Factors affecting Discontinuation of the Once-a-month Injectable Contraceptive (Cyclofem) in Neyshabur, Iran

The developing countries have the contraceptive prevalence rate of 43%. Contraceptive discontinuation accounts for a large number of unintended pregnancies in these countries. The present study aimed to investigate the factors associated with Cyclofem discontinuation.
This historical cohort study was conducted on 198 females, selected through cluster and Poisson sampling techniques. The first dose of Cyclofem was administered one month prior to the research. The data were collected using a questionnaire filled out through interviewing.
During the study period, only 3.94% of the health centers clients selected Cyclofem as a contraceptive method. The mean duration of Cyclofem use was 7.1±8.01 months. The likelihood of contraceptive continuation declined with increased consumption duration. Menstrual complications caused by this contraceptive method included irregular menstruation (35.4%) and neurological problems (14.6%). Furthermore, there were some personal reasons (8.1%) accounting for the discontinuation of this method. The frequency of Cyclofem use decreased with increased rate of menstrual irregularities (P=0.045) and spotting (P=0.020). Based on the participants’ reports, the most frequent complications were the medical ones. However, there was no significant difference between the females who continued Cyclofem use and those who discontinued (P=0.08). The majority of the participants reported no particular non-medical problems. The results revealed that the participants who used Cyclofem for a longer time stopped using this birth control method less commonly than those used it for a shorter time (P As the findings indicated, the most common reason for the discontinuation of Cyclofem was its associated side effects, especially menstrual irrigularities. Therefore, the healthcare providers should emphasize on the adverse effects of Cyclofem prior to recommending this contraceptive method.