The average hormone release rate is 40 microgram per day, enough to ensure effective contraceptive protection. Implanon does not contain estrogen, making it suitable for women who do not tolerate or are contraindicated to estrogens.

The implant can be removed at any time, after which fertility is rapidly restored to pre-implant status. In clinical trials involving over 2,300 women, the implant took an average of just 1.1 minutes to be inserted and 2.6 minutes to be removed. If Implanon is implanted according to instructions - that is, at the right time and in the correct way - it is a very reliable contraceptive method. This was shown in the trials, in which no pregnancies occurred during use over approximately 73,000 monthly cycles. The high reliability is also supported by data obtained following the launch of Implanon. This efficacy is achieved by ovulation inhibition and the fact that, in contrast to some other contraceptive methods, user compliance is not an issue - the Implanon user cannot forget to take the product. However, it is important for women to know that no form of contraception is 100 percent effective.

Like other progestogen-only contraceptives, the use of Implanon is associated with irregular menstrual bleeding and sometimes absence of bleeding, and counseling is required to ensure women make informed choices.

The launch of Implanon® in 1998 represents the culmination of a 12-year research and development program at Organon. This was driven by the desire to produce a novel long-acting method of contraception that does not require any day-to-day action on the part of women, and is highly effective and easy to use.