What Is a Birth Control Implant?

Finding a form of birth control you can trust gives you confidence that you can enjoy sex without getting pregnant before you’re ready. Today’s many birth control methods offer remarkable rates of effectiveness, with some options preventing over 99% of unintentional pregnancies. 

The birth control implant is among them, with a failure rate of just 0.1% when used correctly. 

Our team of OB/GYNs at The Association for Women’s Health Care in The Loop in Chicago and Northbrook, Illinois, guides you through your choices after reviewing your medical history. We explain each option’s reversibility, rates of effectiveness, and other factors you should consider. 

If the birth control implant is on your shortlist of preferred birth control options, review this guide to learn everything you need to know.

How the implant works

The birth control implant Nexplanon® uses hormones to prevent you from ovulating every month. While many forms of birth control use the hormone progestin in this way, Nexplanon does so in a unique manner.

The implant itself is a tiny rod-shaped device about the size and shape of a matchstick. Through a tiny incision, we place the device under the skin of your upper arm. The implant is flexible, so you can continue moving your arm comfortably. 

Once in place, the implant gradually releases progestin into your bloodstream at a steady rate for reliable results. Progestin works in two ways to stop sperm from reaching a viable egg:

Increasing mucus production

Progestin thickens and increases the mucus from your cervix, making it difficult for sperm to travel through the opening. 

Preventing ovulation

Ovulation happens when your ovaries release an egg each month. Progestin from the birth control implant stops this from happening so there’s no egg for the sperm to fertilize in your fallopian tubes. 

Advantages compared to other contraception 

Nexplanon stands out among forms of contraception for several key reasons. Of course, you have to think about your own health and personal preferences as you make your final decision, but here are a few benefits you can expect from the contraceptive implant:

• Over 99% effective
• Easily reversible by your OB/GYN
• No need to remember to take a pill every day
• No need to interrupt sexual intimacy to arrange your birth control, like a condom
• No estrogen, which means fewer side effects

You don’t need to think about Nexplanon much once it’s in place. In fact, it offers protection for up to five years, but you can have us remove it earlier if you would prefer another method or if you decide to get pregnant. 

After we remove the implant, you can decide if you want to continue using Nexplanon with a new device. 

Book your family planning visit today

Call us at The Association for Women’s Health Care today or schedule an appointment online to compare the birth control implant with other contraceptives.