THE IMPLANT
• A doctor inserts a plastic rod the size of a matchstick into a woman’s upper arm. It releases the hormone progestin and keeps her from releasing an egg for — get this — three full years.
• It’s considered safe for most women, starts working immediately, and stops working as soon as it’s removed.
• According to PlannedParenthood.com, one out of three women who use the implant stop getting their period all together. A friend once told me that not getting a period to let her know she wasn’t pregnant was so nerve-wracking that she took pregnancy tests three months in a row before ditching the implant in exchange for peace of mind.
• It’s crazy effective, with a failure rate of less than 1 percent.
