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Opciones de acción prolongada

¿Demasiado ocupada para recordar el control de la natalidad? Un DIU o implante puede ser adecuado para usted.

Anticoncepción reversible de acción prolongada (LARC)

Los métodos LARC incluyen:

  • Dispositivo intrauterino (DIU): dispositivos pequeños en forma de T que se colocan en el útero para evitar el embarazo.
  • Implantes: una varilla de plástico delgada del tamaño de una cerilla insertada debajo de la piel de la parte superior del brazo.

Los LARC son las formas más efectivas de control de natalidad reversible. Son seguros y efectivos para la mayoría de las mujeres y adolescentes, y pueden retirarse en cualquier momento en un centro de salud si está lista para quedar embarazada.

Haga una cita con nuestro personal experto para ver si estas opciones son adecuadas para usted.

Nota: Los LARC no protegen contra las infecciones de transmisión sexual. Para protegerse contra las infecciones de transmisión sexual, también use un condón durante las relaciones sexuales.

Low Maintenance LARC Options

Mirena IUD

Mirena is a plastic IUD that releases a small amount of the synthetic hormone progestin to prevent sperm from reaching the cervix.

  • Effectiveness at preventing pregnancy: 99.9%
  • Lasts for up to 7 years

Paragard IUD

Paragard is an IUD made of copper

  • Contains no hormones
  • 98% effective in preventing pregnancy
  • Lasts for up to 12 years
  • Can be inserted as emergency contraception (details further down this page)

Nexplanon Implant

Nexplanon is a thin, matchstick-sized plastic rod that's implanted under the skin of your upper arm.

  • 99% effective in preventing pregnancy
  • Contains etonogestrel, a progestin hormone used in some birth control methods
  • Lasts up to 5 years

The Paragard IUD as Emergency Contraception

The Paragard (copper) IUD works super well as emergency contraception. If you get it put in within 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex, it’s more than 99.9% effective. It’s actually the most effective way to prevent pregnancy after sex.

Another great thing about using the copper IUD as emergency contraception: you can keep it and have really effective birth control that you can use for up to 12 years. The other kind of emergency contraception is the morning-after pill. You can take it up to 5 days after unprotected sex to reduce the risk of pregnancy.

How do IUDs work?

How do IUDs work?

Both copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs prevent pregnancy by changing the way sperm cells move so they can't get to an egg. If sperm can’t make it to an egg, pregnancy can’t happen.

The Paragard IUD uses copper to prevent pregnancy. Sperm doesn’t like copper, so the Paragard IUD makes it almost impossible for sperm to get to that egg.

The hormones in the Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta, and Skyla IUDs prevent pregnancy in two ways: 1) they thicken the mucus that lives on the cervix, which blocks and traps the sperm, and 2) the hormones also sometimes stop eggs from leaving your ovaries (called ovulation), which means there’s no egg for a sperm to fertilize. No egg, no pregnancy.

One of the awesome things about IUDs is that they last for years — but they’re not permanent. If you decide to get pregnant or you just don’t want to have your IUD anymore, your nurse or doctor can quickly and easily take it out. You’re able to get pregnant right after the IUD is removed.

How does the implant work?

How does the implant work?

The birth control implant is a tiny, thin rod about the size of a matchstick. It’s also called Nexplanon and there’s a slightly older version called Implanon. A doctor inserts the implant under the skin of your upper arm. It releases the hormone progestin to stop you from getting pregnant.

The hormones in the birth control implant prevent pregnancy in two ways:

  • Progestin thickens the mucus on your cervix, which stops sperm from swimming through to your egg. When sperm can’t meet up with an egg, pregnancy can’t happen.

  • Progestin can also stop eggs from leaving your ovaries (called ovulation), so there’s no egg to fertilize. When eggs aren’t released, you can’t get pregnant.

One of the awesome things about the implant is that it lasts for a long time — up to 5 years — but it’s not permanent. If you decide you want to get pregnant or you just don’t want to have your implant anymore, your doctor can take it out. You’re able to get pregnant quickly after the implant is removed. You can keep track of your insertion and removal dates using our birth control app