It’s OK To Want A Break From Having More Kids

Brought to you by the maker of LILETTA® (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 52 mg.

We get it—you love your kids, but you’d rather step on a sharp-edged toy in the middle of the night (that was supposed to be cleaned up, BTW) than find out you’re pregnant again. Don’t feel guilty. There are many parents who feel the exact way you do when it comes to the idea of having more kids. Just because you don’t want to have another child right now doesn’t mean that your family has stopped growing forever.

There may be hundreds of reasons why you might want to wait to have another kid. To highlight a few, we partnered with the maker of LILETTA (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 52 mg, an FDA-approved IUS, intrauterine system (also known as an intrauterine device or IUD) that’s inserted into the uterus by a healthcare provider to help prevent pregnancy for up to six years. Please see Important Risk Information for LILETTA below.

1. Your Body May Want A Break

People have different reasons to wait. Pregnancy, labor, and delivery are all physically and mentally demanding, as is being a new mom. If you aren’t quite ready to go back to diaper duty, you may want to look into a birth control method that is highly effective. LILETTA is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy for up to six years in women who have or have not given birth to a child. However, LILETTA may not be a suitable option for some women. Those who are or may be pregnant, have a pelvic infection (eg, pelvic inflammatory disease or endometritis), untreated genital infection, certain cancers, unexplained vaginal bleeding, fibroids, or short- term liver disease, get infections easily, or are allergic to its ingredients should not use LILETTA.

After you and your healthcare provider decide that LILETTA is an appropriate option for you, you’ll schedule an in-office visit to have the small, T-shaped device placed in your uterus. LILETTA works by slowly releasing 52 mg of progestin hormone called levonorgestrel (the same kind of hormone that is often used in birth control pills) into your uterus, with only small amounts of the hormone entering your bloodstream.

2. You Can Spend More Time With Your Existing Family

Waiting to have more kids may allow you more time, and you may choose to spend that time with the family or kid(s) you already have. Whether you’re a first-time parent or mother of a few, many people choose to wait on getting pregnant again for this very reason, and that’s OK. If you’re using LILETTA and happen to change your mind and decide your kid(s) needs a little brother or sister, it’s reversible. You can stop using an IUD at any time by asking your healthcare provider to remove it. Keep in mind that LILETTA is approved to prevent pregnancy for up to 6 years and must be removed after that time. Your healthcare provider can place a new LILETTA during the same office visit if you choose to continue using LILETTA as your birth control method. After removing LILETTA, approximately six out of seven women who want to become pregnant will become pregnant within one year.

3. You May Want To Pursue Other Goals

Having a long-term family plan in place may give you back time to focus on whatever it is that demands your attention right now — whether that’s a job, a side gig, or just more time for yourself. If you get the green light from your doctor to move forward with using LILETTA, you’ll have a follow-up visit in four to six weeks time after the insertion to make sure the IUD is in the right position, and then a yearly check-up. Once LILETTA is in place though, you will need to check that it is in the proper position by feeling the threads at least once a month. (There are two thin “threads” at the lower end of LILETTA and they are the only part you should feel when it’s in your uterus. Unlike a tampon string though, these threads do not extend outside your body.) Your healthcare provider should teach you how to check that LILETTA is still in place. If you feel more than just the threads or if you can't feel the threads at all, LILETTA may not be in the right position and may not prevent pregnancy. Use non-hormonal back-up birth control, like condoms and spermicide, and ask your healthcare provider to check that LILETTA is still in the right position.

Why Choosing an IUD As A Birth Control Option May Make Sense For You

We’ve listed some reasons to ask your healthcare provider about LILETTA, including as a long-term birth control method. One important aspect worth noting is that while LILETTA is over 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, it will not protect you from HIV or STDs. Of course, with any medication, it’s important to know the risk information and side effects of LILETTA. Pregnancy with LILETTA is uncommon (less than 1 in 100 women), but it can be life threatening and result in loss of pregnancy or fertility. For those using LILETTA, you should call your doctor immediately if you experience pain or fever shortly after LILETTA is placed (which could indicate a serious and potentially life-threatening infection), have long- lasting or heavy bleeding, unusual vaginal discharge, low abdominal pain, painful sex, chills, or fever (which could be a sign of a pelvic infection). Read up on additional Important Risk Information about LILETTA below.

