Levonorgestrel Rod Implants (formerly known as NORPLANT II Implants)

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Recommendations for Contraceptive Use

Levonorgestrel Rod Implants (formerly known as NORPLANT II Implants)

Q.2. Apart from any differences in the effective duration of use, what is the principal advantage of the levonorgestrel rod implants over NORPLANT^Ž Implants?

Recommendations

Rationale

Because there are only two rods to be placed and removed with the levonorgestrel rod implants, the placement and removal procedures take less time than the same procedures for NORPLANT^Ž Implants.

The levonorgestrel rod implants are a set of two 43mm rod implants as compared with the six capsules required for the NORPLANT^Ž Implants. It has been shown that the mean time required for removal of the two rod contraceptive is significantly shorter than the mean time required to remove NORPLANT^Ž Implants. Overall, the mean time required to remove the levonorgestrel rod implants is about half the time needed to remove NORPLANT^Ž Implants.

Sivin I, Viegas O, Campodonico I, Diaz S, Pavez M, Wan L, et al. Clinical performance of a new two-rod levonorgestrel contraceptive implant: a three-year randomized study with Norplant implants as controls. Contraception 1997;55(2):73-80.

Any part of Recommendations for Updating Selected Practices in Contraceptive Use may be reproduced or adapted to meet local needs without prior permission from the TG/CWG Secretariat, provided the TG/CWG is acknowledged and the material is made available free of charge or at cost.

Last Updated: 09 Jul 2003

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