SPECIAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Ginecologica 2019 October;71(5):377-84

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4784.19.04463-0

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Contraception with the new intrauterine systems: a winning choice if shared!

Attilio di SPIEZIO SARDO ¹, Enrica MASTANTUONI ²✉, Maria Chiara DE ANGELIS ², Brunella ZIZOLFI ²

¹ Department of Public Health, Federico II University, Naples, Italy; ² Department of Neurologic, Reproductive, and Odontostomatologic Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy

Today the rate of unexpected pregnancy is still unacceptably high; long-acting reversible contraceptives, (LARC) seem to be an effective and modern solution. Intrauterine contraception (IUC) is the main exponent of the LARC and it is living a new exponential spread in the last years. Today IUC is the most widely used reversible contraceptive method and it is recommended by the major scientific gynecological societies. This review of the literature aims to retrace the history of intrauterine contraception and to focus attention on intrauterine systems (IUS), its last and most modern form. The three systems (LNG-IUS 52 mg; LNG-IUS 13.5 mg; LNG-IUS 19.5 mg) base their extraordinary effectiveness on the same mechanism of action, however they present some important differences that can be used to enhance and customize the treatment, not just contraceptive, based on the woman’s needs.

KEY WORDS: Intrauterine devices; Long-acting reversible contraception; Contraceptive devices