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Sep. 11--Women seeking a long-lasting method of birth control will now have a new option: Implanon.
This is an answer to those women who have never had children and are looking for exactly that. Up until Implanon, the closest option for them was a shot that lasts for only three months.
Implanon is an implantable contraceptive that continuously releases a small dose of progesterone, preventing pregnancy for three years.
This can be used by women over the age of 18 and is the longest-lasting birth control method available for women who have never had any children. Women who have had children previously will now have the option of using an intrauterine device, which lasts from five to 10 years depending on the type, or Implanon for long lasting contraceptive.
Implanon was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in July. Yuma specialists have signed up for the training required to implant the device in patients, said Edie Morgan, nurse practitioner at Women's Health Specialists.
When she found out that this product was going to be available in the United States, "I was relieved," Morgan said.
"I have several patients that will openly admit they are not good pill takers, not comfortable with other birth control â?¦ and are waiting for this to come out," Morgan said.
Jennifer Ramirez is one of the women waiting for this birth control to be available.
She was forgetful when it came time to take the pill every day so she tried alternative birth control methods -- the shot, the ring -- but she wasn't comfortable with any of them, Ramirez said.
Ramirez, 26, and her husband already have a 3-year daughter and a 2-month-old baby and are planning to have more children, but just not now.
She discussed the different birth control methods with Morgan, found out about Implanon and thought "it was a really good idea."
Implanon works by preventing the release of the egg from the ovaries by releasing a small amount of progesterone every day.
It also causes the cervical mucus to change, making it difficult for the sperm to enter the womb, Morgan explained.
The size of a matchstick, Implanon is inserted directly under the skin on the inner part of the upper arm -- the only place it can be placed, she said.
Implanon has already been used for more than eight years in 30 countries by more than 2.5 million women, Morgan said.
This implantable device can be used for three years and needs to be removed once the time is up. If the woman is satisfied with how this type of birth control works, she can have another one implanted immediately after the old one is removed, Morgan said.
On the other hand, if the woman wants to become pregnant, Implanon can be removed at any time. "There is no delay in return of fertility after it's removed, they can start ovulating the next month," Morgan said.
This contraceptive needs to be placed in days one to five of the woman's menstrual cycle, during their menstrual period.
Bleeding may become irregular, or some women may not have it during the three years with the use of this product. This does not affect women in any way because the progesterone keeps the lining of the uterus thin, Morgan said.
It has to be prescribed by a clinician and placed by someone who is trained in the procedure.
Some women may experience adverse reactions such as emotional changes, weight increase, headaches, acne and depression, Morgan said.
This product may be less effective in women who are overweight because the body mass is higher, and in women who are taking medicine that induce liver enzymes, like anti-epileptic medication.
A woman considering using this product should talk to their clinicians if they have or have had diabetes, high cholesterol, headaches, epilepsy, seizures, kidney disease, depression, high blood pressure, breast cancer, liver disease, unexplained vaginal bleeding and allergic reaction to anesthetics or antiseptics.
Although the cost of this procedure is still not known, product manufacturers say it will cost less than the cost of birth control pill for three years, Morgan said.
In Australia, the cost of Implanon is between $300 and $350 for the product only.
"I want something that would be comfortable to have with me and not get pregnant right away," Ramirez said.
Juana Gyek can be reached at jgyek@yumasun.com or 539-6872.
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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