Implant Insertion

A contraceptive implant is a small, flexible tube that is approximately 40 mm long which is inserted in your upper arm under the skin. A trained professional (such as your IPSA doctor) inserts the implant and it lasts for three years.

The implant prevents eggs being released from the ovary by releasing progestogen slowly into your body.

My contraceptive implant consultation at IPSA

At your IPSA clinic, a female IPSA doctor will work holistically with you, involving you at each stage of the process. From offering encouragement so that you have the time and space to formulate any questions on the implant that you may have during your full-length consultation, to discussing other methods of contraception with you, and giving you a pregnancy test (to rule out contraception contraindications), your IPSA physician will reach a decision, with your input, on the most suitable method of contraception, tailored to your needs. She will also have a special interest in family planning, and understands the importance of a clean and private setting for carrying out your examination.

You will not have any issues when making an appointment to see your IPSA doctor, as IPSA doctors are available on a 7-day-a-week basis.

If you already have an implant, then your IPSA practitioner is also able to remove that for you immediately when you are at your implant consultation.

Implant insertion: Hormone implants in the arm

The implant is more than 99% effective if it has been inserted correctly, with less than 1 woman in every 1000 getting pregnant in a year when using this implant as their form of contraception.
The implant is useful for family planning when women know that they do not want to become pregnant for a while. Once you have the implant in place, you do not have to consider contraception for three years.
If you cannot use oestrogen-containing contraception, then this can be a useful alternative.
If you find it inconvenient to take a pill each day at the same time, then this is a very useful form of contraception.
The implant can be removed at any time if you experience any side effects, and you will return to your natural fertility level very quickly.
You may feel some swelling, tenderness and bruising around the implant when it is first inserted.
Your periods may become heavier, longer, irregular or lighter for the first year following the implant being fitted; however, this often settles down after a year.
Amenorrhoea (when your periods stop) is a common side effect of the implant. Although this is actually not harmful to you, you might want to think about this before getting an implant.
The implant can become less effective, with additional contraceptive precautions having to be taken when you are using certain other medications.
There is not any protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with the implant. You can protect yourself from STIs by using condoms alongside the implant

As long as both you and your IPSA doctor are fairly sure that you are not already pregnant, the implant can be inserted at any point during your menstrual cycle.

Nexplanon is the main contraceptive implant that is currently in use in the UK. Implanon is also used in the same way as a contraceptive implant.

Nexplanon is a small, thin, 4-cm long flexible tube that is implanted by your IPSA doctor in your upper arm under the skin. The area is numbed using a local anaesthetic and the small wound that has been made is closed up with a dressing. It does not require any stitches.

The Nexplanon implant needs to be replaced (after three years) and it is safe to use if you are breastfeeding.

Removal of any hormone implants in your arm can also be undertaken by your IPSA clinic physician.

If you are thinking about a contraceptive implant, then book your same-day contraceptive implant consultation at IPSA today.