Contraceptive Applications of intrauterine devices
Pregnancy Prevention:
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC): Effective, long-term contraception.
Emergency Contraception:
Copper IUDs: Effective within five days of unprotected intercourse.
Therapeutic Applications
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: Hormonal IUDs reduce blood loss and dysmenorrhea.
Endometriosis: Hormonal IUDs lower local estrogen, reducing growth.
Chronic Pelvic Pain: Hormonal IUDs manage pain in conditions like adenomyosis.
Endometrial Hyperplasia/Cancer Prevention: Deliver progestins to counteract estrogen effects.
Infection Control: Potential to deliver antibiotics for intrauterine infections.
Fertility Control: Research on expanding fertility management options.
Non-Contraceptive Benefits
Bone Health: Indirectly supports bone density by reducing iron deficiency anemia.
Cancer Risk Reduction: Hormonal IUDs reduce endometrial cancer risk.
Emerging Applications
Reproductive Cancer Treatment: Deliver chemotherapeutic agents for localized cancers.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Local hormone delivery for menopause management.
Vaccination Delivery: Research on delivering vaccines directly to the reproductive tract.
These are all major Applications of intrauterine devices.