Acceptability, tolerability, and satisfaction of a contraceptive vaginal ring (the NuvaRing) among Thai women
Article Category: Brief communication (Original)
Published Online: Jan 31, 2017
Page range: 235 - 241
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5372/1905-7415.1003.485
Keywords
© 2016 Somsook Santibenchakul, Unnop Jaisamrarn
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Background
The NuvaRing has demonstrated efficacy and acceptability in a number of clinical studies mostly in western countries. Because of cultural differences and self-administration of the device, it may not be wellaccepted by Thai women.
Objectives
To assess the acceptability, tolerability and satisfaction of Thai women who started to use the NuvaRing.
Methods
The levels of acceptance by 39 clients who began using the NuvaRing were reviewed in this retrospective observational cohort study of clients at a family planning clinic in Bangkok. Ring-related and other adverse events were recorded at the end of second, fourth, and sixth cycles.
Results
Included in this study were clients (38/39; 97%) who used the NuvaRing for six cycles consecutively. Difficulties in removing the NuvaRing were experienced by 13% of the participants and 49% felt transient vaginal discomfort; however, these problems resolved over time. Approximately one third of clients had asymptomatic watery discharges. Of the total of 229 cycles 95.1% were as usual with scheduled bleeding. Seventy-one percent of the clients were very satisfied. Before and after 6 cycles of using the NuvaRing, there were no significant clinical differences between body weight, blood pressure, duration of period, and amount of pads used per cycle found using paired 2-sample
Conclusions
NuvaRing has demonstrated no significant effects on regular cycle continuation and had very few clients experienced adverse events. The acceptability of this device and satisfaction of using it were partly owing to structural, comprehensive counseling, and support provided by the family planning staff.