These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Irregular bleeding, body mass index and coital frequency in Norplant contraceptive users.
    Author: Pasquale SA, Knuppel RA, Owens AG, Bachmann GA.
    Journal: Contraception; 1994 Aug; 50(2):109-16. PubMed ID: 7956210.
    Abstract:
    Seventy-five women with a mean age of 27.5 years who requested Norplant implants for contraception were studied over a five-year period. The patients kept daily diaries of their vaginal bleeding and coital frequency, and were seen at least every six months at which time their weight was measured. This study examines the impact of Norplant implants use on menstrual regularity, body mass index and coital frequency. Irregular bleeding was most prevalent during the first two years of Norplant implants use and accounted for the primary reason for discontinuation of this method. No increase in Body Mass Index (BMI) was noted in Norplant implants users over the five-year study period. Women with irregular bleeding did not have a higher or lower BMI compared to women with regular bleeding and irregular bleeding patterns did not impact on coital frequency. Over five years, four pregnancies occurred during Norplant implant use. Norplant implants are a highly effective contraceptive method and women using this method should not expect an increase in body weight. Irregular bleeding is most frequent during the first two years of use and menstrual cyclicity resumes in the majority of women by the third year of use and continues to the fifth year of use. Medical researchers recruited 75 women to participate in a 5-year prospective study of Norplant use that examined their bleeding patterns, changes in Body Mass Index (BMI), the effect BMI had on the bleeding pattern, and the effect irregular bleeding had on coital frequency. Clinicians took a complete medical and sexual history and performed a physical and pelvic examination. Follow up visits occurred at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after insertion of the Norplant contraceptive implant and every 6 months thereafter until removal at 5 years. The clients maintained a daily record of coital activity and bleeding/spotting patterns. Thirty women completed 5 years of Norplant use. Irregular bleeding occurred most frequently during the 1st 2 years of Norplant use. Its frequency decreased as duration of Norplant use increased. For example, 22.35% of the women experienced spotting and bleeding between menstrual periods in the 1st year, 12.25% in the 2nd year, and 3.1% at 5 years. BMI was similar for women with and without irregular bleeding patterns. BMI did not change significantly over the 5 years. Irregular bleeding did not affect coital frequency. The mean coital frequency for the women was 18-20 acts of sexual intercourse per month. Irregular bleeding (32%) and planned pregnancy (12%) were the leading reasons for discontinuation of Norplant. Most of the women who quit using Norplant for irregular bleeding reasons did so during the 1st 2 years. Just 5 pregnancies occurred during Norplant use. These results suggest that clinicians should adequately counsel potential Norplant users about irregular bleeding to reduce discontinuation for irregular bleeding.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]