Effect of subdermal contraceptive implant (Implanon®) on hormonal
parameters
M. Inal, K. Ertopçu, C. Nayki, Ü. Nayki, A. Dönmez, S. Vardar, I.
Özelmas, Tinar
SSK (Social Security Agency) Aegean Maternity Hospital, Family Planning
Department, Izmir, Turkey
Objective: To evaluate the hormonal changes in subdermal contraceptive
implant (Implanon®) users at the end of one year.
Material and Methods: Seventy women who accepted subdermal
contraceptive implant application for contraception were enrolled into the study.
Selected hormonal parameters before implant insertion and at 12 months after
implant insertion were tested. The hormonal parameters evaluated were: estradiol
(E2), Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinizing hormone (LH), Prolactin (PRL),
thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4) and free
triiodothyronine (fT3). The menstrual patterns and adverse effects of cases were
recorded. The statistical data were evaluated by t-test.
Results: The mean age of the cases was 28.5 years. The mean number of
gravida was 2.5, mean number of parity was 1.6, mean number of abortions was
0.3, mean number of living children was 1.5. No statistical difference was
observed in between the initial and 12-months’ levels of E2, FSH, LH, fT3, fT4
and TSH (p>0.05), but the change in PRL at the end of one year was found to
be statistically significant (p<0.05). 57.1% (40 women) of the cases were amenorrheic, throughout one year, 40% (28 women) of the cases had regular menstrual patterns after three months of insertion, but 2.8% (2 women) of the cases experienced with severe bleeding irregularities leading to removal of the implant in these two cases at the end nine months. Over 95% of women with dysmenorrhea at baseline noted an improvement at the of one year. Besides acne present at enrolment in 28 cases improved or disappeared at the end of one year in 92.8% (26 cases) of these 28 cases. No pregnancies was observed in any of the cases.
Conclusion: Subdermal implant with etonogestrel do not have important
changes on hormonal parameters of implant users, even if the the women are
amenorrheic. The varying effects of implanon on bleeding patterns must be
evaluated with larger series and comparative studies.
