The oestrogen ‘sparing’ effect of implanon: A case report and review

Abstract

This article presents a case study of the 'oestrogen sparing effect' of etonorgestrel especially high lighting its use in a patient with hypoestrogenism following long-term use of depomedroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA); still wishing a long-term reversible method of contraception. There are studies demonstrating the effects of both DMPA and etonogestrel on estrogen status, but evidence is sparse, exploring the possibilities of usage of etonorgestrel following demonstration of hypo-oestrogenism with DMPA usage.

Osteoporosis in a young woman after 6 years of levonorgestrel administration from intrauterine devices?

“…Recently, it was demonstrated that levonorgestrel and etonogestrel, released from subcutaneous implants, are associated with a significant reduction in bone mineral density within the following 36 months 6. On the other hand, levonorgestrel administered via an IUD did not cause bone mineral density reduction as compared with an uterine device not releasing gestagenes7 , 8 or hysterectomy 9. However, the women participating in the latter investigations were clearly older on average than our patient who started using LNg-IUD at the age of 21 years.…”

Implanon: A New Contraceptive Implant

“…Follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) is only partially suppressed, however, allowing some ovarian follicles to develop and produce estrogen (Croxatto & Makarainen, 1998). This is important because it decreases the chance that women using Implanon will become hypoestrogenic and experience problems such as vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, decreased libido, and low bone density (Ogbonmwan, Briggs, & Amu, 2006).…”