Characteristics and experiences of American women electing for early removal of contraceptive implants.

The study describes the experiences of 430 women who had Norplant(R) contraceptive implants removed prior to the five years of method effectiveness. Each subject was surveyed when the implants were inserted and again at the time of removal. Descriptive data are presented concerning perceptions of the method before insertion and after removal, reactions to the contraceptive and experiences associated with the removal procedure. Subjects' use of Norplant implants ranged from 14 days to 40 months, with a mean of 13.3 and median of 13 months. Over 95% reported changes in menstrual bleeding patterns and 95% experienced other non-bleeding related side effects. Non-bleeding side effects were the most frequently indicated reasons for removal, followed by bleeding changes. The mean removal time was 34 minutes with a median of 25 minutes. Over 48% reported experiencing significant pain during the removal procedure, and 27% stated that the pain was greater than expected. Despite electing for early removal of implants,the majority of women surveyed indicated satisfaction with all aspects of the method save its effect on their overall health. Although method-related side effects were intolerable for most subjects, their overall perception of the method was generally satisfactory.