SynthesisArchives of gynecology and obstetrics2025
Subdermal implants vs. levonorgestrel intrauterine devices outcomes in reproductive-aged women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Comparative effectiveness and safety of different progestins in combined oral contraceptives: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2025Pooled it
- Medical Treatment for Endometriosis: One Size Does Not Fit All.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Management of abnormal bleeding in etonogestrel-releasing implant users: quo vadis? An exploratory study on the attitudes of a cohort of Italian gynaecologists and review of the literature.Contraception and reproductive medicine · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeWe aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the outcomes of subdermal implants and levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) in reproductive-aged women.
methodsIn April 2024, we searched Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane trials using the search terms: "etonogestrel", "levonorgestrel" and "randomized controlled trials". We identified 2862 results comparing the LNG-IUS to subdermal implants. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected with no restrictions on language or year of publication.
resultsWe include six RCTs comprising 1503 patients. R Studio was used for statistical analysis. Subdermal implants were associated with a higher risk of dissatisfaction (OR 2.42; 95% CI 1.47-3.98), acne (OR 2.21; 95% CI 1.21-4.04), weight gain (OR 4.63; 95% CI 1.96-10.63), and device removal due to side effects (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.20-3.41) compared to the LNG-IUS group. Subgroup analysis indicated that irregular bleeding may be influenced by gynecological conditions, and the risk of new ovarian cyst detection was lower in healthy women using subdermal implants. Norplant-2 was associated with an increased risk of irregular bleeding and a decreased risk of amenorrhea or infrequent bleeding. The leave-one-out analysis and heterogeneity were well distributed among studies for all evaluated outcomes.
conclusionsReproductive-aged women in use of subdermal implants experienced a higher rate of acne, weight gain, device removal due to side effects and dissatisfaction compared to those in use of LNG-IUS.
trial registrationPROSPERO ID: CRD42024516472.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.