Evaluation of Norplant use among Bangladeshi women.

Abstract

Among 600 women in Bangladesh who initiated use of Norplant, 38% still had their implant at the end of its 5-year life span. To evaluate the contraceptive effectiveness, safety and acceptability of the implant, researchers recruited 200 women from each of 3 clinics in Dhaka who began using the method in 1985. Most of the participants were young (mean age 27), had had little or no formal education and had had an average of 3.4 live births. Participants were followed up at 1, 3, and 6 months after insertion, then every 6 months after insertion, then every 6 months until removal. The 5-year study was completed by 228 (38%) participants; 31 were lost to follow-up. 2 pregnancies were reported during the study; these were believed to have occurred prior to insertion of Norplant. Of the 340 removals during the course of the study, 45% were requested because of menstrual problems, 15% because of other side effects or medical reasons, 20% because the women desired the pregnancy and 20% for other personal reasons. Most of the women (86%) who completed the study planned to continue using a contraceptive method; of these, one-third planned to use Norplant again.