title: The safety and complications of Norplant use in Calabar.
abstract: Four hundred and seven Norplant insertions were performed over a 2 year period, from January 1998 to December 1999. The clients were followed up over a period of 36 months ending in June 2002. The overall complication rate was 22.6%, and the cumulative continuation rate was 84.0%. Menstrual bleeding disturbances were the most common reported complication in 50 (12.3%) clients. However, there was no significant change in packed cell volume among those clients. Desire for pregnancy was the most common reason for discontinuing Norplant use in 24 (5.9%) cases. Norplant was inadvertently inserted in a client who was pregnant, 3 months after her last confinement. The implants were removed after 8 week use, and the pregnancy was carried to term. There was no fetal abnormality. Thirty-one (7.6%) clients were lost to follow-up.
authors.affiliation: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, PMB 1278, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. johnekabua@yahoo.com
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ekabua
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Itam
mesh_terms: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004343:Drug Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D009549:Nigeria; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D004343:Drug Implants; D016912:Levonorgestrel