Immediate postabortal insertion of a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD

Experimental IUDs releasing only 10 μg levonorgestrel per day and established copper-releasing IUDs (Nova-T) were inserted in 60 women in connection with legal first-trimester abortion. Bleeding and spotting and other events were recorded during the first year. Restoration of the menstrual cycle was studied. Blood samples were collected twice a week over a three-month period from five women receiving a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD to determine plasma levels of estradiol, progesterone, levonorgestrel, LH and FSH. FSH showed an increase approximately ten days (range 4–19) after abortion. LH/hCG concentrations reached a plateau approximately 24 days (range 9–42) after abortion. Initially, levonorgestrel concentrations were two-fold compared with concentrations of 90 pg/ml after four weeks. After four weeks the plasma levonorgestrel concentrations were stable. All five women had an ovulatory menstrual cycle. The first periods occurred 35 days after operation in the levonorgestrel-IUD group and 30 days after operation in the Nova-T group. The median duration of bleeding and spotting after the insertion was 12 days (range 3–26) in the Nova-T group and 12.5 days (range 3–93) in the levonorgestrel-IUD group. The difference was not statistically significant. From the second month on, menses-like bleeding was more common in the copper-releasing IUD group than in the levonorgestrel-IUD group. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). After one year 75 percent of the patients continued with their IUDs in both groups. One pregnancy occurred in the experimental levonorgestrel-IUD group. One total expulsion was noticed in both groups, and one partial expulsion in the levonorgestrel-IUD group. Two levonorgestrel-IUDs and four Nova-Ts were removed because of bleeding and/or pain. One infection was noticed in the whole group six days after the operation. In the levonorgestrel-IUD group 74 percent of the women had a regular cycle after one year, while all Nova-T patients had a regular cycle. Twelve percent (7 women) were lost to follow-up at one year. The results of this study suggest that a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD can be inserted after legal first-trimester abortion and the results are comparable with those of previous studies that have been made using copper-releasing IUDs.