Mirena® | Preparing for Placement

Make an appointment to get Mirena.

If you’ve discussed your birth control options with your healthcare provider and decided Mirena may be right for you, it’s time to schedule an appointment to have your healthcare provider place Mirena into your uterus during a routine office visit.

View common questions about Mirena before your placement appointment.

When should Mirena be placed?

Mirena should be placed within 7 days of the start of your period. If you’ve just had a baby, Mirena should not be placed earlier than 6 weeks after you give birth or as directed by your healthcare provider. Be sure to tell him or her if you are breastfeeding and plan to continue breastfeeding after having Mirena placed.

How is Mirena placed?

Your healthcare provider will place Mirena into your uterus during a routine office visit. You may feel some discomfort during the procedure. Placement typically takes only a few minutes.

He or she will:

• Apply an antiseptic solution to your vagina and cervix

• Pass a thin tube of flexible plastic (the inserter) containing Mirena into your vagina and then into your uterus

• Check to make sure Mirena is positioned correctly

• Withdraw the plastic inserter, leaving Mirena in your uterus

• Ensure that the two threads attached to the stem of Mirena properly extend through your cervix, which help ensure that Mirena is properly placed. This will also help with the removal of Mirena by your healthcare provider when that time comes

• Trim the threads to the appropriate length

Before you leave your healthcare provider’s office:

What you should know after Mirena is placed

• Have your healthcare provider explain how to check the threads of your Mirena once a month

• Schedule a follow-up appointment with your healthcare provider within 4 to 12 weeks. He or she will want to check to see if your Mirena is properly in place

• Consider scheduling your annual check-up at the same time so that you don’t forget. Your Mirena should be checked once a year as part of your routine physical

For detailed information about possible side effects, some potentially serious, please see Mirena Safety Considerations and the Patient Information.

Indications & Usage

Mirena (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) is a hormone-releasing system placed in your uterus to prevent pregnancy for as long as you want for up to 5 years. Mirena also treats heavy periods in women who choose intrauterine contraception.

Important Safety Information About Mirena

Only you and your healthcare provider can decide if Mirena is right for you. Mirena is recommended for women who have had a child.

• Don’t use Mirena if you have a pelvic infection, get infections easily or have certain cancers. Less than 1% of users get a serious infection called pelvic inflammatory disease. If you have persistent pelvic or abdominal pain, see your healthcare provider.

• Mirena may attach to or go through the wall of the uterus and cause other problems. If Mirena comes out, use back-up birth control and call your healthcare provider.

• Although uncommon, pregnancy while using Mirena can be life threatening and may result in loss of pregnancy or fertility.

• Ovarian cysts may occur but usually disappear.

• Bleeding and spotting may increase in the first few months and continue to be irregular. Periods over time may become shorter, lighter or even stop.

Mirena does not protect against HIV or STDs.

Available by prescription only.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects or quality complaints of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

For important risk and use information about Mirena, please see the Full Prescribing Information.