Levonorgestrel: what is this hormone, and for what does it respond in the body?

Many people are interested in the question: levonorgestrel - what kind of hormone is it? It is a synthetic progestogen that converts the endometrium, minimizes ovulation, preventing the fertilization of the prepared egg. In addition, with its help receptors of the mucous membranes receive a reduced sensitivity. In the article we will consider a preparation containing the named hormone.

Pharmacology

The drug "Levonorgestrel" is an estrogen that prevents the activation of spermatozoa due to the increase in the viscous properties of mucus. The drug inside the uterus locally affects the fallopian tubes, endometrium, the consistency of mucus, resulting in follicle-stimulating hormone reduces its activity.

When ingested, the drug is actively absorbed into the digestive tract, the biopoies are up to 100%. In the blood, its components are concentrated as much as possible with 75 ml once every 60-130 minutes. The hormone in question interacts with plasma and binding globulin components by about 50%.

Metabolism is liver-oriented, with pharmacologically passive metabolites being formed. The main isoenzyme of this hormone is CYP3A4. The half-life can last up to 30 hours.

Properties

In response to the question "Levonorgestrel - what is this hormone?" Should be guided by the instruction to the drug of the same name and the recommendations of the treating doctor. The difference in the total value is about 1.0 ml / min / kg (from the plasma). The hormone is eliminated mainly through the ureter, a small part is removed from the calves.

With systemic therapy, the rate of entry into the uterus is no more than 20 μg daily, and after five years it drops to 11. On average, the rate of hormone release varies around 14 μg / 24 hours for 50-60 months.

Intrauterine therapy is allowed for women with hormone replacement treatment in conjunction with estrogens that do not include a progestational compound. Levonorgestrel is a hormone that enters the plasma 60 minutes after ingestion. The maximum concentration in it is fixed after 14 days of use.

Indications

The use of this drug is possible with intrauterine therapy, as well as in the following cases:

• Menorrhagia of idiopathic orientation.
• Prolonged contraceptive protection.
• Prophylactic measures for the replacement of estrogen.
• Emergency postcoital contraception.

The hormone levonorgestrel, whose action has a vast sphere, should be used only after the doctor's recommendation.

Application and dosage

This drug is activated by intrauterine injection - it is injected into the uterine cavity. Used within 4 days after coition in a volume of 0.75 to 1.5 mg. Emergency specialists are strongly advised not to practice emergency contraception more than once every six months.

To exclude the violation of the menstrual cycle, you must follow the recommended dosage without re-use. Do not use this drug orally as a method of constant contraception, as this provokes side effects and reduces the effectiveness of the drug. In the case of uterine blood formation after emergency contraception, the examination procedure for a gynecologist is strongly recommended, and if menopause is disturbed for more than one week, it is necessary to wait until conception.

Only after a consultative and informed decision of a gynecologist in unusual cases is it possible to use the drug for contraception in minors in case of emergency.

How is the levonorgestrel hormone used?

How does the application of the described hormone affect the body, and what to do to avoid side effects? Many people ask this question. Strict adherence to the recommendations of a specialist, compliance with dosage and following the instructions - this guarantees safe use of the drug.

Before using the IUD it is necessary to undergo an examination of the gynecologist, including check the mammary glands, pelvic organs, and make a cervical smear.

Re-examination is carried out after 30-40 days after the installation of the spiral, then annually, and in the case of the presence of appropriate prerequisites - more often. This intrauterine therapy is effective for 4 to 5 years. Its installation should be handled exclusively by a doctor specializing in this field or having experience with the sorting of the drug in question.

Risks

In women taking drugs with gestagen, there may be an increase in venous thrombosis at a critical moment. With such symptoms, urgent measures for diagnosis and treatment must be urgently taken.

After seizure of the IUD, childbearing is resuscitated in half a year among half of the converted women, after 12 months - more than 96 percent. Contraceptive orientation is less effective for obese patients.

