Microdose intravaginal levonorgestrel contraception: a multicentre clinical trial. I. Contraceptive efficacy and side effects. World Health Organization. Task Force on Long-Acting Systemic Agents for Fertility Regulation

Abstract

A multicentre clinical trial, including 19 centres in 13 countries, assessed the contraceptive efficacy and clinical acceptability of a Silastic 382 vaginal ring releasing 20 micrograms of levonorgestrel for at least 90 days. A total of 1005 women entered the study and 8176.74 woman-months of experience was gathered. The rate of intrauterine pregnancy at one year of use was 3.6 per 100 women (95% confidence interval 2.2-5.0), and of ectopic pregnancy, 0.2% (one case). The principal reasons for discontinuation were menstrual disturbances (17.2% at one year), vaginal symptoms (6.0%) and repeated expulsion of the ring (7.1%). The pregnancy rate with this 20 micrograms levonorgestrel-releasing vaginal ring compares favourably with that of a low estrogen combination oral contraceptive tested by WHO and is less than half that of a progestogen-only oral contraceptive in a WHO randomized study. It is concluded that the WHO intravaginal ring releasing an average of 20 micrograms of levonorgestrel per 24 hours is an effective method of contraception for at least one year of use.