One-Year Assessment of Women Receiving Sub-Dermal Contraceptive Implant at Siriraj Family Planning Clinic
Manopchai Thamkhantho MD, MRCOG, MSc*, Supanee Jivasak-Apimas PhD*, Surasak Angsuwathana MD*, Gessuda Chiravacharadej BSc*, Jarataporn Intawong BA*
Affiliation : * Siriraj Reproductive Health Research and Training Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
Background : The single-rod Implantable contraceptive method, called ‘Implanon’, has been introduced for
use in Thailand since the 1990s. The outstanding attribute was that it requires only a few minutes for insertion
and removal as it has only one capsule. The single-rod implant was used in women at Siriraj Hospital in 2006.
The present study looked at characteristics of women, complications of insertion and removal, menstrual
events that occurred to women during one year of use and reason for removal of the method.
Material and Method: This was a retrospective clinic based study. All women’s record files were examined at
Siriraj Hospital’s Family Planning Clinic. There were 166 women enrolled to undergo this method, and only
89 women (54.6%) came back for the one-year follow-up visit. Women’s accounts on irregularity of menses,
complaints during method used and reason for discontinuation, pregnancy and body weight change were
assessed.
Results : Most women (68%) using the implant contraceptive method were 29 years of age with 74% of
vocational or lower education. Their BMI was 22.66 + 4.06. Insertion time was about 1 minute with no
difficulty or complication. Of those women, 40.4% of them considered having regular menstrual cycle and
30.3% had regular menstrual flow for a few months alternately with no menses for a few months. Prolonged
menstrual bleeding was the most complaint in this group of women. Amenorrhoea was also reported. Vertigo
had occurred to some women without reported medication. One woman asked for the removal of the method
due to pain at the implanted site after 8 months of use. Removal time was around 2-3 minutes. There was no
pregnancy that occurred in the course of one year of use.
Conclusion : Of 89 women using the implant contraceptive method, menstrual irregularity was the important
issue that women complained about. However, the removal of the method in one woman was due to the pain at
the implanted site. There was no difficulty or complications in insertion or removal of the implant. Close
counseling about side effects of the method is emphasized during use to maintain long-term use or until
completion of the duration of the device.
Keywords : Sub-dermal contraceptive implant, Menstruation, Side effects
