A Five-Year Clinical Experience of Using Norplant Contraceptive Subdermal Implants in Bandar Abbas

Implant insertion is known as an effective, comfortable long acting method of contraception. This study is designed to estimate the effectiveness, side effects, compliance and continuation rate of the levonorgestrel six-rod implants used in Bandar Abbas. In this cross sectional study, 225 women referring to family planning clinics in Bandar Abbas were enrolled. All of the Participants had selected norplant as a measure of contraception. They were interviewed and followed-up for 5 years unless they removed their Norplant earlier. A total of 220 women underwent six-rod implant insertion and after exclusion of 45 women, rest of them (175 women) were observed for a total of 517 women years. No pregnancy observed during the study. The most common side effect was menstrual irregularities (54.8%) which was the main reason for removing norplant in users. Compliance of the participants and continuation rate was 93.71%, 80%, 48.57%, 41.38%, and 31.43% for one, two, three, four an five years respectively. 65.15% of the users approved of this method. The levonorgestrel six-rod implant system is an effective, convenient, long acting and well tolerated method of contraception in Bandar Abbas.