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The risk of ectopic pregnancy during the first five years of use is reduced compared to noncontraceptive users since NORPLANT® Implants are a highly effective method of contraceptive protection. Although NORPLANT® Implants reduce the total number of ectopics by decreasing the number of pregnancies, any pregnancies which do occur have an increased risk of being ectopic when compared to the risk of pregnancies being ectopic when using most alternative methods of contraception. Therefore, a woman who becomes pregnant while using NORPLANT® Implants should be monitored for signs and symptoms of ectopic pregnancy.
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Because NORPLANT® contraceptive implants provide a high level of protection against all pregnancies during the first five years, the number of ectopic pregnancies is reduced when compared with no contraceptive use. Data suggest that the ectopic pregnancy rate of NORPLANT® implants is similar to the ectopic pregnancy rates for some very effective alternative methods such as female sterilization. However, the percent of any pregnancies which do occur that are ectopic when using NORPLANT® Implants is somewhat higher than the percent of pregnancies which are ectopic when using most other contraceptive methods.
- NORPLANT® Levonorgestrel Implants: a summary of scientific data. New York: The Population Council, 1990.
- International collaborative surveillance of Norplant. Post-marketing surveillance report of NORPLANT®: collaborating agencies progress report. Geneva: WHO, 1996.
- Peterson HB, Xia Z, Hughes JM, Wilcox LS, Tylor LR, Trussell J. The risk of ectopic pregnancy after tubal sterilization. New England Journal of Medicine 1997;336:762-7.
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