acted according to their view of the rights of the individual versus the powers of the state. In truth, earlier attempts to impose reproductive responsibility have involved abuse and discrimination which have made it more difficult to get such a program in place today, but more and more legal experts are seeing a need for such limitations on reproductive rights. The development of a means for effecting this without a major surgical intrusion, with products such as Norplant, helps reduce fears of abuse (Charo, 1992, 1104).
The Norplant system involves capsules that are implanted in a woman's upper arm. The capsules release a drug called levonorgestrel over a period of three to five years. Norplant was approved by the FDA for long-term contraception. Implantation of the capsules takes 10 to 15 minutes, and a local anesthetic serves to control pain. There is a second version of the system using only 2 capsules and offering contraception for a three year period. The product is highly effective. It also has certain common side effects, including irregular menstrual bleeding, headaches, and breast discharge, but there have been no adverse
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