Norplant Maker Urges Alternative for Some

The maker of the Norplant contraceptive urged women implanted with certain kits since last October to use another method of birth control while the company continues evaluating whether the kits work. Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, a unit of American Home Products Corp., said it would cover the cost of backup birth control and would reimburse women who wish to have suspect implants removed. The warning concerns about 22,000 contraceptive kits distributed beginning Oct. 20, 1999. Most of the kits have been implanted, but the company is not aware of any pregnancies among women who received them, a Wyeth-Ayerst spokeswoman said. The caution was stronger than the company’s advice last month, when it asked physicians to stop implanting the suspect kits and consider recommending backup birth control for women who were especially worried about getting pregnant.