Key messages
Adolescents’ social networks are key sources of information about contraceptives. A friend’s personal experience, especially a negative one, can heavily influence an adolescent’s contraception decision-making.
Young people value receiving information about contraceptives and the endorsement of a method by a healthcare professional.
The incidence of difficult removals, migrations and device location failures for Nexplanon is exceedingly rare. Removal of non-palpable implants should be done by skilled specialists.
Kristy, a 17-year-old girl, presents to clinic, having previously had a discussion of her contraceptive options with you. She is sexually active with her boyfriend and does not want to become pregnant. She feels that an implant would suit her and wishes to discuss it further as she has some concerns. Her friend had an implant, but when she requested a removal, she had to be referred to a specialist as the implant was impalpable. Her friend’s experience is putting Kristy off…