When you aren’t ready for a baby or already have all the kids your house can hold, finding the right birth control method becomes a huge priority for women in their childbearing years. Medical science understands that and has spent decades developing better, more effective, safer ways to prevent pregnancy. That’s wonderful news.
But one problem these days is there are so many birth control options available that your head may spin when trying to pick just one. Should you go for the pill? It’s effective if you remember to take it on time. You could opt for injections, but they stop working if you don’t get back to the doctor when you’re due for another. Or how about the diaphragm that you must remember to insert every time you have sex?
All these options have flaws that Nexplanon has addressed. It’s the newest generation of implant and the only one of its type available in the U.S. But is it safe and effective? Dr. Razzaq-Ahmed thinks so. This well-respected primary care physician with a thriving practice in New York, East Meadows Medical, is passionate about women’s health and wellbeing.
She freely admits that Nexplanon isn’t for everyone. For instance, women with a history of blood clots probably should not use Nexplanon. That’s why Dr. Razzaq-Ahmed carefully reviews your medical history and does a thorough evaluation before recommending a birth control method.
Still, she considers it an excellent choice for many of the women who come to her busy clinic and is happy to give five reasons why you should consider Nexplanon for birth control.
- Nexplanon is one of the most effective temporary birth control methods available.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), implant type birth control methods are as effective as intrauterine devices (IUD) and have a slight edge in efficacy over birth control pills.
Nexplanon works by delivering a carefully timed dose of the hormone etonogestrel, a derivative of progesterone, into your bloodstream. This essentially fools your ovaries into believing they’ve already released an egg every month, so they won’t try to release another. No egg means no pregnancy.
Fewer than 1 in 100 women who use Nexplanon become pregnant, while 6-12 out of 100 women using birth control pills become pregnant every year.
- You can become pregnant within days of Nexplanon removal.
If you’re looking for birth control that stops working quickly when you’re ready to have a baby, Nexplanon is a good choice. Your body is typically ready to conceive within just a few days of implant removal.
It can take from four months to a year to become pregnant after you stop injections (Depo-Provera®). Many women who stop birth control pills don’t conceive for six months or longer.
- Nexplanon works long-term, up to three years with just one implant.
One of Nexplanon’s greatest advantages may be its convenience. Injections must be obtained every three months to remain effective. You need to take pills daily, weekly, or monthly. Nexplanon continues to deliver effective birth control for up to three years.
- Nexplanon is easy to implant and is essentially invisible once in place.
You’ll be able to feel the matchstick-size implant once it’s in place, but it’s designed to fade from view. We do the procedure here in the office, and it’s quick and relatively simple.
After numbing the area to prevent discomfort during the process, the doctor inserts the implant under the skin of your upper arm with a specially designed applicator.
We check to make sure we can feel the implant and then cover the area with a pressure bandage that remains in place for 24 hours, followed by a smaller bandage that you’ll wear for three to five days.
- It’s easy to remove a Nexplanon implant when you’re ready to have a baby or if you decide it isn’t for you.
To remove the implant, we first numb the area with local anesthetic and then make a very small incision at one end that allows us to gently pull the implant out of your arm. It’s a lot like removing a splinter with the benefit of a numbing agent to prevent discomfort.
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of Nexplanon or just want to talk about birth control in general, schedule an appointment today at East Meadow Medical P.C. Your long-term health and wellbeing is our primary focus.