What is an IUD?
An intrauterine device (IUD), or intrauterine device with hormones, is an contraceptive method whose duration of action is 5 years in the majority of cases.
It broadcasts locally levonorgestrela synthetic progestin hormone that thickens the cervical mucus between the vagina and the uterus.
It is this thickening that blocks the passage of sperm and provides contraception.
What does the study say?
As with all hormonal contraceptives, the use of such a contraceptive may be associated with a risk of depression or of mood disordersrecalls the National Medicines Agency (ANSM) on Tuesday.
To assess whether these risks depend on the levonorgestrel dosage, the EPI-PHARE scientific interest group (GIS) set up by the ANSM and the Cnam studied the consumption of psychotropic drugs (antidepressants, anxiolytics and hypnotics) within two years following the insertion of the IUD, dosed either at 52mg or at 19.5mg of levonorgestrel.
The results of this epidemiological study, published in December in the journal Jama Networkshow that women with an IUD with a higher dosage of levonorgestrel (52mg) have a slightly increased risk of using antidepressants (+13%) in the two years following the insertion of the IUD compared to an IUD lower dose of progestogen.
On the other hand, the study did not show an increase in the use of anxiolytics or hypnotics. “The risks are low, even very low”told AFP Isabelle Yoldjian, the medical director of the ASNM.
“This information does not make it possible to determine a course of action, but to provide additional information and improve the exchange between the practitioner and the patient”she added.
Which IUDs are affected?
The two hormonal IUDs dosed at 52mg of levonorgestrel are the Mirena and the Donasert.
Others, Kyleena et Jaydessare less dosed (19.5mg and 13.5mg).
Sales data show that since 2010, the number of IUDs impregnated with levonorgestrel has been stable in France.
In 2020, around 300,000 women in France were on hormonal IUDs. In 2022, 214,000 women were new users of a Mirena and 130,000 of a Kyleena.
