The Mirena Coil: More Than Just Contraception
People often think of the Mirena coil as simply a contraceptive. In reality, a hormonal coil can do considerably more.
Hormonal coils provide extremely effective, long-lasting contraception. However, certain types also make periods much lighter and ease painful periods. In addition, they can form part of HRT and help manage conditions such as endometriosis and adenomyosis.
For some women, therefore, one small device provides several benefits at once.
At The Watermill Clinic in Wickham, we offer contraceptive consultations and coil fitting. So there is time to discuss the options and whether a hormonal coil might suit you.
Is Mirena the only hormonal coil?
No. This confuses people, because the phrase “Mirena coil” is often used to describe any hormonal coil.
In fact there are several hormonal intrauterine systems, containing different amounts of levonorgestrel.
Mirena: 52mg
Mirena is probably the best-known hormonal coil.
As well as highly effective contraception, the higher-dose 52mg devices have the best evidence for treating heavy menstrual bleeding. Therefore they are particularly useful when period control is a main reason for choosing a coil.
Mirena can also protect the lining of the womb when you take oestrogen as part of HRT.
Levosert and Benilexa: 52mg
Levosert and Benilexa are also 52mg hormonal coils.
They work in a very similar way, so they provide highly effective contraception and treatment for heavy periods too.
Individual product licences differ in some respects. For that reason, we will discuss which device suits your circumstances.
Kyleena: 19.5mg
Kyleena contains a lower dose of levonorgestrel and holds a licence for contraception.
It is also physically slightly smaller than the 52mg devices, which some women find attractive.
However, a 52mg device would be more appropriate if your main reason is heavy periods, HRT or another gynaecological condition.
Jaydess: 13.5mg
Jaydess is another smaller, lower-dose hormonal coil designed for contraception.
Again, it does not carry the same evidence or range of non-contraceptive uses as the 52mg devices.
So choosing a coil is not simply about hormonal versus copper. The reason you want one matters too.
How effective is the hormonal coil for contraception?
The hormonal coil is one of the most effective reversible methods available.
After fitting, you do not have to remember a daily tablet, change a patch or organise anything before sex. As a result, it suits women who want very effective contraception without thinking about it.
Importantly, it is also reversible. If you decide you would like to become pregnant, we can remove the coil and fertility usually returns quickly.
Using a hormonal coil does not mean waiting months for your fertility to come back.
Why a 52mg hormonal coil helps heavy periods
This is one of the biggest benefits of the 52mg device.
By making the lining of the uterus thinner, it can dramatically reduce how much you bleed during a period. Periods often become lighter, shorter and less painful. For some women, they eventually stop altogether.
That is not harmful. Generally, periods stop because the lining of the uterus has become very thin. Nothing collects or builds up inside.
NICE recommends the LNG-IUS as a first treatment to consider for many women with heavy menstrual bleeding.
For a woman who has spent years organising her life around very heavy periods, this can make an enormous difference.
Can a hormonal coil help painful periods?
Hormonal coils can also make periods considerably less painful.
So they are particularly useful for women with dysmenorrhoea, the medical term for painful periods.
Furthermore, the drop in bleeding and the thinning of the womb lining make the 52mg device useful for some women with endometriosis or adenomyosis.
Can Mirena help endometriosis?
It can.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the pelvis. As a result, it can cause painful periods, pelvic pain and pain during sex, among other symptoms.
A 52mg hormonal coil can reduce endometriosis-associated pain in women who are not currently trying to conceive. Both UK and international guidelines support it as one of the hormonal treatment options.
Even so, it is not right for everyone. Persistent pelvic pain always deserves proper assessment rather than an assumption of endometriosis.
Can a hormonal coil help adenomyosis?
Adenomyosis is a condition where tissue from the lining of the uterus grows into the muscular wall of the womb.
It can cause:
- Very heavy periods
- Painful periods
- Pelvic discomfort or pressure
- Bloating
- Sometimes pain during sex
The 52mg device helps here because it addresses both the heavy bleeding and the period pain. For some women, therefore, this avoids surgery altogether.
Mirena and the perimenopause
This is an area where a hormonal coil is particularly useful.
During the perimenopause, periods often become heavier, longer or increasingly unpredictable.
Meanwhile, some women start to notice menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, disturbed sleep or vaginal dryness, and consider hormone replacement therapy.
If you have a uterus and take oestrogen as part of HRT, you need a progesterone to protect the womb lining. A 52mg hormonal coil provides that protection.
So one device can potentially cover contraception, control of heavy periods and the progestogen part of HRT. For the right woman in her forties or fifties, that is extremely convenient.
Remember too that you may still need contraception during the perimenopause, even once periods become irregular.
Will my periods stop with Mirena?
They might, although everyone’s experience differs.
Some women keep regular but much lighter periods. Others notice occasional spotting. A few stop bleeding altogether.
One thing we always discuss before fitting is that the first few months can be different.
Irregular bleeding and spotting are common during the first three to six months. Usually this improves with time.
Knowing that beforehand matters, because the early bleeding pattern does not necessarily reflect how your periods will eventually settle.
If bleeding is unusually heavy or persistent, or changes significantly after settling, please have it assessed.
Is a hormonal coil right for me?
No single contraceptive suits every woman.
A hormonal coil may be worth discussing if you:
- Want very effective, long-lasting contraception
- Find a daily pill difficult to remember
- Have heavy periods
- Have painful periods
- Have symptoms of adenomyosis or endometriosis
- Are approaching the perimenopause and want contraception plus better period control
- Are considering oestrogen HRT and need protection for your womb lining
For some women, a copper coil is the better choice, particularly where avoiding hormonal contraception is the priority.
Either way, choose contraception around your health, your periods, your stage of life and what you want from it.
Coil consultations and fitting in Wickham
At The Watermill Clinic we offer private contraceptive consultations, hormonal and copper coil fitting, and coil removal in Wickham, Hampshire.
Before fitting, we discuss your contraceptive needs, your periods, your medical history and your future plans. Together we can then decide which option suits you best.
That conversation matters most if you want a hormonal coil for more than contraception. For example, because of heavy or painful periods, the perimenopause or HRT.
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Whether you want effective contraception, lighter periods, help with endometriosis or the progestogen part of your HRT, our experienced team is here to help.