Drug Database
LE

levonorgestrel (LCS12 / LCS G04209C / MLS)

✓ Approved

Takeda · PGR · Small Molecule

What is levonorgestrel?

levonorgestrel is a small molecule developed by Takeda. It is approved for therapeutic indications via surgical implantation.

Drug Profile

Brand NamesLCS12, LCS G04209C, MLS
CompanyTakeda
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetPGR
RouteSurgical Implantation
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Takeda

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

levonorgestrel acts on 1 molecular target:

PGRprogesterone receptor (NR3C3, PR)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

levonorgestrel is developed for 2 unique indications across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Reproductive system and breast disordersMenstrual disorder✓ Approved
Reproductive system and breast disordersHeavy menstrual bleeding✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedBMC nephrology2026-08-29

Presumably recurrent Ureaplasma parvum infection in a female peritoneal dialysis patient: a case report and literature review.

Lv Yi Y, Ye Chen C, Cao Huanhuan H, Zhang Chun C et al.

Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (PDAP) caused by Ureaplasma parvum (U. parvum) is exceedingly rare, and its diagnosis is particularly challenging due to the organism's biological characteristics and the limitations of conventional detection methods. To date, only sporadic case reports are available, but the diagnostic processes and clinical characteristics of PDAP caused by U. parvum infection have not been comprehensively reported yet. We report a 35-year-old female patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) who experienced three episodes of peritonitis within a six-month period. Despite empirical antibiotic therapy leading to clinical improvement, routine microbiological cultures of the dialysate remained negative during each episode. During the third episode, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of the peritoneal dialysis (PD) effluent finally detected U. parvum as the causative pathogen. Following removing a potential risk factor, an intrauterine device (IUD), and adjusting the antimicrobial therapy to intraperitoneal (IP) levofloxacin and oral azithromycin, the patient achieved complete recovery and successfully resumed PD. Based on this experience, we documented the characteristic clinical profile of such infections and proposed an exploratory clinical diagnosis and treatment flowchart. Patients with recurrent culture-negative PDAP, especially female with an IUD, should be evaluated for U. parvum infection as a potential pathogen. mNGS facilitates the rapid detection of pathogens that traditional methods may fail to identify. Effective management of such infections necessitates not only targeted antimicrobial therapy guided by precise pathogen identification, but also the removal of potential risk factors such as the IUD.

PMID 42665791
Read full article →
PubMedPhotochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology2026-08-28

Photochemical fate of synthetic progestins in sunlit surface waters: experimental kinetics, modeling, and ecotoxicological implications.

de Jesus Juliana Mendonça Silva JMS, de Souza Larissa Pinheiro LP, Dietrich Letícia L, de Oliveira Ribeiro Júlio César JC et al.

This study combines experimental and theoretical methods to explore the photochemical stability of progestins in a climate-sensitive model system for urban reservoirs worldwide, with a focus on the Guarapiranga Reservoir in São Paulo, Brazil. The target contaminants were levonorgestrel (LNG) and gestodene (GES), synthetic progestins used in contraceptive methods. Photoinduced reaction kinetics showed that LNG's indirect photolysis is affected by triplet excited states of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (3CDOM*), hydroxyl radicals (HO·), and singlet oxygen (1O2), in the order 3CDOM* > HO· > 1O2. Conversely, for GES, the sequence was HO· ≈ 3CDOM* > 1O2. Water quality data from 2022 to 2024, along with kinetic modeling, estimated half-lives of 6.9 ± 1.2 days for LNG and 25.8 ± 9.0 days for GES. Density Functional Theory (DFT) analysis identified key reactive sites and degradation pathways, aligning well with experimental results. An ecotoxicological assessment of the photo intermediates using the ECOSAR model showed notable toxicity to daphnia, fish, and green algae, especially after the addition of HO· radicals. These findings offer valuable insights into the environmental fate of LNG and GES in urban surface waters and contribute scientific evidence to decision-making on monitoring and removing emerging contaminants through advanced wastewater treatment technologies.

PMID 42663805
Read full article →
PubMedClinics and practice2026-08-26

Optimal Timing for Intrauterine Device Insertion During the Menstrual Cycle: A Comparative Study of Pain, Bleeding, and Postprocedural Outcomes.

Șerbănescu Lucian L, Mirea Sebastian S, Rotar Vadym V, Vrîncianu Ștefan-Adrian ȘA et al.

Background: Intrauterine device (IUD) insertion is a highly effective contraceptive procedure but is frequently associated with pain and bleeding, which may negatively influence patient acceptance and continuation rates. Although traditionally performed during menstruation, the optimal timing of insertion within the menstrual cycle remains uncertain, with limited data regarding patient-centered outcomes. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of menstrual cycle timing on pain, intra-procedural bleeding, and postprocedural outcomes in women undergoing IUD insertion. Methods: A comparative observational study was conducted including 200 parous women aged 20-40 years. Participants were consecutively enrolled and classified into two groups according to the day of the menstrual cycle at presentation for IUD insertion: Group A (days 3-7 of the menstrual cycle) and Group B (days 10-14). All procedures were performed by the same experienced gynecologist using a standardized technique. Pain was assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), intra-procedural bleeding was graded on a 0-3 scale, and postprocedural outcomes included analgesic use and bleeding characteristics. Statistical analysis was performed using independent t-tests and chi-square tests. Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups (p > 0.05). Mean pain scores were significantly lower in Group B compared to Group A (3.1 ± 1.2 vs. 5.8 ± 1.4, p < 0.001). Intra-procedural bleeding was also significantly reduced in the mid-cycle group, with higher rates of minimal or no bleeding (85% vs. 20%, p < 0.001). The need for postprocedural anti-inflammatory medication was significantly lower in Group B (22% vs. 76%, p < 0.001). Additionally, postprocedural bleeding duration and intensity were reduced in the mid-cycle group. Conclusions: IUD insertion performed during the mid-cycle phase was associated with significantly better tolerability, including reduced pain, less bleeding, and decreased need for analgesia. While current guidelines allow flexible timing, these findings suggest that mid-cycle insertion may be associated with improved patient comfort when clinically feasible to improve patient experience without compromising access to contraception. Further randomized studies are warranted to confirm these results.

