Does Jadelle cause autoimmune diseases?
Autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma, systemic lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis occur in the general population and more frequently among women of childbearing age. There have been rare reports of various autoimmune diseases, including the ones listed above, in users of the six-capsule Norplant implants; however, the rate of reporting is significantly lower than the expected incidences for these diseases in the general population. Studies have raised the possibility of antibodies being developed against silicone-containing devices; however, the specificity and clinical relevance of these antibodies are unknown. While it is believed that the occurrence of autoimmune diseases among Norplant capsule users is coincidental, health care providers should be alert to the earliest manifestations of such diseases in Jadelle users. In the Norplant postmarketing surveillance study, no significant difference in the risk of autoimmune disease was found between Norplant users and users of nonhormon
