Evaluation of acceptability, safety, and continuation rates of centchroman as postabortion nonsteroidal contraceptive pill.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate acceptability, safety, and continuation rates of centchroman following abortion.

STUDY

DESIGN

Prospective, observational study. Following spontaneous/induced abortion, women were offered centchroman, 30-mg tablet twice weekly for first 3 months, then once weekly with 1 year of follow-up.

RESULTS

Of 120 women who opted for centchroman, continuation rate was 91% at 12 months. There was one case of user failure and one method failure and 26% had infrequent cycles.

CONCLUSIONS

Centchroman is safe, effective, has good acceptance, and continuation rate post abortion with infrequent menstrual cycles as the main limiting factor for its continuation.

IMPLICATIONS: Centchroman, available in Government scheme for contraception, has good acceptance and continuation rate post abortion. Its inclusion in contraceptive choices offered for postabortion contraception can go a long way in spacing of pregnancies, decreasing repeated unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, maternal morbidity, and mortality.