Contraception: Contraception with NORPLANT(R) implants

NORPLANT^® progestogen-only implant contraception providesseveral years of effective protection against pregnancy followinga single application. It is reversible whenever desired, withreturn to normal fertility. Drug release and concentrationsare maximal in the first month of use, when a set of six capsulesreleases 85/µg/day of levonorgestrel. Release is 25–30/µg/dayat 60 months. Circulating drug concentrations and pregnancyrates vary inversely with body weight at placement, but evenamong heavier women, failure rates are below those of oral contraceptivesin the general population. Side-effects are most marked at theinitiation of use. Disruption of normal menstrual patterns occursin 70–80% of recipients initially. Menstrual blood lossis decreased, however, and most women experience modest increasesin haemoglobin. Headache, acne, other skin or hair problems,changes of weight and of mood and abdominal pain, are the mostcommon side-effects attributed to NORPLANT^® contraception.The frequency of occurrence of side-effects diminishes withincreased duration of use. The comparative paucity of majorside-effects, coupled with the method‘s convenience andeffectiveness and its very long action have made NORPLANT^®implants highly acceptable in both developing and developedcountries.