Investigation of the Possible Effects of Injectable and Skin Patch Contraceptives on Selected Haemostatic and Haematologic Parameters in Women Attending Primary Healthcare Centre in Eleme, Rivers State

Abstract

The was a case control and comparative study aimed at investigating the possible effects of injectable and skin patch contraceptives on selected haematologic and haemostatic parameters in women attending primary healthcare centre at Eleme, Rivers State The study population consists of seventy-five (75) apparently healthy, non-pregnant, non- smoking women, aged between 25 and 45years; (31 women on DEPO-PROVERA contraceptive, 14 women on Implanon, and 30 apparently healthy non-contraceptive users as control group). Fibrinogen, antithrombin, tissue plasminogen activator was analysed with reagents prepared by Elabscience, Wuhan, China, using an ELISA machine (STAT FAX-2100). Prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time was done manually with reagents prepared by Quimica Clinica Aplicada S.A, Spain. Haematologic parameters were analysed using SYSMEX KX-21-N auto analyser.  Graph-pad Prism 5.0 was used in analysing all data, p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. For haemostatic parameters, results showed that there was statistically significant increase in mean values of antithrombin (38.48 ± 17.48/ml versus 21.02 ± 15.54ng/ml, p=0.0011) and tissue plasminogen activator (1.34 ± 1.35ng/ml versus 0.28 ± 0.46ng/ml, p=0.0047) in women using the two types of contraceptive, while activated partial thromboplastin time (28.11± 2.37s versus 29.87 ± 2.77s, p=0.0205) was statistically decreased in women on the investigated contraceptives, other haemostatic parameters were not statistically significant. For haematological parameters, the results showed that there was statistically significant increase in mean values of packed cell volume 38.13 ± 2.28% versus 36.21 ± 3.07% (p=0.0126), haemoglobin 12.35 ± 0.79g/dL versus 11.56 ± 0.99g/dL (p=0.0028), white blood cells 6.17 ± 1.22 x109/L versus 5.26 ± 1.18 x109/L (p=0.0143) in women using injectable (DEPO-PROVERA) and skin patch (IMPLANON) contraceptive, other parameters showed no statistically significance. Based on duration of use of contraceptive, there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in women using skin patch; while for injectable, platelet count was high in those who had used it for more than a year. Comparing values obtained from using injectable and skin patch, there was no statistical significant difference in all the parameters. Using analysis of variance to compare values based on parity, there was no statistical significant difference. Conclusively, increase in antithrombin and tissue plasminogen activator, and a decrease in activated partial thromboplastin time in women using IMPLANON (skin patch) and DEPO-PROVERA (injectable) are the haemostatic changes that occurs while using contraceptives and these changes may likely predispose them to bleeding, therefore adequate monitoring of the blood haemostatic processes while taking these contraceptives is critical in order not to expose users to haemorrhage.