A comparative study of users of long-term contraceptive subdermal implants and female surgical contraception in Kenya

This was a comparative study of users of Norplant contraceptive, Subdermal implants and LA Minilap, in rural, urban and peri-urban sites in Kenya during 1991-1993. Both methods are very well accepted by well counselled women seeking long-term, continuous, convenient, highly effective contraception. Norplant users had a mean age of 27.3 years, an average of 2.6 living children and 25.3 per cent were unmarried, while 32.9 percent had completed their families. This compares with 31.3 years, 6.2 living children, 0.6 percent unmarried and 100 percent completed families respectively for LA Minilap. Norplant acceptance rates have continued to rise over the few years since programme inception, and now stand at 5.4 percent of all new acceptors. LA Minilap acceptance trends shows a plateau or moderate down-turn at 21.6 percent of new acceptors. The possible reasons and implications of these observations, along with user characteristics are discussed.