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Efficacy/advantages

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

  • efficacy - with a failure rate of 1 in 1000, injectable hormonal contraception is more effective than use of the combined pill and female sterilisation (1 in 200 failure) (1)
    • when administered at the recommended dosing interval the failure rate of progestogen-only injectable contraception is approximately 0.2% in the first year of use. With typical use the failure rate is approximately 6% (2)
  • ease and convenience of use
  • use can be kept secret
  • reduced menstrual loss
  • independent of GIT function
  • independent of small intestine
  • not affected by antibiotics
  • avoids pass through the liver
  • fewer metabolic effects
  • can be used when oestrogens contraindicated
  • stimulates erythropoiesis - reduces crises in homozygous sickle cell disease
  • probable reduction in menstrual disorders and gynaecological disease as for combined oral contraceptive - exception of irregular bleeding - but amenorrhoea generally supervenes with regular use
  • reduced incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease

Reference:

  • 1) Prescriber (2001), 12 (5), 83-95.
  • 2) FSRH (December 2014). Progestogen-only injection contraception.

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