New contraceptive methods are always being developed and coming to market. For those who don’t want to get pregnant and don’t do well with a contraceptive pill, injection or patch, the Kyleena IUD can be a great option. Want to know more about this type of IUD? So, check out what gynecologist Lorraine Sales explained on this subject.
What is the Kyleena IUD
According to Dr. Lorraine, the Kyleena IUD “is an intrauterine system that releases the hormone levonorgestrel – which is a progesterone – and is indicated to prevent pregnancy. In other words, it is a contraceptive method”.
5 Kyleena IUD Benefits You Need to Know
Anyone who wants to join a new contraceptive method can be in doubt about the advantages of each option, right? For those who are thinking of looking for a professional to perform the Kyleena IUD application, the tip is to take a look at these 5 benefits of this type of IUD listed by Lorraine:
- Extremely effective method: “If you follow 100 women who use Kyleena over a one-year period, less than one will get pregnant because this type of IUD failed.”
- Long-lasting method: “The Kyleena IUD lasts for 5 years and is highly effective! And why is it so effective? Because it is a method that does not depend on the correct use of the patient, so there is no risk of her forgetting to take the pill, apply the injection on the correct date, change the patch, change the vaginal ring, etc”.
- Local action: “Kyleena has a hormone in its composition that is progesterone, but this hormone is in a very low dosage, which makes it have a local action. That is, it is a homonym that will basically act inside the patient’s uterus, it is not a hormone that will be circulating in her body. And because of this, patients do not usually have side effects associated with this systemic hormone!”
- Use of medications without cutting the effect: “Medication that the patient can use throughout her life will not cut the effect of Kyleena, they will not reduce the effectiveness of this IUD. It will continue to act normally, unlike a woman who uses the pill, injection, patch and vaginal ring. With the IUD this does not happen.”
- Indicated for women with a contraindication to estrogen: “women with a contraindication to estrogen (such as patients who smoke, who have migraine with aura, who have already had thrombosis, with a first-degree family history of thrombosis, who are hypertensive, who use blood pressure medication, who have thrombophilia, etc) cannot use methods that have estrogen. Then Kyleena becomes an excellent option!
For these and other benefits of Kyleena to be felt, Lorraine warns of the importance of having an ultrasound exam at least twice a year. “For the IUD to work properly, it needs to be well positioned and it can move out of place over time,” she explains.
Side effects that can occur
The side effects of using Kyleena tend to vary from woman to woman, after all, every body is unique. According to the gynecologist, “because it is a method that has only one progesterone in its composition, the patient may have some recurrent, frequent leaks, very common in any method that only has progesterone”, she says. The doctor also mentioned other effects, which are not common, but can occur:
- Headache;
- Breast tenderness;
- Oiliness and pimples;
- Premenstrual symptoms.
Still on PMS symptoms, Lorraine explains that “Kyleena does not block ovulation for most women. So sometimes the patient puts in an IUD in the hope of having an improvement in PMS symptoms and it doesn’t.”
How does the Kyleena IUD work?
According to the professional, contrary to what many believe, most women who use Kyleena continue to ovulate. So, how does he act and prevent a pregnancy? Lorraine states that “this IUD has a hormonal composition of levonorgestrel that acts locally. And what does he do? It leaves the little layer, inside the uterus, thinner, it doesn’t thicken. In addition, this hormone makes the vaginal mucus thicker, thicker, which makes it very difficult for the sperm to travel to the fallopian tubes, until reaching that egg.”
As for the average price, Lorraine says that it varies a lot, “but the patient will spend more or less from R$1700 to R$2000 and R$2200 to put it on”. Regarding Kyleena’s exchange, the professional emphasizes that it lasts for 5 years, that is, it needs to be exchanged every 5 years. “Although it has this duration, if the patient decides to get pregnant before this IUD expires or she wants to have it removed before age 5, for whatever reason, she can take it out at any time”, she points out.
Kyleena IUD X Mirena IUD
Lorraine explains that both the Mirena and Kyleena IUDs are highly effective contraceptive methods that last for 5 years. “Both have in their composition the hormone called levonorgestrel. Mirena has a total levonorgestrel dosage of 52 milligrams, while Kyleena has a much lower dosage of 19.5 milligrams.
In addition, the size is also different: the Mirena is slightly larger, both in length and in thickness. Kyleena is already smaller and a little thinner.”
To find out which is the best IUD for your body, always consult a trusted professional, ok? Only he can guide you right on these particular issues of each case and each body!
When the Kyleena IUD is not indicated
According to Lorraine, contraindications to the use of Kyleena are “patients who are pregnant, or are suspected of being pregnant. Patient who has abnormal uterine bleeding that you still don’t know why, so you need to find out the reason for this bleeding before inserting the IUD.”
In addition to “women who have uterine alterations, such as a bicornuate uterus, septate uterus, or if the patient has a very large fibroid that ends up distorting the uterus cavity. If she currently has a pelvic infection, you need to treat that infection first and wait a while to insert the IUD.”
Or also, “if the patient had a postpartum infection or a recent miscarriage, she has to wait at least 3 months to insert the IUD. If the patient has liver disease, a liver tumor cannot insert the IUD.”
Frequently asked questions about the Kyleena IUD
Who has the IUD Kyleena menstruates?
Lorraine Sales (LS): “yes! Three things can happen: she may menstruate every month, but with a reduced flow. She may stop menstruating. Or she doesn’t get a regular period, but doesn’t stop menstruating completely and gets sporadic leaks that she can’t control”.
Does he get fat?
LS: “he doesn’t get fat, because he has a local and not a systemic action. With Mirena, sometimes, the patient can retain a little fluid, feel more swollen and this can reflect on the scale. But the patient will not gain 10 kg because she uses Mirena. With Kyleena even less, because this hormone will have a local action”.
Can leakage occur?
LS: “you can! Any method that only has progesterone in its composition is common to have a leak. Although the patient has escape, this does not mean that the method is weak. The effectiveness is exactly the same.”
How long to take effect?
LS: “practically immediate. He inserted this IUD, located this IUD and it is well positioned, it is already working”.
Can I use a menstrual cup with a Kyleena IUD?
LS: “super can! Most of the time, the patient ends up leaving the collector, because it reduces the menstrual flow so much that she doesn’t even need it anymore. However, if she wants to use it, she can. What is the only care? When removing the collector, you have to undo the vacuum so that this IUD does not move and does not come out inside the collector and does not pull the IUD wire”.
Can you use this IUD after giving birth?
LS: can. “Kyleena is a highly effective method and is released during breastfeeding. For postpartum patients it is a very good option, because with the rush of newborn care, it makes it much easier!”
Is the IUD abortifacient?
LS: “No! It makes it as difficult as possible for the egg and sperm to meet. But if the sperm meets the egg, that woman will get pregnant even with an IUD. That is, she will not have an abortion because of the IUD.”
How long after I remove the IUD will I regain fertility?
LS: “the IUD does not take away the patient’s fertility. From the moment she removed this Kyleena, she can get pregnant at any time, not least because most women continue to ovulate with this IUD.”
Although Kyleena is a highly effective method, it does not prevent sexually transmitted infections. So condoms are always welcome! And remember to consult a professional at least once a year to do that general check up and keep your health up to date. For other methods, also read this article on the copper IUD.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.