Quick Facts
- Highly effective contraception (99.9%)
- Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC), most women ovulate within a month of removal
- Contains 68mg of a slow release progestogen called Etonogestrel
- Single rod (4cm) inserted in inner upper arm
- Simple procedure in office, under local anaesthetic, for insertion and removal
- Used throughout reproductive years, including <18yrs, breastfeeding and menopause
- Few contraindications
Side Effects
- Change in menstrual bleeding pattern:
- 1 in 5 have no bleeding
- 3 in 5 have infrequent or irregular bleeding
- 1 in 5 have frequent or prolonged bleeding
- 50% will improve after 3months, there can be an initial 3-6mth phase of adjustment, and medical options for managing troublesome bleeding
- Other hormonal side effects have been reported:
- including headaches, mood changes, weight gain, breast tenderness, reduced libido
- evidence of direct causation is limited
Insertion Timing
- Traditional:
- inserted days 1-5 of cycle (day 1 = first day of bleeding)
- effective immediately
- Quick Start:
- Inserted at any time in cycle
- Not effective for first 7 days after isertion, alternative contraception (condoms) or abstinence required during this time
- A home pregnancy test may be required 4 weeks after inseration, especially if there has been any unprotected sex/no contraception in 3 weeks prior to insertion