You’re going to have to excuse my ignorance but I had no idea that women had the option to get birth control implants.
In Ghana, birth control can be a dicey topic depending on who you’re talking to. But technology never stops innovating and these implants are proof of that.
Birth Control Implant
The birth control implant (called Nexplanon) is a tiny, thin rod about the size of a matchstick.
How does it work? The implant releases hormones into a woman’s body that prevent her from getting pregnant. A nurse or doctor inserts the implant into your arm and…that’s it.
The implant is effective for protecting a woman from pregnancy for up to 4 years.
According to Planned Parenthood, the hormones in the birth control implant prevent pregnancy in two ways:
- Progestin thickens the mucus on a woman’s cervix, which stops sperm from swimming through to her egg. When sperm can’t meet up with an egg, pregnancy can’t happen.
- Progestin can also stop eggs from leaving the ovaries (called ovulation), so there’s no egg to fertilize. When eggs aren’t released, a woman can’t get pregnant.
If a woman decides that she wants get pregnant or doesn’t want to have the implant anymore, a doctor can take it out.
The implant has been said to be 99% effective which is pretty high. But it’s not cheap especially if you’re doing the foreign conversion in Ghana. The costs can run up to $850 (which translates to about 3,400 GHC).
Unfortunately, I don’t know if this procedure is available in Ghana. I will have to check and update the article when I find out.
Still, it’s pretty cool how far technology has come, especially in health. Don’t be surprised if men can similar procedures in the future.
Source: Planned Parenthood
