Subdermal Implant: our experience in teenagers
A. Pereira, F. Sousa, N. Assunção
Department of Gynaecology, D. Estefnia Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
Introduction: Subdermal implant containing 68 mg of etonogestrel has
been introduced as a contraceptive method in Portugal for two years. In D.
Estefnia Hospital, a Pediatric Hospital, the department of Gynaecology has a
specific consultation for the teenage population. The objective of this work is
the avaliation of subdermal implant in teenagers.
Design and Methods: in two years (2002 and 2003) we have selected 30
teenage girls for this kind of contraception . This is a retrospective study. We
avaliated: age, obstetric indice, duration of use, prior contraceptive method,
associated pathology, the new menstrual pattern, the change in weight and
secondary side effects.
Results: we avaliated thirty (30) girls with ages varied from 11 to 19
years old. Two girls were lost for follow up. Nearly 60% of these girls have a
child or had been pregnant. The depot medroxyprogesterone acetate was the most
common prior contraceptive method. The more frequent menstrual pattern was
amenorrhoea. Mental retardation with or without neurological handicap was the
most associated pathology (20%); other situations were: talassemia minor, cystic
fibrosis and cronic B hepatitis. The variation in weight was not estatistically
significant. In three girls there were side effects: mastodinia (1 ), increased
hirsutism (1 ) and a case of depression we think was multifactorial. No girl
intended to take off the implant. There were no reported pregnancies.
Conclusion: Subdermal implant seems to be a good contraceptive choice
in this group without impact in bone mass. In girls with a neurological problem
who are incapable of self-care the amenorrhoea associated is one more advantage
of this method.
