Women with heavy menstrual bleeding know it can go way beyond a monthly nuisance. It can disrupt family life, work, and physical wellbeing. It also accounts for nearly 19-percent of all trips to the gynecologist in the U.S.

Most turn to traditional treatments like prescription medications or surgery.

Now, a new study suggests an alternative, an intrauterine device, an IUD, which releases the hormone levonorgestrel.

The research, just published in the New England Journal of Medicine, looks at 5-hundred-71 women with heavy bleeding who were randomly assigned traditional medications or the IUD.

All were asked to report on their quality of life over a two-year period. By the end of the follow-up, 64-percent of those with an IUD were still using it, while just 38-percent of those taking the medications were still following their regimen.

As always, ask your medical provider what treatment options are right for you.

I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the information you need to protect your health.