What New York clinics offer Implanon?

June 29, 2007 6:53 AM

What New York City health clinics, or women's centers, or whatever -- ideally with a sliding scale -- offer Implanon (contraceptive arm implant)?

I know I want Implanon, so this question is not "please try to talk me into other things that might work instead." I have weighed the costs and benefits (data, not anecdotes) of all my options, and for a bunch of reasons I don't want to go into, I think Implanon is the best for my situation. Of course I will discuss it with a doctor when I go in, but I definitely want the doctor to be able to consider Implanon as an option.

So I called Planned Parenthood, and they told me that none of their New York centers insert Implanon. I called the women's health center at my college, and again, the implant is just not something they do. So where can I go instead? I'm sure there are places and organizations I don't know about, so that's where you come in, I hope.

I'm not looking for a gynecologist (everything's always worked just fine, and I recently got a thorough checkup and a clean bill of health) and I especially can't have a doctor I need a referral to see. I just want to go somewhere, have a brief discussion about my medical history and why I want Implanon, then get it (a two-minute procedure) and walk out. Planned Parenthood is happy to do exactly this -- without even a physical exam -- if I want the pill or the ring or the patch or the shot, but I don't. I want the implant.

I am a typical college student, so cheap or a sliding scale would be perfect. Confidentiality is also really important. I'll go anywhere public transportation can take me in the New York metro area. Again, please stay focused on "Implanon is offered at such-and-such place" rather than "maybe such-and-such options would work for you instead."

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (4 comments total)

Have you tried phoning Implanon to ask them?
posted by happyturtle at 8:50 AM on June 29, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Implanon USA has a sign-up form that will alert you if a provider is within x-miles of your zip code. Seems like a good bet.
posted by cior at 9:15 AM on June 29, 2007

Follow-up from the OP

I should have mentioned that a few weeks ago, I did sign up for Implanon to e-mail me, but it doesn't work. Like the rest of the site, it seems not to have been updated for some time. The automatic thanks-for-signing-up e-mail says in part "We will be compiling a list of IMPLANON™ trained healthcare providers and developing an online search tool for the website," but it doesn't actually contain any useful information or links thereto.

I called just now, and was told they don't keep a database, and I'd just have to have my PCP refer me to a gynecologist who does Implanon. I said I've been looking for a clinic type of place, rather than somewhere I'd need a referral to go, and they said the best I could do was call local Planned Parenthoods to see if they provided it. Which takes me back to step one. So, anyone know of any New York clinics that provide Implanon?
posted by jessamyn at 9:33 AM on June 29, 2007

I don't know if this will be of any help, but Dr. Jennifer Wu, an OB/GYN at Lenox Hill Hospital has been interviewed and quoted in articles regarding Implanon. Perhaps she might be able to driect you to clinics in the NYC who offer it? Her phone number is [phone], her address is
108 East 66th Street, Suite 1B
New York, NY 10021.
posted by Oriole Adams at 9:46 AM on June 29, 2007