Study: Implantable Contraceptives Work

(WebMD)  Implantable contraceptives are highly effective for preventing pregnancy and seem to be well tolerated by the women who use them, a review of the research shows.

The combined analysis included nine studies comparing different implantable contraceptives. More than four out of five women who participated in the studies had the implants for two years or longer, suggesting that they were satisfied with the birth control method.

The most common side effect with the implants was irregular menstrual bleeding, with cessation of periods increasing with duration of use.

"Menstrual disturbances are common, and these side effects should be explained to women before the implant is inserted so that women can make an informed choice about their contraceptive strategy," says researcher Jo Power of London's Margaret Pyke contraceptive center.

Implantable Contraceptives in the U.S

Implantable contraception has had a rocky history in the U.S and was not even an option for women in this country for several years before 2006.

Exactly one year ago, the FDA approved Implanon, a matchstick-sized implant that delivers a steady dose of the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy for up to three years.

Implanon is inserted by a doctor under the skin of the upper arm, and it can be removed at any time.

The single-rod delivery system for Implanon is designed to minimize the risk of the removal problems that plagued the first implantable contraceptive to become available in North America, Wyeth Pharmaceutical's Norplant.

Approved for sale in the U.S. in 1990, Wyeth stopped marketing the contraceptive here a decade later due to quality-control issues and a rash of lawsuits by women who said they were injured when having Norplant's six rods removed.

Wyeth also market's a two-rod implantable contraceptive outside the U.S. –sold as Jadelle – but has no plans to introduce it here, a company spokeswoman tells WebMD.

The newly published research review, conducted for the independent, health practices analysis group Cochrane Collaboration, found all three implantable contraceptives to be very effective for preventing pregnancy, but there were some differences between them.

Not surprisingly, the one-rod Implanon and two-rod Jadelle proved to be
quicker to implant and remove from the body than the six-rod Norplant.

Menstrual bleeding irregularities were common with all three implants, but
Implanon users were twice as likely as Norplant users to have complete
cessation of periods after two years of use.

More Birth Control Options

Implantable contraceptives are just one of several new non-pill hormonal
birth control options to become available to women in the U.S. within the past few years. Implanon joins the injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera, the contraceptive patch, a progestin-releasing vaginal ring, and a
progestin-releasing intrauterine device, sold as Mirena.

Reproductive health researcher Lawrence Finer, PhD, says the new options are long overdue, but no one method is right for everyone.

Finer is the director of domestic research for the Guttmacher Institute, a
reproductive health research and policy analysis group.

"The more birth control methods there are, the greater than chance that
an individual woman will find a method that's a good fit for her," he
says.

Finer says it is too soon to tell how many women in the U.S. are using
Implanon. But he adds that acceptance of long-term birth control seems to be
growing among American women, as evidenced by the increased use of the
three-month, injected contraceptive Depo-Provera.

"People often ask me what the best birth control method is, but that is
the wrong question," he says. "A better question is, 'What is the best
birth control for me?' Hormonal or non-hormonal, long-term or every day – the best option for one woman isn't necessarily te best for another."

• Do you have questions about contraceptives? Join others on WebMD's Birth Control Support Group message board .

By Salynn Boyles
Reviewed by Louise Chang
©2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved

[pilgrimsway-2009]

Ps. You never had no one in your whole life show you love just once?

[pilgrimsway-2009]

Why does everyone get uptight when it is mentioned that reason for their decisions on abortion is self centered. Why can't they look up and ask what can I do for the baby that I decided to bring into this world. Yes it takes two to bring someone into this world but you could of said no to your lust and yes to marriage and commitment. This way you don't feel guilty when someone asks you do give an account of yourself. You wind up accusing the other person of being judgmental of your actions you know deep in your heart was wrong to begin with. No one is judging you its you reflecting on your actions and you do not want to deal with it. You rather find hypocrisy in all the flaws everywhere else but yourself.

[Netterz]

I raised a child alone, based on my choice not to have an abortion, like the father had wanted done. It was by far, the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. There are far too many circumstances to everyones life, to make judgement and call a person selfless for not wanting to bring a life into this world, of hell on earth. Babies are murdered after there born, found in trash cans, toilets, or the parents arent mature enough to handle it, and beat them to death. Not sure where you were given the right to sit in judgment of anyone elses decision to bring a life into the world, but far too many children are brought into this world and never loved and are constantly abused. Go spend a day with the gov't agencies who supposedly monitor the world of foster care and see how many of those fell thru the cracks. This is the farthest from a perfect world, and getting worse every day. You have no right to judge anyone, on there own personal decision to bring another person into this world. Methods of abortion today are far more better than the way used in the beginning of time. Everyone blames the woman, but it takes 2, and men are just as responsible,then dont feel they need to help raise that child financially, and often rarely want anything to do with the child they didnt want in the first place. Those who sit in judgement, need to pull there heads from the sand. Lets keep bringig more into the world to need gov't assistance, to be shoved thru the system, and grow up unloved.

[drinuk]

pilgrimsway, At the very least this method is open and upfront, unlike the profusion of vaccinations laced with mercury which deliberately render the recipient infertile. 1 in 58 children now alleged to suffer from Autism, how many of those children will go on to raise healthy families.

[pilgrimsway-2009]

Why use contraceptives. Lets just crack the skulls and also let us not to forget to decapitate these defenseless babies in these abortions! Where Oh where will this stop. Where are the people who would defend these helpless babies? Why would mothers cater to being self centered? Why would the fathers continue to be irresponsible? Where is the consciousness of America? I thought this was the land of the free not the dawn of the dead! Where are the voices to silence these crimes that are horrific in our generation? Our liberty bell rings with an inscription on it %u201CProclaim liberty throughout all lands and to all the inhabitants thereof." Will America let the Liberty bell ring for these defenseless babies? Some people cry what about the life of the mother. In today%u2019s world that%u2019s like saying how many angels can dance on the tip of a needle. In the world reality we know of the technology health breakthroughs so it would be very rare. We all know abortion caters to choice, the choice of some choosing to be self centered. That%u2019s why the tables, law, should be turned against the mothers for the right of the unborn baby who knows not of someone choice but the right to love and be loved. I never said no rights for women or man but Equal rights for All, including the babies. We cannot be one sided and exclude the innocent babies. The thread that starts with destroying a life allows other threads to be destroyed allows even our constitution to be cast to ruin.

[pilgrimsway-2009]

Why use contraceptives. Lets just crack the skulls lets break the legs as well and also let us not to forget to decapitate these defenseless babies! Where Oh where will this stop. Where are the people who would defend these helpless babies? Why would mothers cater to being self centered? Why would the fathers continue to be irresponsible? Where is the consciousness of America? I thought this was the land of the free not the dawn of the dead! Where are the voices to silence these crimes that are horrific in our generation? Our liberty bell rings with an inscription on it %u201CProclaim liberty throughout all lands and to all the inhabitants thereof." Will America let the Liberty bell ring for these defenseless babies? Some people cry what about the life of the mother. In today%u2019s world that%u2019s like saying how many angels can dance on the tip of a needle. In the world reality we know of the technology health breakthroughs so it would be very rare. We all know abortion caters to choice, the choice of some choosing to be self centered. That%u2019s why the tables, law, should be turned against the mothers for the right of the unborn baby who knows not of someone choice but the right to love and be loved. I never said no rights for women or man but Equal rights for All, including the babies. We cannot be one sided and exclude the innocent babies. The thread that starts with destroying a life allows other threads to be destroyed allows even our constitution to be cast to ruin.