Etonogestrel birth control implant | |
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Implanon
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Background | |
Type | Hormonal Progestin-only implant |
First use | 1998 Indonesia |
Synonyms | etonogestrel contraceptive implant |
Trade names | Implanon, Nexplanon, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | FDA Professional Drug Information |
Failure rates (first year) | |
Perfect use | 0.05% |
Typical use | 0.05% |
Usage | |
Duration effect | 3 years (4 years off-label) |
Reversibility | Yes |
User reminders | Requires removal after the 3–4 years |
Advantages and disadvantages | |
STI protection | No |
Weight | May cause weight gain |
Period disadvantages | May cause irregular or prolonged bleeding |
Period advantages | Minimizes pain. In 33% no periods. |
Benefits | Long-term contraception. |
Etonogestrel birth control implant, sold under the brand names Nexplanon among others, is a device made up of a single rod containing etonogestrel which is used for birth control. It is one of the most effective forms of birth control with a one-year failure rate around 0.05%. The device is placed under the skin and lasts for up to three years. Following removal fertility quickly returns.
Side effects include no menstrual periods, which occurs in about a third of women. Otherwise side effects may include irregular bleeding but are generally few. In those who are overweight earlier replacement may be required. It is not recommended in people with liver disease. The etonogestrel implant is a type of long-acting reversible birth control. It works by stopping ovulation, thickening the mucus around the opening of the cervix, and altering the lining of the uterus.
Etonogestrel implants were approved for medical use in Indonesia in 1998 and in the United States in 2006. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about 8.93 to 13.29 USD. In the United Kingdom the device costs the NHS about 83.43 pounds. The cost in the United States is about 625.00 USD. Etonogestrel implants are approved in more than 90 countries and used by about three million women globally as of 2010.
Nexplanon and Implanon are a type of long-acting reversible contraception, which has been shown to be the most effective form of birth control available. The failure rate of Implanon is .05% for both perfect use and typical use because the method requires no user action after insertion. Prospective follow-up studies of Implanon, which include over 2,467 women-years of exposure, have found no pregnancies. Other studies have found some failures with this method, some attributed to failures of the method itself and others to improper placement, drug interactions, or conception prior to method insertion.