Starting in November 2024, McKenzie Rieder, a pediatric nurse practitioner for Mountain Family Health Centers in Glenwood Springs, noticed a trend: More young women were asking for long-acting reversible birth control — typically IUDs or small hormonal implants.

Not only that, but more women wanted new IUDs or implants in place before they were due for replacements.

Nexplanon is a small implant inserted into the skin of the upper arm that releases the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy. It lasts for up to three years.

“Women were coming in and saying after a year of having their Nexplanon in place that they wanted to replace it sooner, because they wanted to have more longevity in that contraceptive choice,” said Rieder, because “it would give them an extra year and they just didn't

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