Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Issues
    • Current Issue
    • Advance Access
    • Past Issues
    • Supplements
    • Topic Collections
    • COVID-19 Articles
  • For Authors
    • Instructions for Authors
    • Submit
  • Submit
  • About
    • About GHSP
    • Editorial Team
    • Editorial Board
    • FAQs
    • 5 Year Anniversary Infographic
  • More
    • Instructions for Reviewers
    • Alerts
    • Contact Us
    • Website Policies
  • Other Useful Sites
    • GH eLearning
    • GHJournal Search

User menu

  • My Alerts

Search

  • Advanced search
Global Health: Science and Practice
  • Other Useful Sites
    • GH eLearning
    • GHJournal Search
  • My Alerts

Global Health: Science and Practice

Dedicated to what works in global health programs

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Issues
    • Current Issue
    • Advance Access
    • Past Issues
    • Supplements
    • Topic Collections
    • COVID-19 Articles
  • For Authors
    • Instructions for Authors
    • Submit
  • Submit
  • About
    • About GHSP
    • Editorial Team
    • Editorial Board
    • FAQs
    • 5 Year Anniversary Infographic
  • More
    • Instructions for Reviewers
    • Alerts
    • Contact Us
    • Website Policies
  • Visit GHSP on Facebook
  • Follow GHSP on Twitter
  • RSS
  • Find GHSP on LinkedIn
COMMENTARIES
Open Access

A Global Learning Agenda for the Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System (LNG IUS): Addressing Challenges and Opportunities to Increase Access

Kate H. Rademacher, Tabitha Sripipatana, Anne Pfitzer, Anna Mackay, Sarah Thurston, Ashley Jackson, Elaine Menotti and Hayley Traeger
Global Health: Science and Practice December 2018, 6(4):635-643; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-18-00383
Kate H. Rademacher
aFHI 360, Durham, NC, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: krademacher@fhi360.org
Tabitha Sripipatana
bUnited States Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, DC, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Anne Pfitzer
cJhpiego, Baltimore, MD, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Anna Mackay
dMarie Stopes International, New York, NY, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Sarah Thurston
ePopulation Services International, Washington, DC, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ashley Jackson
fSeconded to WCG Cares by Population Services International, Seattle, WA, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Elaine Menotti
bUnited States Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, DC, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Hayley Traeger
gUSAID Global Health Fellows Program, Public Health Institute, Washington, DC, USA. Now with IBM Global Business Services, Washington, DC, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
PreviousNext
  • Article
  • Figures & Tables
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments
  • PDF
Loading

The LNG IUS is one of the most effective forms of reversible contraception and has important noncontraceptive benefits but is currently not used at scale in any Family Planning 2020 focus country. A global working group developed a shared learning agenda to answer critical questions, harmonize approaches, avoid duplication, and facilitate introduction of the method within the context of informed choice.

BACKGROUND

The levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG IUS) is one of the most effective forms of reversible contraception with efficacy rates similar to subdermal implants and copper intrauterine devices (IUDs).1 The LNG IUS is also associated with a number of important noncontraceptive health benefits, including treatment for menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding) and uterine fibroids and potentially for anemia.2–4 In addition, as a result of the localized release of hormones and relatively low systemic blood levels compared with other hormonal methods, the side effects for the LNG IUS may be less pronounced than side effects with other hormonal contraceptives.5,6 (See Box 1 for a summary of the method's advantages.)

BOX 1

Summary of Advantages of the LNG IUS

  • Highly effective contraceptive method

  • Long-acting and reversible

  • Rapid return to fertility after removal

  • Can lead to reduced menstrual bleeding and cramping

  • Localized release of hormones and relatively low systemic blood levels compared with other hormonal methods (side effects for the LNG IUS may be less pronounced)

  • Removal can be easier than implant removals

  • Noncontraceptive health benefits including treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding and potential reduction in iron-deficiency anemia

  • May help protect against endometrial and cervical cancer

  • No further action or supplies required once the LNG IUS is inserted

  • Can be used immediately postpartum and post-abortion (Note: Manufacturers' labels for LNG IUS products do not currently include an indication for immediate postpartum insertions. However, the World Health Organization's Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use categorizes immediate postpartum …

View Full Text
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Global Health: Science and Practice: 6 (4)
Global Health: Science and Practice
Vol. 6, No. 4
December 27, 2018
  • Table of Contents
  • About the Cover
  • Index by Author
  • Complete Issue (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about Global Health: Science and Practice.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
A Global Learning Agenda for the Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System (LNG IUS): Addressing Challenges and Opportunities to Increase Access
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from Global Health: Science and Practice
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the Global Health: Science and Practice web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
A Global Learning Agenda for the Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System (LNG IUS): Addressing Challenges and Opportunities to Increase Access
Kate H. Rademacher, Tabitha Sripipatana, Anne Pfitzer, Anna Mackay, Sarah Thurston, Ashley Jackson, Elaine Menotti, Hayley Traeger
Global Health: Science and Practice Dec 2018, 6 (4) 635-643; DOI: 10.9745/GHSP-D-18-00383

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
A Global Learning Agenda for the Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System (LNG IUS): Addressing Challenges and Opportunities to Increase Access
Kate H. Rademacher, Tabitha Sripipatana, Anne Pfitzer, Anna Mackay, Sarah Thurston, Ashley Jackson, Elaine Menotti, Hayley Traeger
Global Health: Science and Practice Dec 2018, 6 (4) 635-643; DOI: 10.9745/GHSP-D-18-00383
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Jump to section

  • Article
    • BACKGROUND
    • BARRIERS TO ACCESS
    • DEVELOPMENT OF A GLOBAL LNG IUS LEARNING AGENDA
    • IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL LNG IUS LEARNING AGENDA
    • ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GLOBAL COORDINATION PLATFORM
    • CONCLUSION
    • Acknowledgments
    • Notes
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Tables
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plans Supporting the Vision of Universal Health Coverage
  • Insights Into Provider Bias in Family Planning from a Novel Shared Decision Making Based Counseling Initiative in Rural, Indigenous Guatemala
  • Health Volunteers Overseas: A Model for Ethical and Effective Short-Term Global Health Training in Low-Resource Countries
Show more COMMENTARIES

Similar Articles

Subjects

  • Health Topics
    • Family Planning and Reproductive Health
US AIDJohns Hopkins Center for Communication ProgramsUniversity of Alberta

Follow Us On

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS

Articles

  • Current Issue
  • Advance Access Articles
  • Past Issues
  • Topic Collections
  • Most Read Articles
  • Supplements

More Information

  • Submit a Paper
  • Instructions for Authors
  • Instructions for Reviewers
  • GH Journals Database

About

  • About GHSP
  • Editorial Board
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us

© 2021 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. ISSN: 2169-575X

Powered by HighWire