Norplant implants can cause some of the same nuisance side effects as the Pill, including acne, breast tenderness, depression, headaches, nausea and weight gain. Other side effects that have been noted include nervousness and dizziness, skin rash, breast discharge, changes in appetite, and hair loss or growth. But by far the most common side effect of the implants is irregular bleeding.
In the many studies of the system, 60 to 100 percent of users experienced some kind of menstrual change, especially in the first few months. These changes can include bleeding for a longer time than usual per cycle (27.6 percent), spotting between periods (17.1 percent), frequent bleeding onsets (7.0 percent), infrequent or light bleeding (5.2 percent), or no bleeding at all (9.4 percent).
It is important to note that even with these irregular patterns of increased bleeding, women using Norplant implants lose less blood than women with normal menstrual cycles. Studies show that Norplant implant users have higher hemoglobin levels than nonusers do. This could prove beneficial for women prone to anemia.
Here is a list showing the rate of side effects seen during two multinational studies:
| Condition | Study 1 | Study 2 |
| (percentage) | (percentage) | |
| Headache | 16.7 | 18.5 |
| Ovarian enlargement | 11.6 | 3.1 |
| Dizziness | 8.1 | 5.6 |
| Breast tenderness | 6.8 | 6.2 |
| Nervousness | 6.8 | 6.2 |
| Nausea | 5.1 | 7.7 |
| Acne | 4.5 | 7.2 |
| Rash | 3.8 | 8.2 |
| Breast discharge | 3.5 | 5.1 |
| Appetite changes | 3.5 | 6.2 |
| Weight gain | 3.3 | 6.2 |
| Hair loss or growth | 1.8 | 2.6 |
If you are concerned about potential side effects, it might be a good idea to take the implant system for a kind of "test drive" before you pay a lot of money to have the capsules inserted. You can do this by taking a progestin-only OC called Ovrette for a cycle or two. It contains the same progestin as Norplant implants, and should give you some idea of how you will react once the implants are in place.
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Depo-Provera Pros and Cons
Depo-Provera is becoming a popular option with women of all ages. To help you decide if you'd like to try the contraceptive injection, here's a quick list of advantages and disadvantages: Advantages
Disadvantages
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