CLINICAL-PERFORMANCE OF A NEW 2-ROD LEVONORGESTREL CONTRACEPTIVE IMPLANT - A 3-YEAR RANDOMIZED STUDY WITH NORPLANT(R) IMPLANTS AS CONTROLS

In a randomized three-year clinical trial at seven clinics, the perfor mance of levonorgestrel rod (LNG ROD) implants used by 600 women was c ompared with that of soft tubing NORPLANT implants used by 598 women. No pregnancies occurred in either group of women and, accordingly, bod y weight did not affect the efficacy of either type of implant. There were neither statistically significant nor important differences in te rmination rates for any reason over the three years. Complaint and ill ness rates during use of either of the two implant types were statisti cally indistinguishable and were attributable to the same set of condi tions. Seventy-one per 100 of the women using each implant regimen con tinued to the three-year point, for an average annual continuation rat e of 89 per 200. Removals of LNG ROD implants were accomplished in abo ut half the time required for removal of Norplant capsule implants (p < 0.001). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.