LEVONORGESTREL INTRAUTERINE-DEVICE IN THE TREATMENT OF MENORRHAGIA INCHINESE WOMEN - EFFICACY VERSUS ACCEPTABILITY

Ten Chinese women who had menorrhagia without organic cause and suffer ed from anaemia were treated with levonorgestrel intrauterine device f or a total of 129 woman-months. There was a 54%, 87% and 95% reduction in menstrual blood loss at the first, third and sixth month of treatm ent when compared with the pretreatment cycle. These percentages of re duction were statistically significant, with p values of 0.004, 0.03 a nd 0.008, respectively. There was a median increase in menstrual cycle length of 12 days in nine months. Fifteen percent of the menstrual cy cles were longer than 60 days. The total bleeding days increased by 4 days at the third menstrual cycles, but reduced to a median of 6 days at 6 months. Seventy-six percent of the menstrual bleeding was in the form of spotting. These Chinese women accepted such menstrual alterati ons. There was no hormonal side effects. All women preferred the devic e to hysterectomy. Levonorgestrel intrauterine device appeared to be a n effective and acceptable treatment for menorrhagia in perimenopausal Chinese women.