Quality of life of women using the etonogestrel long-acting reversible contraceptive implant after abortion for unplanned pregnancy

Abstract

Objectives

The aims of the study were to investigate the effect of a subcutaneous etonogestrel-containing contraceptive implant on the quality of life (QoL) and sexual function of women who had undergone termination of an unplanned pregnancy.

Methods

At pregnancy termination 140 women received contraceptive counselling on the etonogestrel implant. The Short Form-36 questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index and the Female Sexual Distress Scale were used to investigate, respectively, the QoL, sexual function and sexual distress of the women at baseline and at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months of follow-up.

Results

The study group comprised 86 (61.4%) women who chose to use the contraceptive implant. The control group comprised 28 (20.0%) women who chose to use short-acting reversible contraception (SARC) and 26 (18.6%) women who chose not to use hormonal contraception. In the women not using hormonal contraception there were 23 (88.5%) unintended pregnancies before the end of the 3 year study period. QoL, sexual function and sexual distress improved in the study group from the 6 months follow-up until the end of the study (p < 0.001). QoL (p < 0.02) and sexuality (p < 0.001) gradually improved in the control group after 24 and 12 months of follow-up, respectively. None of the women using the etonogestrel implant became pregnant during the study. Inter-group analysis showed better improvement in QoL, sexual function and sexual distress in the study group than in the control group from 6 months (p < 0.004) until the end of the study (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Compared with SARC and non-hormonal contraception, the contraceptive implant promoted better QoL and sexuality in users and reduced the incidence of unplanned pregnancy. However, the women who opted for SARC or non-hormonal contraception did so because of the lower cost compared with that of the contraceptive implant.

摘要

目的：本研究的目的是调查皮下植入含依托孕烯的避孕药对终止计划外妊娠女性的生活质量（QoL）和性功能的影响。

方法： 140名女性在终止妊娠时接受了关于依托孕烯植入物的避孕咨询, 分别于基线、随访6、12、24、36个月采用简易-36问卷、女性性功能量表和女性性困扰量表分别调查生活质量、性功能和性困扰。

结果：研究组86名女性（61.4%）选择采用避孕药植入物, 对照组28名女性（20.0%）选择采用短效可逆避孕（SARC）和26名（18.6%）女性选择不采用激素避孕。在未采用激素避孕的女性中, 有23例（88.5%）在3年研究期结束前计划外妊娠。从随访6个月到研究结束, 研究组的生活质量、性功能和性困扰均有改善（p<0.001）。对照组在随访24个月和12个月后, 生活质量（p<0.02）和性功能（p<0.001）分别逐渐改善。在研究期间, 采用依托孕烯植入物的女性中没有一人怀孕。组间分析表明, 从随访6个月（p<0.004）到研究结束（p<0.001）, 研究组在生活质量、性功能和性困扰方面的改善情况均优于对照组。

结论：与SARC和非激素避孕相比, 避孕药植入物促进了采用者更好的生活质量和性功能, 并降低了计划外妊娠的发生率。然而, 选择SARC或非激素避孕的女性之所以这样选择, 是因为与避孕药植入物相比, 成本较低。

Keywords:

• Etonogestrel implant
• LARC
• quality of life
• SARC
• sexual function
• unplanned pregnancy

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Scientific Bureau of the University of Catania for language support in writing this article.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and the writing of the article.