Skip to main content
Log in

Lipid effects of an intrauterine levonorgestrel device or oral vs. vaginal natural progesterone in post-menopausal women treated with percutaneous estradiol

  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

Background: The ideal progestin for combined hormone replacement therapy should be free of adverse effects on lipid metabolism. We therefore examined lipid profiles during continuous hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with an estradiol-gel combined with either a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) or oral/vaginal natural progesterone. Methods: Sixty menopausal women recruited in this open, non-randomised parallel three-group study received percutaneous gel containing 1.5 mg of estradiol daily. Progestin was administered to the women with an LNG-IUD (n = 20), as oral natural progesterone (n = 21) 100 mg daily on the 1 – 25 calendar days of the month or as vaginal progesterone (n = 19) 100 – 200 mg daily on the 1 – 25 calendar days of the month. Serum concentrations for total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were measured at 0, 6 and 12 months. The median (and 95% confidence interval) of the serum SHBG, total, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of the study and the ratio of 6 and 12 months values to baseline values were calculated. Results: Total cholesterol was significantly decreased (8%) in the vaginal progesterone group at the end of the trial. HDL-cholesterol did not change in either of the progesterone groups, while a slight but transient decrease (median 15%) was seen at 6 months in the LNG-IUD group. There were no significant changes in triglycerides or LDL-cholesterol concentrations in any group. SHBG did not change significantly in the LNG-IUD and vaginal progesterone groups, while a slight but transient increase was seen in oral P group at 6 months. Conclusions: As the only significant harmful effect observed was a transient decrease in HDL-cholesterol in the LNG-IUD group at 6 months, each of these HRT-administration methods can be regarded as being safe in their effects on lipid metabolism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received: 14 November 1997 / Accepted: 19 January 1998

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Suvanto-Luukkonen, E., Sundström, H., Penttinen, J. et al. Lipid effects of an intrauterine levonorgestrel device or oral vs. vaginal natural progesterone in post-menopausal women treated with percutaneous estradiol. Arch Gynecol Obstet 261, 201–208 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004040050222

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004040050222

Navigation