What should you know about the Nexplanon site?

A trained clinician inserts the small flexible rod under the skin of the upper arm, usually on the side that is less used. The area may be tender, bruised, swollen, or covered with a dressing for a short time. You may be able to feel the rod under the skin; being able to feel it can help you notice whether it remains in place. The implant releases etonogestrel, a progestogen that helps prevent ovulation and changes cervical mucus.

Follow the clinic's instructions about keeping the dressing clean and dry, and avoid rubbing or pressing the area while it settles. Do not try to move, remove, or insert the rod yourself. Check the skin for worsening redness, drainage, or opening of the wound, and tell the clinician if you cannot feel the rod or it seems to have changed position. The rod is made from an etonogestrel implant material; discuss the product details with your clinician if you have questions about its contents.

Contact the inserting clinic promptly if pain, swelling, warmth, or redness is increasing rather than improving, or if the site leaks fluid or pus. Seek urgent medical help for severe arm pain, marked swelling, new numbness or weakness, trouble breathing, facial swelling, or a widespread allergic reaction. If you cannot feel the implant, use backup contraception and contact a clinician for advice because its position and contraceptive protection may need checking.

Ask which arm was used, how long the dressing should stay on, and when the site should be reviewed. You can also ask how to check the rod, what to do if it becomes difficult to feel, and whether your medicines could affect contraceptive protection. If you are comparing methods, ask how the implant differs from a hormonal coil.