The study aims to study the clinical and demographic profile of Implanon users, assess the continuation rates of Implanon in the local population, and identify the reasons for removal.
This was a case note-based study in which the data were transferred to a standardized pre-tested proforma.
Of these total 86 examined cases, 26 had completed the full 3-year period; therefore, the continuation rate at three years was 30.2%. At the end of 1 year, the continuation rate was 69.8% and at two years was 44.1%. Of the 60 women who had their Implanon removed before the recommended 3-year period, the most common reason was bleeding irregularity.
This is the first published study set in the UK within a real-life setting to follow up a cohort of Implanon users for the full 3-year period. No contraceptive failures were found, replicating previous clinical trials. The continuation rate in this real-life situation was relatively low compared to clinical trials. This is frequently the case when comparing real-life situations with clinical trials due to higher motivation on clinical trial participants.
Reference: https://srh.bmj.com/content/31/4/310