To learn more about a birth control that is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, talk to your healthcare provider and ask if LILETTA may be right for you.

IMPORTANT RISK INFORMATION

Do not use LILETTA if you:

- Are or might be pregnant; LILETTA cannot be used as an emergency contraceptive

- Have a serious pelvic infection called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or endometritis unless you have had a normal pregnancy after the infection went away (PID occurs in less than 1% of users)

- Have an untreated lower genital infection now

- Have had an infection from an abortion within the last 3 months

- Can get infections easily; for example, if you:

• Have problems with your immune system
• Have multiple sexual partners or your partner has multiple sexual partners
• Use or abuse intravenous drugs

- Have or suspect you might have cancer of the uterus or cervix

- Have bleeding from the vagina that has not been explained

- Have short-term (acute) liver disease or liver tumor

- Have breast cancer or any other cancer that is sensitive to progestin (a female hormone), now or in the past

- Have an intrauterine system (IUS) in your uterus already

- Have a condition of the uterus that changes the shape of the uterine cavity, such as large fibroid tumors

- Are allergic to levonorgestrel, silicone, polyethylene, or barium sulfate

Call your healthcare provider right away if you think you are pregnant. If you get pregnant while using LILETTA, you may have an ectopic pregnancy, which means the pregnancy is not in the uterus. Unusual vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain especially with missed periods may be a sign of ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy can cause internal bleeding. There are also risks if you get pregnant while using LILETTA and the pregnancy is in the uterus. Severe infection and premature labor or delivery can occur with pregnancies that continue with an IUS

Although uncommon, pregnancy while using LILETTA can be life-threatening and may result in loss of pregnancy or fertility

Bleeding and spotting may increase in the first 3 to 6 months and remain irregular. Periods over time usually become shorter, lighter or may stop

Life-threatening infection can occur within the first few days after LILETTA is placed. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you develop severe pain or fever shortly after LILETTA is placed

Some IUS users get a serious pelvic infection called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or endometritis. These are usually sexually transmitted. You have a higher chance of getting PID or endometritis if you or your partner has sex with other partners. PID or endometritis can cause serious problems such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy or pelvic pain that does not go away. More serious cases of PID or endometritis may require surgery. Removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) is sometimes needed. In rare cases, infections that start as PID or endometritis can even cause death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these signs of PID or endometritis: long-lasting or heavy bleeding, unusual vaginal discharge, low abdominal pain, painful sex, chills, or fever

LILETTA may partially go into (become embedded) or go completely through (perforate) the wall of the uterus. If perforation occurs, LILETTA may move outside the uterus and can cause internal scarring, infection, or damage to other organs. You may need surgery to have LILETTA removed if it is embedded or perforation occurs. Risk of perforation is increased in breastfeeding women

LILETTA may come out of your uterus (expulsion). Expulsion occurs in about 4 out of 100 women, most often in the first year of use. You may become pregnant if LILETTA comes out. If you think that LILETTA has come out, use another birth control method like condoms and spermicide or do not have sex (vaginal intercourse) until you are seen by a healthcare provider

Ovarian cysts may occur but usually disappear

LILETTA does not protect against HIV or STDs.

INDICATION

LILETTA® (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 52 mg is a hormone-releasing system placed in your uterus to prevent pregnancy for as long as you want for up to 6 years.

Available by prescription only.

Please also see full Prescribing Information and Patient Information for LILETTA: https://media.allergan.com/actavis/actavis/media/allergan-pdf-documents/product-prescribing/liletta_pi.pdf