserted at least 6 weeks postpartum and in some cases up to 12 weeks postpartum when uterine involution is complete. However, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology considers earlier insertion to be appropriate based on expert opinion.[8] The World Health Association recommends that progestin-only intrauterine devices (IUDs) can be inserted before 48 hours postpartum and after 4 weeks postpartum, but should not have be inserted between 48 hours and 4 weeks postpartum.[1] Four small, randomized studies on this point differed in their outcomes. Three found that early insertion did not adversely affect breastfeeding,[9][10][11] and the other found that immediate IUD insertion markedly reduced the breastfeeding rate at 6 months postpartum.[12] A meta-analysis found that uterine perforation with an IUD was 6 to 10 times more likely in breastfeeding mothers than in non-breastfeeding women, but that the risk of expulsion was no greater in breastfeeding mothers.[13] More recent prospective studies found an increase in the risk of expulsion of intrauterine devises with breastfeeding,[10][14] and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that women be counseled that immediate postpartum insertion may have a higher expulsion rate than later insertion.[4]

Maternal / infant drug levels

This record contains information specific to the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (IUD). Although nonhormonal methods are preferred during breastfeeding, progestin-only contraceptives such as levonorgestrel are considered the hormonal contraceptives of choice during lactation. Fair quality evidence indicates that levonorgestrel does not adversely affect the composition of milk, the growth and development of the infant or the milk supply. Expert opinion holds that the risks of progestin-only contraceptive products usually are acceptable for nursing mothers at any time postpartum.[1][2][3][4] Some evidence indicates that progestin-only contraceptives may offer protection against bone mineral density loss during lactation, or at least do not exacerbate it.[5][6][7] The levonorgestrel IUD (Myrena) is recommended to be inserted at least 6 weeks postpartum and in some cases up to 12 weeks postpartum when uterine involution is complete. However, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology considers earlier insertion to be appropriate based on expert opinion.[8] The World Health Association recommends that progestin-only intrauterine devices (IUDs) can be inserted before 48 hours postpartum and after 4 weeks postpartum, but should not have be inserted between 48 hours and 4 weeks postpartum.[1] Four small, randomized studies on this point differed in their outcomes. Three found that early insertion did not adversely affect breastfeeding,[9][10][11] and the other found that immediate IUD insertion markedly reduced the breastfeeding rate at 6 months postpartum.[12] A meta-analysis found that uterine perforation with an IUD was 6 to 10 times more likely in breastfeeding mothers than in non-breastfeeding women, but that the risk of expulsion was no greater in breastfeeding mothers.[13] More recent prospective studies found an increase in the risk of expulsion of intrauterine devises with breastfeeding,[10][14] and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that women be counseled that immediate postpartum insertion may have a higher expulsion rate than later insertion.[4]

Possible effects of Intrauterine Levonorgestrel on milk supply

IUDs releasing levonorgestrel were inserted 6 weeks after delivery. IUDs released 10 mcg per day (n = 30) or 30 mcg per day (n = 40); copper-releasing IUDs (n = 40) were used as controls. The rate of breastfeeding discontinuation was higher with the levonorgestrel groups than in the copper IUD group at 75 days, but not at other times.[18]

In a small prospective study, forty-six women were randomized to have an IUD containing levonorgestrel (Mirena) inserted either within 10 minutes after placental delivery (n = 15), between 10 minutes and 48 hours after placental delivery (n = 15), or after 6 weeks postpartum (n = 16). At 6 months postpartum, no statistical difference in the rates of continued breastfeeding (extent not stated) was found among the groups.[9]

Women who gave birth were offered contraception with a levonorgestrel-containing IUD and randomized to have the IUD placed immediately following delivery (n = 46) or at 6 to 8 weeks postpartum (n = 50). Women randomized to later IUD insertion were more likely to be nursing at 6 months postpartum (24% vs 6%) and tended to have a longer median duration of exclusive breastfeeding.[12]

A noninferiority trial compared breastfeeding in women who received a levonorgestrel IUD (product and dose not specified) immediately postpartum (n = 132) or at 8 weeks postpartum (n = 127). At 8 weeks, women who received the IUD immediately postpartum had a 5% lower rate of any breastfeeding (79% vs 84%), which fell withing the predetermined 15% noninferiority margin. Exclusive breastfeeding was slightly lower at 8 weeks in the immediate group (33% vs 40%), but the difference was not statistically significant. The time to lactogenesis in the immediate group was noninferior to that of the delayed group (65.3 vs 63.6 hours). Twenty-four device expulsions occurred in the immediate group compared to 2 in the delayed group (19% vs 2%), which was statistically significant.[10]

Possible alternatives to Intrauterine Levonorgestrel

Etonogestrel, Intrauterine Copper Contraceptive, Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, Norethindrone.