Review of existing Norplant® acceptor tracking system

Family planning (FP) activities in Indonesia are considered a successful national program. Since its introduction in the 1970s, the total number of active contraceptive users dramatically increased to 21 million couples. The government continuously tries to improve the quality of FP services. New developments in contraceptives at the international level have been monitored to assess the possibility of their application in Indonesia, to broaden the variety of available contraceptives. Norplant® implants were introduced in 1981, and as of 1993 there were more than two million cumulative Norplant users in Indonesia. As a long-term progestin-only contraceptive, this method must be removed or replaced every five years when it is no longer effective. The current statistical feedback from clinic registers and previous studies shows that approximately 15–20 percent of full-term users failed to come for removal. FP managers need to develop an effective but simple mechanism to track the users who are approaching the removal date to remind them. This study offers important information on the preparation of a simple and effective tracking system for Norplant implants in Indonesia