PMID 42645134
Read full article →
PubMedJournal of sex research2026-08-25

Impact of Repeated Negative Affective Social Media Content on Acceptability of the IUD.

Beacham Alexa R AR, Gantman Ana A, Golub Sarit A SA

Access to safe and effective contraception is important for the advancement of public health and feminist goals. Unfortunately, social media harbors negative content about contraceptives, specifically the intrauterine device (IUD). Viewing this content repeatedly may deter people from considering IUDs. Value-centered decision-making about contraceptives requires that people are not unduly pressured or biased by external sources. Social media may bias people by overrepresenting negative experiences and reducing acceptability of IUDs. This study examined whether exposure to negative IUD content influenced acceptability of the IUD and evaluated if this effect was mediated by two psychological pathways - the affect heuristic and/or availability heuristic. In an online experimental study, participants (N = 206, MAge=18.9 SD = 2.02) were randomized to view a negative IUD social media exposure or a control condition. Participants self-reported IUD acceptability, dread about the IUD, and likelihood of a negative IUD experience. A two-way ANOVA revealed that acceptability of IUDs among participants exposed to negative content was significantly lower than participants who did not view content. The relationship between social media exposure and lower acceptability of IUDs was serially mediated by the availability heuristic (i.e. perceived likelihood of a negative IUD experience) and the affect heuristic (i.e. feelings of dread about the IUD). Our findings suggest that IUD content may have a harmful impact on acceptability of IUDs, which could have downstream impacts on contraceptive decision-making. This study provided support for two mechanisms: the availability heuristic and the affect heuristic. Future interventions should leverage these mechanisms to mitigate the impact of negative IUD content.

PMID 42641053
Read full article →
PubMedTaiwanese journal of obstetrics & gynecology2026-08-25

Uterine lithiasis triggered by an intrauterine contraceptive device: A case report and literature review.

Ikeda Akihiro A, Iida Yuki Y, Ito Masayuki M, Tsuji Keisuke K et al.

Uterine lithiasis is an extremely rare condition. Although bladder stone formation associated with intrauterine devices (IUDs) has occasionally been described, no previous cases of uterine calculus have been reported in the literature. We report the case of a 78-year-old Japanese woman who presented with abnormal uterine bleeding and abdominal distention. Imaging revealed calcifications extending from the cervix to the bladder, indicating a vesicouterine fistula. A uterine calculus containing a Y-shaped IUD and a bladder stone was identified. The patient underwent an abdominal hysterectomy, bladder stone removal, and fistula repair, which resulted in an uneventful recovery. These findings suggest that the IUD perforated the bladder, served as a nidus for bladder stone formation, and subsequently led to the development of uterine calculi via the fistula. This case highlights the importance of IUD monitoring, timely removal, and clinician awareness of rare complications such as uterine calculi.

PMID 42642159
Read full article →
PubMedEpileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape2026-08-25

The effect of antiseizure medications on the exposure to combined oral contraceptives: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Cohen Hagar H, Mahajna Amnah Omar AO, Ben-Shushan Tomer T, Matok Ilan I et al.

Current recommendations for prescribing combined oral contraceptives (COCs) to people with epilepsy are often conflicting, particularly for weak inducers of cytochrome P450 3A4. We aimed to critically review the literature and compare the antiseizure medication (ASM)-induced changes in exposure to COC components. In this systematic review and network meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42024513792), in accordance with PRISMA 2015/2020, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and FDA documents up to January 2026. Eligible studies were clinical trials assessing induction (≥ 5 days) of ethinylestradiol combined with progestins by ASMs. The areas under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of individual hormones with/without the ASM were indirectly compared. The point estimate was the standardized mean difference (SMD; significant when the 95% confidence interval does not encompass zero). Bias risk was assessed using the PKclin tool. The 17 studies (16 reports) involving 399 individuals and 15 ASMs were all conducted with COCs containing the two progestins least sensitive to enzyme induction and ≥ 30 μg ethinylestradiol. Nine ASMs were studied at doses 13-75% lower than the recommended maximum (median 50%). Brivaracetam (100 mg/day) reduced the exposure to ethinylestradiol more than 1000 mg/day levetiracetam (SMD -10; 95% confidence interval - 0.20-0). The effects of 300 mg/day lamotrigine on ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel were greater than those of 400 mg/day lacosamide (0.18; 0.11-0.25, 0.28; 0.20-0.37). Low-dose (50 mg/day) and high-dose (200 mg/day) topiramate were comparable in their effects on ethinylestradiol and norethindrone, and the low dose did not differ from weak inducers in altering ethinylestradiol exposure. Current recommendations may underestimate ASM effects on exposure to COC components, especially those in newer COCs. Greater caution is recommended with low-dose topiramate. For individuals treated with weak COC inducers without additional contraceptive means, COCs containing levonorgestrel or norethindrone might be preferable given their lower vulnerability to induction.

PMID 42640179
Read full article →

+9996 more articles available with a free account

Sign up free to view all articles →

Ask about levonorgestrel