Implant (Nexplanon)

While the Paragard and hormonal methods that don’t contain estrogen—the shot, the Mirena IUD, the implant and the mini-pill—are safe for people who are postpartum to use immediately after giving birth, combination pills, which contain estrogen, shouldn’t be used until three weeks after giving birth, since estrogen can increase a postpartum person’s risk of blood clots.

Up-front costs can be high if you don’t have insurance, but since the implant can stay in place for up to four years, even at full price you end up paying the equivalent of just $10 a month. Check out our implant page for more details about cost.

The implant can stay in place for up to four years, costing you the equivalent of just $10 a month.If you’re on Medicaid or have private insurance, the implant might be free for you, or at least very cheap, since Medicaid and private insurance often pay for birth control.If those aren’t options for you, check with the family planning clinics around you and find out if they offer discounts or payment plans for the implant.Check out our implant page for more information about costs.

The implant can improve dysmenorrhea (which is severe pain during one’s period). And, since it doesn’t contain estrogen, it can be used by breastfeeding women, smokers over 35, and others who cannot tolerate estrogen.

In a word, no. The best way to guard against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) if you’re having sex is still the good ol’ condom. If you’re concerned about both pregnancy and STIs, doubling up with the implant and condoms is a great option.

The pill is the most popular in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bargain in the long run. For women who know that they don’t want to have a baby for at least a few years—you’re in school, starting a career, or are just not ready—an IUD, the shot, or the implant can save you a bundle of money.

No, most forms of birth control are not effective immediately, so you want to check with you doctor before having unprotected sex. Until then, use a condom for added protection.

Using a method of birth control with estrogen, like the pill, patch, or ring, increases the risk of forming a blood clot, but the risk is so low that if you don’t have any factors that increase your chances of having a blood clot, you can safely use all types of birth control. If you do have an increased risk of blood clots because you’ve had one before you’ve had a stroke or heart attack, or you have a medical condition that increases your risk of a blood clot, like high blood pressure, then adding birth control with estrogen to the mix increases your risk too much and it’s not recommended that you use birth control with estrogen in it. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a birth control method for you! 


If you can’t take estrogen, you have quite a few options available to you. First you have the non-hormonal methods, like the copper IUD. You can also use any of the hormonal methods that only contain progestin, not estrogen, like the implant, mini-pill, shot, and hormonal IUDs, like Mirena, Skyla, Liletta, and Kyleena. These don’t increase your risk of blood clots and are all really good at preventing pregnancy.

If you’re worried about blood clots or don’t know if you have risk factors, talk to a health care provider about which birth control methods are options for you.

Some methods are much easier to hide than others. The shot and the implant are invisible, so nobody will know you’re using birth control. The IUD is also very discrete, so that’s another possibility, though some guys may be able to feel the strings during sex. And if you are looking for a permanent solution, sterilization surgery is also undetectable, but there may be age restrictions and waiting periods for this procedure.

No, the implant is a medical device created by a pharmaceutical company that has no interest in tracking where you’re going.

There may be a delay, but don’t count on it—many women get pregnant soon after stopping the implant, so if that’s not what you want, make sure to start a different method immediately after getting your implant removed. Depending on your body, it can take up to two months to get back to your regular cycle after having the implant removed.

If you’re just not vibing with your choice of birth control, it might be time to switch things up! But before you do, it’s important to take a second to ask yourself some questions to make sure you’re ready. Thinking about why you want to switch methods and what your needs are going forward will help you and your health care provider plan your next steps.

If you’d like to stop your birth control and try to get pregnant, here’s some information about returning to fertility after using different methods of birth control.