She looked at options like uterine\u00a0myomectomy<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0uterine fibroid embolization<\/a>, but she wanted kids one day. She feared the potential impact on her future fertility. She searched for an effective medication to treat her fibroids and reduce her\u00a0heavy menstrual bleeding<\/a>. She wanted to get her life back.<\/p>\n For many years, women with fibroids have sought out menstrual cycle control options beyond oral contraceptives, Depo-Provera injections, and Progesterone IUDs. In May 2020, the\u00a0U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Oriahnn<\/a>\u2122 for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids in premenopausal women.<\/p>\n Oriahnn\u2122 is the only FDA-approved oral medication designed to improve and lighten heavy periods caused by uterine fibroids. Fibroids, also called leiomyomas, are benign uterine tumors that grow in the uterus.\u00a0Up to 80%\u00a0<\/a>of women will develop one or more uterine fibroids during their lifetime.<\/p>\n Oriahnn\u2122 is a combination product containing elagolix, estradiol, and a type of progesterone called norethindrone acetate. Elagolix is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist. This term means it suppresses the ovarian sex hormones\u00a0estrogen and progesterone<\/a>, both of which stimulate fibroid growth.<\/p>\n The addition of estradiol and norethindrone acetate adds back some of the female hormones to prevent side effects and help thin out the endometrial lining.<\/p>\n Oriahnn\u2122 is approved for use in premenopausal women to reduce the amount of bleeding caused by uterine fibroids.<\/p>\n Viktoriia Ilina Istock by Getty<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Many women suffering from the effects of fibroids seek a non-surgical treatment to control heavy periods. Medial options allow her to reduce her symptoms without impacting her future fertility. An effective medication will enable her to keep her options open.<\/p>\n Older medications, such as Depo-Lupron (leuprolide acetate), are administered as an injection. This type of medication is costly, poorly covered by insurance companies, and often triggers\u00a0menopausal symptoms\u00a0<\/a>such as hot flashes.<\/p>\n Oriahnn\u2122 comes packaged as a daily oral medication giving women the options to avoid surgery, procedure, or a birth control method. This pill is clinically proven to reduce heavy menstrual bleeding due to uterine fibroids within one month of taking it.<\/p>\n Oriahnn\u2122 is not birth control. Patients using this medication who do not want to get pregnant may want to consider a nonhormonal contraceptive option such as condoms,\u00a0Phexxy<\/a>, spermicide, copper IUDs, or a diaphragm.<\/p>\n Oriahnn\u2122 was studied in two 6-month clinical trials used for FDA approval. These studies included 591 premenopausal women aged 26\u201353 with heavy periods due to sonographically-confirmed uterine fibroids.<\/p>\n The participants measured menstrual blood loss (MBL) for two cycles before starting Oriahnn\u2122 or a placebo. Only those with greater than 80 ml of MBL qualified for the study.<\/p>\n In the first study<\/a>, 68.5% of patients who received Oriahnn showed a reduction in menstrual bleeding compared to 8.7% of patients who received a placebo.<\/p>\n In the second study<\/a>, 76.5% of patients who received Oriahnn showed an improvement in blood loss compared to 10.5% of patients who received a placebo.<\/p>\n Oriahnn\u2122 was proven to lighten heavy periods in\u00a070% of women<\/a>\u00a0with a 50% reduction in menstrual blood loss. During the 6-month clinical trials, only three women required surgery for their uterine fibroids.<\/p>\n Olivier Le Moal IStock by Getty<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n During the clinical trials, about 10% of patients stopped treatment because of any side effects. Of note,7% of women taking the placebo also stopped treatment due to side effects.<\/p>\n The most common reported side effects were hot flashes, headache, fatigue, and irregular uterine bleeding.<\/p>\n All products containing estrogen and progestin combinations increase the risk of thrombotic or thromboembolic disorders, including pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, stroke, and myocardial infarction. A doctor must evaluate a patient\u2019s medical history to determine if these medications are an appropriate option.<\/p>\n Oriahnn\u2122 may increase the risk of bone loss so the FDA approval recommends limited its use to 24 months.<\/p>\n Gynecologists now have a new option to help women with fibroids. Women with fibroids who want to avoid surgery or birth control may want to consider Oriahnn\u2122.<\/p>\n This novel medication, back up by clinical evidence, gives women more choices to reduce menstrual bleeding caused by fibroids.<\/p>\n Thank you to <\/span><\/i>BeingWell<\/span><\/i><\/a> for publishing this article on Medium<\/a>. \u00a0Article originally published on Medika Life<\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Blog Author: Dr. <\/span>Jeff Livingston\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Main Blog Photo By: stefanamer Istock by Getty<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nWhat is Oriahnn\u2122?<\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\nWhy would a woman want to try Oriahnn\u2122?<\/h4>\n
Does Oriahnn\u2122 work?<\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\nWhat side effects for Oriahnn\u2122?<\/h4>\n
A new medical option for fibroids<\/h4>\n
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