Tranexamic acid versus Mefenamic acid for treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding in IUCD users : A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background IUD is the most common method of reversible contraception worldwide. Menorrhagia is the most common complication of using copper IUD. We aimed to compare the effect of tranexamic acid and mefenamic acid on the reduction of copper IUD-induced menorrhagia. Methods 104 women who were using IUD (TCu-380) with complaints of menorrhagia were randomly divided into two equal groups (mefenamic acid and tranexamic acid) in this randomized controlled trial. The pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC) was used to measure their bleeding rate. These groups used the capsules in two consecutive cycles and PBAC chart was completed for the samples in three consecutive cycles. The results were analyzed using statistical tests and SPSS software. All standard ethical principles had been considered. Results According to the study, tranexamic acid significantly reduced the amount of bleeding compared with mefenamic acid in the first cycle (P<0.05). A significant difference was seen in mean bleeding days in the two groups before and after treatment during the first month (P<0.05). In the second cycle, both drug treatments were equally influential on the reduction of bleeding days and decreased the bleeding period. In both groups, a significant difference was observed between the first and second cycles of treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion In treatment of IUD-induced bleeding ,tranexamic acid was more effective than mefenamic acid in emergency setting for reducing bleeding days and amount of bleeding. In addition, it had faster treatment effects in decreasing the amount and number of bleeding days. Keywords: Mefenamic Acid; Tranexamic Acid ; IUD ; Menorrhagia