One-year assessment of women receiving sub-dermal contraceptive implant at Siriraj Family Planning Clinic.

BACKGROUND: The single-rod Implantable contraceptive method, called 'Implanon', has been introduced for use in Thailand since the 1990s. The outstanding attribute was that it requires only a few minutes for insertion and removal as it has only one capsule. The single-rod implant was used in women at Siriraj Hospital in 2006. The present study looked at characteristics of women, complications of insertion and removal, menstrual events that occurred to women during one year of use and reason for removal of the method. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This was a retrospective clinic based study. All women's record files were examined at Siriraj Hospital's Family Planning Clinic. There were 166 women enrolled to undergo this method, and only 89 women (54.6%) came back for the one-year follow-up visit. Women's accounts on irregularity of menses, complaints during method used and reason for discontinuation, pregnancy and body weight change were assessed. RESULTS: Most women (68%) using the implant contraceptive method were 29 years of age with 74% of vocational or lower education. Their BMI was 22.66 +/- 4.06 Insertion time was about 1 minute with no difficulty or complication. Of those women, 40.4% of them considered having regular menstrual cycle and 30.3% had regular menstrual flow for a few months alternately with no menses for a few months. Prolonged menstrual bleeding was the most complaint in this group of women. Amenorrhoea was also reported. Vertigo had occurred to some women without reported medication. One woman asked for the removal of the method due to pain at the implanted site after 8 months of use. Removal time was around 2-3 minutes. There was no pregnancy that occurred in the course of one year of use. CONCLUSION: Of 89 women using the implant contraceptive method, menstrual irregularity was the important issue that women complained about. However, the removal of the method in one woman was due to the pain at the implanted site. There was no difficulty or complications in insertion or removal of the implant. Close counseling about side effects of the method is emphasized during use to maintain long-term use or until completion of the duration of the device.

Preliminary report on characteristics of women participating in the meeting of the Oral Contraceptive Pill Members Club at Siriraj Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Oral Contraceptive (OC) services are not frequented a lot in Siriraj Hospital. Therefore, the OC services initiated the Siriraj OC Members Club to increase the number of OC users, develop a 'one-stop-service' clinic and a 'help line' to assist women cope with the side effects during OC use, and provide proper information. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Hospital personnel who worked at Sirriaj Hospital were informed about the program of the Siriraj OC Members Club by posters, leaflets, hospital website, and word of mouth. Those who registered as members participated in the half-day meeting of the program. Questionnaire assessment was distributed to all members who attended the meeting. RESULTS: The average age ofparticipants was 31.4 years. The lowest education level was secondary school and the highest was doctorate. Most married members have used at least one kind of contraceptive method OC's and condoms were the most common contraceptive method used in the past. Their source for obtaining OC was drug stores. In general, most women had had irritability and depression. Almost all women expected to have more information about advantages and disadvantages of OC use to cope with fear and side effects of OC use. CONCLUSION: Women who attended the meeting still need accurate and full information about the OC's. This program proposed to provide them with up-to-date and correct information about the OC. Furthermore, the one-stop-service will save their time and the help-line will assist them to cope with the side effects of OC use.