Can you get pregnant with Nexplanon?

Nexplanon releases etonogestrel to prevent ovulation and thicken cervical mucus. Pregnancy may be possible if the implant was not inserted correctly, has moved and cannot be located, has been in place beyond its approved duration, or protection had not started when sex occurred. Medicines and herbal products that increase hormone breakdown can also reduce protection.

Irregular bleeding or no bleeding is common with the implant and does not reliably confirm or exclude pregnancy. Symptoms such as nausea, breast tenderness, or tiredness can have many causes, so testing is more useful than guessing from symptoms.

Take a home pregnancy test when appropriate for the timing of sex or when your clinician advises. If it is negative but concern remains, repeat it later or arrange testing with a healthcare professional. Contact the clinic if you cannot feel the implant, recently started a medicine that may interfere, or had sex before protection began.

Use condoms until the situation is clarified. Do not remove the implant yourself. A clinician can confirm pregnancy, review the implant and medicines, and discuss next steps. If you want a different contraceptive after assessment, a hormonal coil is one option to discuss.

Seek urgent medical help for a positive pregnancy test with one-sided lower abdominal pain, shoulder-tip pain, dizziness, fainting, or vaginal bleeding. These symptoms can signal a pregnancy complication and need prompt assessment. Seek help as well for severe abdominal pain even if a test is negative.

Ask when to test, whether any medicine could affect Nexplanon, whether the implant can be felt and is in place, and what contraception and pregnancy care options are available.