Contraceptive implant

The contraceptive implant is a small, bendy plastic rod, about the size of a matchstick, 4cm long and 2mm thick. It contains the hormone progestogen and is placed under the skin in your upper arm by a doctor or nurse.

It gradually releases the hormone progestogen into your bloodstream which stops you from getting pregnant. The hormone prevents the release of an egg each month and also thickens the lining of the cervix making it harder for sperm to pass through. The contraceptive implant lasts for 3 years.

How effective is it?

The contraceptive implant is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. Some medicines, called enzyme-inducing drugs can reduce its effectiveness. These include some of the medicines used to treat HIV, TB, epilepsy and the herbal medicine St John’s Wort. If you are concerned about this you can come and have a chat with one of our specially trained doctors or nurses.

Who can use it?

Most women can use the contraceptive implant and it is safe to use when breastfeeding.  If you have had breast cancer, serious liver disease, or there is a history of heart disease or stroke in your family then it may not be suitable for you. A doctor or nurse at your Devon Sexual Health clinic can talk to you about your health and lifestyle and which form of contraception would be best for you.

Where can I get it?

You can get a contraceptive implant fitted at any of our Devon Sexual Health clinics. You need to book an appointment with one of our doctors or nurses who will ask you some questions about your health and lifestyle to check that the implant is right for you.

Side effects

During the first few months you may experience temporary side effects such as headaches, nausea, breast tenderness and mood swings although these should settle down.

Bleeding patterns can change at any time during use of an implant, some women may notice that their bleeds are less predictable, more frequent or go on for longer than before. If you have bleeding that is a problem for you in the first few months after starting the implant, there is a 50% chance that it will improve.

If your bleeding pattern suddenly changes or you are unhappy with it, please contact our team as there are steps that can be taken to manage your changes and we can ensure that it is not for any other reason e.g. an infection.

For some women, their period may stop altogether. This isn’t harmful and your periods should quickly return to normal once the implant is removed. Some women may also get acne, or their acne may become worse.

Additional information

Having the implant fitted
A doctor or nurse will numb the area before making a tiny cut on your upper arm. The contraceptive implant is then inserted under the skin. The process is very quick and painless. Occasionally the area around the implant can feel quite bruised and tender but this will go fairly quickly. It’s a very quick process and the whole visit shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes.

Removing the contraceptive implant
The doctor will numb the area around the implant before making a tiny cut and pulling the implant out with a pair of tweezers. The cut will be very small and you won’t need stitches.

Your fertility will begin to return as soon as the contraceptive implant has been removed and you will need to think about other forms of contraception.

These videos explain more about fitting and removing of contraceptive implants;

Risks

The wound usually heals with a very small scar. You will be shown how to keep the dressing clean and dry and infection in the wound is rare.

If you think your implant has become infected, or you experience ongoing pain in the area, then please call our team for a review.

Rarely, you may experience ‘pins and needles’ in your arm or hand after the implant procedure. Sensation normally returns to normal over a few hours or days, but please call us if you have any concerns.

You will be shown how to feel for the implant in your arm. If you later cannot feel it, please contact us for a review.

Occasionally, the implant may move slightly from where it was fitted, usually no more than 2cm. There is a chance that the implant is fitted deeper than intended. If we are unable to locate it, then we would refer you to a specialist clinic where the implant will be removed using ultrasound guidance.

Extremely rarely, the implant may be inserted into a blood vessel and may move to a different area of the body. This happens less than 1 in every million implant fittings and an operation would be needed to improve it.

There is research on the risk of hormonal contraception and the risk of breast cancer but it is complicated and hasn’t given any definitive answers. Available research shows that current or recent use may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer, however the overall risk is very low.

For the majority of women, the benefits of using contraception will outweigh the risk.

Pros & Cons