The contraceptive has received FDA approval for the prevention of pregnancy in women for up to three years.
Nexplanon should be removed by the end of the third year and be replaced by a new Nexplanon, if contraceptive protection is further desired.
The contraceptive is made of a soft, flexible, medical polymer and is inserted just under the skin of a woman’s upper arm in a minor surgical in-office procedure.
Nexplanon contains a progestin, etonogestrel which prevents pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation, thickening the cervical mucus, and by bringing alterations in the endometrium.