A review of the evidence regarding continued effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraceptives beyond their recommended expiration date. James W. Mold, MD, MPH

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Objective: To document the efficacy and safety of etonogestrel subdermal contraceptive implants, levonorgestrel (LNG) intrauterine systems (IUS), and copper (Cu) intrauterine devices (IUDs) for birth control when extended beyond prescription limits.

Data sources: A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Global Health electronic databases.

Study selection: The search identified articles published between January 2000 and June 2023 on long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods and extended duration of use. Publications on LNG subdermal implants or the "frameless" IUD (not marketed in Canada), case reports, case series, animal studies, and publications not written in English or French were excluded.

Synthesis: Twenty-five publications were included. No pregnancies were reported during prolonged use of the etonogestrel-releasing implant for 1 or 2 additional years beyond the recommended limits (783 participants and 306 participants, respectively), nor with the use of the TCu380A IUD for years 8 to 11 (682 participants), 8 to 12 (356 participants), and 11 to 16 (228 participants). No pregnancies were reported with the LNG-IUS in 9 studies with follow-up from 6 to 15 years, while 2 pregnancies were reported during year 6 in 2 studies, and 4 pregnancies during year 7 in 3 studies. The risk of expulsion persisted during prolonged use of the TCu380A device and the 52-mg LNG-IUS. Other adverse events were infrequent.

Conclusion: Prolonged use of LARCs is safe and much more effective than short-acting contraceptive methods. Prolonged use of LARCs might be beneficial for individuals requiring contraception especially those with disrupted access to social and health care services or living in more remote areas.

Author/s:

Edith Guilbert, Hélène Arguin, Mathieu Bélanger