A contraceptive coil may prove to be the best treatment for women who suffer misery every month, researchers report today.
The coil, which releases hormones, proved the most popular treatment among women in a trial conducted by British family doctors.
Doctors compared the coil with several hormonal and medical treatments.
And the coil proved so popular that half the women asked to try other treatments switched to it – stating the other treatments had not worked.
The study, involving some 571 women, was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine last night.
Researchers from Nottingham University and Birmingham University set out to find the best treatment for heavy periods.
Researcher Professor Janesh Gupta, of Birmingham Women’s Hospital, said the findings should encourage GPs to offer the coil treatment to women.
He said the study showed that other medical treatments did have a beneficial medical effect on many women.
But the coil, which released levonorgestrel, was the "more effective first choice, as assessed by the impact of bleeding on women’s quality of life."
And Professor Joe Kai, a GP based in Nottingham, said: "We hope our results are very positive news for women and their GPs. This trial tells us not only that treatments can be effective, but also what to choose, bearing in mind a woman’s preferences for having a contraceptive intra-uterine system inserted or not.
"Heavy menstrual bleeding can be very debilitating but we know many do not seek help. We need to make women more aware beneficial treatments are available."
Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Levonorgestrel-containing Intrauterine system in Primary care against Standard treatment for menorrhagia (ECLIPSE). NEJM 10 January 2013
Leave a Reply