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MEDIA CENTER Long-term Contraceptive Shown to Reduce Menstrual Flow NEW YORK (May 2003) — A new study reveals that Mirena®, the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system developed by the Population Council, is an extremely effective contraceptive that also significantly improves the management of heavy menstrual bleeding. Many women with uterine fibroids and adenomyosis of the uterus (growth of the lining of the uterus into the uterine muscle) suffer from excessive menstrual bleeding. Extreme loss of blood during menstruation, also known as menorrhagia, often interferes with daily activities or leaves sufferers anemic. Treatment for these patients has traditionally been surgical, ranging from myomectomy (removal of fibroids) to hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). In the United States, uterine fibroids are the most common indication for hysterectomy, accounting for nearly half of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed each year. However, findings published in the May 2003 issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility give hope for women suffering from excessive blood loss due to fibroids. A one-year study of 67 women with uterine fibroids who used Mirena for contraception revealed that the method offers patients a safe, nonsurgical alternative for the management of excessive menstrual bleeding while preserving their long-term fertility. Mirena combines the features of hormonal contraceptives with those of the intrauterine device. Inserted into the uterus by a gynecologist, Mirena slowly releases the progestin levonorgestrel, which thins the endometrium. This thinning reduces the loss of blood that occurs in menstruation. The study revealed a significant decrease in menstrual blood loss within 3 months. Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual bleeding) was reported by 10% of the women after 3 months, 20% after 6 months, and 40% after 12 months. These changes were accompanied by increases in blood hemoglobin and ferritin, indicating a reduction in anemia. Of 19 women diagnosed with anemia at the start of the study, only one was anemic 12 months into the study. Mirena also significantly reduced the size of fibroids, and by extension the size of the uterus, which becomes enlarged by fibroids. Mirena was developed and tested by the Population Council, its International Committee for Contraception Research, and the pharmaceutical company Leiras Oy (a subsidiary of Schering AG recently renamed Schering Oy). Mirena is currently approved for use in more than 100 countries and is being used by more than 5 million women. Berlex Laboratories, Inc., another Schering AG subsidiary, markets Mirena in the United States under a license from the Council. Schering AG markets Mirena globally.
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