Mirena might reduce heavy bleeding but will not shrink fibroids.

Mirena is an intrauterine device (IUD). It is a T-shaped plastic device that slowly releases the sex hormone progesterone over five years. It is used as contraceptive device that is effective for five years.

Though helpful for relieving heavy periods, Mirena does not reduce the size of fibroids, nor does it stop fibroid growth. If uterine fibroids are large and distort the cavity, Mirena may also be difficult to insert or remove and the device may not stay in place.

Please note: in some women, heavy bleeding is converted to prolonged spotting, which can be annoying for patients. Well-known side effects of Mirena are prolonged light bleeding (25%) and irregular bleeding (14%), with less common side effects of weight gain, ovarian cysts, lower abdominal pain and acne.

Mirena can be inserted in the rooms of your GP or gynaecologist. In some cases, it may need to be inserted in an operating room under sedation or a light general anaesthetic, depending on the perceived difficulty.

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