Quinacrine nonsurgical female sterilization in Baroda, India: 23 years of follow-up of 84 women.

OBJECTIVES

Evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of transcervical insertion of quinacrine hydrochloride pellets for nonsurgical female sterilization (QS).

METHODS

During the period June 1979 through January 1980, 84 women were admitted to a study at the Baroda Medical College and Hospital, Baroda, India. Our protocol called for three transcervical insertions of 252 mg of quinacrine hydrochloride to be deposited in the uterus of each patient. Follow-up was scheduled at 6, 12 and 48 months after the last administration.

RESULTS

These women were 25 to 39 years of age at the time of the QS procedure and now, 23 years later, have completed their reproductive years. There were 4 pregnancies subsequent to the completion of QS, all prior to their 4-year follow-up. Thus, the life-time failure rate for these women was 3.7%. Complaints were minor, especially when compared to surgical sterilization. There were no long-term effects suspected of being attributable to QS.

CONCLUSIONS

QS appears to be a reasonably effective method that is much safer than surgical sterilization.