Implanon in the under 19’s – an acceptable long-term
method of contraception
A.Deacon
Harrow Contraceptive and Reproductive Health Service – The
North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK
Objective: To assess the acceptability of Implanon as a
long-term method of contraception in the under 19 yrs, by auditing removal rate
before 1 year.
Method: Retrospective review of case notes of all Under
19 yrs fitted with implanon at Caryl Thomas Clinic between February 2002- 05
(n=38).
Results: There has been a 13% increase in the Under 19’s
requesting implanon. Of the 5 implanon removed within the first year following
insertion, only 2 removals were due to unacceptable bleeding patterns, 2 for
medical reasons and 1 as relationship over.
Conclusion: Although only a small cohort the results
support the hypothesis that Implanon is an acceptable method of long-term
contraception in the under 19 yrs. The recent guidance re use of Depo-Provera in
adolescents and the growing acceptability of Implanon as a long-term method of
contraception will have important implications for the expansion of service
provision and costs.