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Human Reproduction, Vol. 17, No. 11, 2878-2880, November 2002
© 2002 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

The local progestational effect of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system: a sonographic and Doppler flow study

Y. Zalel1, A. Shulman, A. Lidor, R. Achiron, S. Mashiach and R. Gamzu

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, (affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University), Tel-Hashomer, Israel

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the effect of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on the uterine vasculature and the endometrium. METHODS: The study was a prospective controlled study evaluating the local effects of LNG-IUS compared with the copper intrauterine device (IUD). Forty-seven women carrying LNG-IUS (group A) were compared with 35 women carrying copper IUD in a control group (group B). Clinical measures of menstrual bleeding, endometrial thickness and Doppler flow of the cervical branch of the uterine artery and spiral artery were evaluated and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Doppler flow in the cervical branch of the uterine artery did not reveal any changes between the groups (resistance index = 0.6 ± 0.01 in both groups). Endometrial width was significantly thinner in group A (4.1 ± 0.2 mm) compared with group B (7.3 ± 0.2 mm) (P < 0.0001). Subendometrial flow in the spiral artery was significantly reduced in 35 women of group A (75%) and in none of group B (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study offers an explanation for the oligomenorrhoea in LNG-IUS users, i.e. a local progestational effect on the endometrium with no change in the blood flow in the uterine artery. This should be presented to the women in the pre-contraceptive counselling in order to lessen the discontinuation rate.

Key words: contraception/Doppler flow/endometrium/LNG-IUS/ultrasonography

1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sheba Medical Centre, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, 52621, Israel. E-mail: zalel_y{at}netvision.net.il


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