A 38-year-old woman with heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea wants long acting reversible contraception. Besides contraception, the additional therapeutic benefit offered by the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system is:
- A Marked reduction in menstrual blood loss and relief of dysmenorrhea ✓
- B Protection against pelvic inflammatory disease equivalent to condoms
- C Reversal of perimenopausal vasomotor symptoms
- D Prevention of ovarian cancer comparable to combined pills
Correct answer: A. Marked reduction in menstrual blood loss and relief of dysmenorrhea
Explanation
The LNG-IUS releases levonorgestrel locally, producing decidualized, thin endometrium and suppressed menstruation, making it a first line treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea while providing contraception. It does not prevent STIs or PID, killing option B. Its systemic hormone levels are too low to treat vasomotor symptoms reliably, killing option C. Ovarian cancer risk reduction is a documented benefit of combined oral pills, not the LNG-IUS, killing option D.
Reference: Williams Gynecology, 4th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.