Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System versus Medical Therapy for Menorrhagia

In this pragmatic, randomized trial of women with menorrhagia, the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system was more effective than the usual (oral) medical treatment in reducing the effect of this problem on quality of life. Heavy menstrual bleeding, or menorrhagia, is a common problem that can have a significant effect on women's lives and can burden both patients and health care systems. 1 , 2 Menorrhagia accounts for 18.5% of gynecologist office visits in the United States 3 and for 20% in the United Kingdom 4 ; more than 5% of women who are 30 to 49 years of age consult family physicians each year in the United Kingdom with this problem. 5 Rates of surgical procedures for menorrhagia are 17.8 per 10,000 women 25 to 44 years of age in the United States 6 and 14.3 per 10,000 women 24 . . .