Who Can and Cannot Use Implants

Safe and Suitable for Nearly All Women

Nearly all women can use implants safely and effectively, including women who:

• Have or have not had children
• Are not married
• Are of any age, including adolescents and women over 40 years old
• Have just had an abortion, miscarriage, or ectopic pregnancy
• Smoke cigarettes, regardless of woman’s age or number of cigarettes smoked
• Are breastfeeding (starting as soon as 6 weeks after childbirth; however, see p. 129, Q&A 8)
• Have anemia now or in the past
• Have varicose veins
• Are infected with HIV, whether or not on antiretroviral therapy (see Implants for Women With HIV)

Women can begin using implants:

• Without a pelvic examination
• Without any blood tests or other routine laboratory tests
• Without cervical cancer screening
• Without a breast examination
• Even when a woman is not having monthly bleeding at the time, if it is reasonably certain she is not pregnant (see Pregnancy Checklist)

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