Who can afford a Mirena® for contraception?

INTRODUCTION The Mirena®, a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), is an effective form of contraception that lasts for 5 years. In New Zealand, it is not subsidised for contraception and the device costs NZ$340 at Family Planning clinics. AIM To determine if there is a difference in the socioeconomic status and ethnicity of women who chose an LNG-IUS for contraception compared with women opting for a subsidised long-acting contraceptive (copper intrauterine device (IUD) or Jadelle® implant) or who qualified for a Special Authority Mirena® (funded by Pharmac, as treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding). METHODS All the Mirena®, Jaydess®, IUD and Jadelle® insertions that occurred at Family Planning clinics in 2015 in the Wellington region were identified. The deprivation quintile of current address and ethnicity were determined. RESULTS In the study period, 1410 devices were inserted. Of the self-funded LNG-IUSs inserted, 5% were for women with quintile 5 addresses (areas with the most deprived New Zealand Deprivation (NZDep) scores) and 28% for quintile 1 areas (least deprived NZDep scores). Of the Special Authority Mirenas® inserted, 24% were for women residing in quintile 5 areas and 19%, quintile 1 areas. Self-funded LNG-IUS were chosen by 2.5% of Māori women choosing contraception at study Family Planning clinics and no Pacific Peoples, whereas 21% of New Zealand European women chose LNG-IUS. Special Authority Mirenas® were chosen by 9.5% Māori and 9.6% Pacific Peoples compared to 4% New Zealand Europeans. DISCUSSION Māori, Pacific Peoples and women residing in quintile 5 areas chose self-funded LNG-IUSs less often than Special Authority Mirenas®. This was not the case for the other groups, who showed higher use of self-funded LNG-IUSs than Special Authority Mirenas®.