Contraindications

Asked by the question "Levonorgestrel - what kind of hormone is it?" All contraindications should be studied. Among them:

• Super (hyper) sensitivity, thrombophlebitis formations.
• Thromboembolism, change of arteries.
• Diseases of cerebrovascular orientation, pregnancy.
• Concerning the use inside: jaundice (including in the anamnesis), pathological complications of withdrawal of bile or liver, lactation period.
• Sexual maturity.
• In addition, for the IUS - infection of the urogenital node, relapses or active inflammation in the small pelvis, the excesses of postpartum endometritis, acute liver disease.
• Septic abortive intervention in the last trimester, dysplastic transformation of the uterine neck, pathology with a similar bleeding of unknown origin, malignant formations.
• Arrived or congenital anomalies, deforming fibroids.
• Progestogenesis (a tumor, including cancerous lesions of the breast).

Restrictions

The limiting factor is often relevant for therapeutic intervention inside the uterus if the following symptoms or chronic diseases occur:

• Severe headaches, usual and local migraine with visual impairment, other symptomatology, oriented to the possibility of ischemic disease;
• Obvious hypertension of the arterial direction, jaundice, complex destructive processes in the circulatory system, including infarctions and strokes;
• Diabetes sugar.

It is necessary to immediately consult about the elimination of the IUD in the formation or presence of any of these conditions.

Pregnancy and lactation period

Despite the fact that levonorgestrel is a female hormone, its use is unacceptable in pregnancy. If it has occurred, elimination of the system is recommended because any intrauterine contraception increases the risk of premature births and miscarriages. Conduction of uterine sounding or the elimination of the system sometimes leads to miscarriage that occurred arbitrarily. It will be necessary to consult a specialist about the advisability of artificial termination of pregnancy when it is impossible to extract the contraceptive correctly.

If it is impossible to remove the intrauterine system and persevering desire to maintain pregnancy, the patient should be aware of the possible consequences and risks for the child due to early delivery. In such cases, it is necessary to carefully monitor the course of pregnancy. Before the patient should be informed that she should immediately report all the symptoms that would suggest a complication of the process.

Lactation

When breastfeeding and using "Levonorgestrel" about one-tenth of the drug enters the baby's body. Breastfeeding inside for emergency contraception should be discontinued for 1.5 days.

For the therapeutic system, installed intrauterine, as well as for any purely gestagenetic method of contraception, it is characteristic that the application one and a half months after birth does not have a detrimental effect on the development and growth of the child, therefore, the drug most likely does not pose a risk to the fetus at the recommended dosage .

Adverse symptoms

And going back to the question "Levonorgestrel" - what is it? ", Let's consider possible side effects and contraindications of the drug, which can occur in different body systems and represent the following symptoms:

1. From the nervous system: fatigue, depressive state, headache, mood swings.
2. GIT. Vomiting, upset, spasms, bloating.
3. Genitourinary organs. Bleeding, discharge, pain, candidiasis, the likelihood of malignant and benign tumors.
4. Skin rashes, manifestation of eczema, itching, hives, acne.
5. Other: swelling, joint pain, pressure jumps, sepsis.

In rare cases, epileptic seizures, convulsions and fainting are possible.

Combination with other drugs

Studying "Levonorgestrel" (what is this hormone), it is necessary to mention the possibility of its combination with other medicinal and organic preparations. In the case of using the substance in question with inductors of cytochrome P450 isoenzymes, a decrease in efficacy is possible due to an increase in its metabolic processes.

The following medicines may reduce the effect of "Levonorgestrel":

• Group of barbiturates, "Tretinoin", "Carbamazepine", compositions of St. John's wort and containing its composition.
• The effectiveness of anticoagulants, hypoglycemic, anticonvulsant drugs decreases.
• "Levonorgestrel" increases the capacity of glucocorticosteroids in the blood, and is also capable of disorganizing metabolism.
• Due to the inhibition of recirculation of sex steroids, which is due to the reorganization of the intestinal flora, menstrual bleeding may increase with the combined use of certain drugs.

It is impossible not to add, speaking about how Levonorgestrel is used, that this drug causes an increase in the side effects of other medicines, there is no antidote to it. In case of an overdose, symptomatic treatment is required .