Jadelle®
2×75 MG LEVONORGESTREL
SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTS
UP TO 5 YEARS EFFECTIVE,
REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTION
EFFECTIVE CONTRACEPTION FOR UP TO 5 YEARS
WHAT IS JADELLE®?
Jadelle® consists of two thin, flexible implants that are inserted just under the skin of your arm by a healthcare professional (e.g. doctor, nurse or midwife) to prevent pregnancy for up to 5 years.
KEY FEATURES OF JADELLE®
- It is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy during Years 1-4 and 98.9% effective during Year 5
- It is registered for up to 5 years of continuous use but can be removed at any time by a healthcare professional if you wish to stop using Jadelle® for any reason
- It does not require daily pill taking or regular injections
- Does not affect the quality or quantity of breast milk, so can be used whilst breastfeeding
- It is quickly reversible and does not impact your chance of having a baby in future
HOW DOES JADELLE® PREVENT PREGNANCY?
Jadelle® contains a hormone called levonorgestrel, which is similar to the progesterone hormone made by your body. The levonorgestrel in Jadelle® prevents pregnancy in a number of ways, the most important being:
- Inhibiting ovulation (prevents the release of an egg from your ovaries)
- Thickening the mucus in the cervix making it harder for sperm to reach the egg
WHERE CAN I GET JADELLE®?
Jadelle® is a prescription medicine, and it must be inserted by a specially trained healthcare professional
(e.g. doctor, nurse or midwife).
There are a number of different types of healthcare providers that may offer Jadelle® including:
- Some specially trained GPs, nurses and midwives
- Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa clinics
- Sexual health clinics
- Surgical abortion providers
DEPENDING ON THE PROVIDER, YOU MAY NEED TO ARRANGE TWO VISITS:
VISIT 1: To discuss your contraceptive options and make sure that Jadelle® is right for you and to have any health checks that the provider decides are necessary.
VISIT 2: To have the Jadelle® inserted
If you’re not sure who to speak to first and you don’t have a usual doctor, you may wish to contact Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa. Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa website www.sexualwellbeing.org.nz has a clinic finder so you can find a clinic near you, along with clinic contact details. Appointments are free for women under the age of 22.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Jadelle® device
Jadelle® is a fully funded medicine, which means you should just have to pay the normal pharmacy dispensing fee for Jadelle® itself. If you don’t normally pay for your prescriptions, then Jadelle® may be free. If you are not sure, check with your pharmacist.
Jadelle® insertion
The cost to have Jadelle® inserted can depend on a number of different factors including:
- The healthcare provider that is inserting your Jadelle® (e.g. hospital, midwife, GP clinic, Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa)
- Your personal circumstances (e.g. your age, whether there is special funding available in your local area)
Talk to your healthcare professional or contact Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa for more information about the cost of having Jadelle® inserted.
It is also important to ask where you can have your Jadelle® removed or replaced and how much it will cost, as some healthcare professionals may not provide a removal service, or the cost to have Jadelle® removed may be different to the cost for insertion.
THE PLACEMENT PROCEDURE
Jadelle® consists of two thin, flexible implants about 4 cm long. They are inserted just under the skin in the upper arm by a trained healthcare professional, using a specially designed tool called a trocar.
Talk to your healthcare professional about the best time to have Jadelle® inserted. Depending on your situation you may need to use condoms for a period of time before or after the insertion.
THE INSERTION PROCESS
The area of skin under which Jadelle® will be inserted is cleaned and some local anaesthetic is injected to make the area numb.
A small cut is made in the skin and, using the trocar, the implants are inserted under the skin in the shape of a V.
The small cut is closed with sterile tape and a dressing is placed on the arm.
After the anaesthetic wears off, it is normal to have some tenderness, swelling or bruising at the insertion site for the first few days, but this should not interfere with your everyday activities.
Normal daily activities can be resumed immediately following the insertion of Jadelle®. However, for the first few days avoid heavy lifting or bumping the insertion site.
The insertion site should be kept dry for 3 days to prevent infection. The protective gauze and bandage may be removed after 3 days. The sterile skin closure can be removed as soon as the incision wound has healed, normally after 3 to 5 days.
For more information about what to expect during and after insertion of Jadelle® download a copy of the patient information booklet.
SAFETY INFORMATION
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS FROM USING JADELLE®?
All medicines can have side effects. Some women may experience side effects while using Jadelle®, while others may not experience any. Side effects are most common during the first months after Jadelle® is placed and decrease as time goes on.
Period bleeding pattern changes
Jadelle® is likely to alter your bleeding pattern. For most women these changes gradually lessen with continued use of Jadelle®. The type of bleeding pattern a woman will experience with Jadelle® can’t be predicted and may include bleeding for longer than usual during the first few months of use, bleeding between periods, no bleeding at all for several months, or a combination of these patterns.
A New Zealand study has shown that while 4 out of 5 women are satisfied with Jadelle® after one year of use, around 1 in 10 women will have Jadelle® removed within 12 months due to problems with bleeding.
If you have regular periods while using Jadelle® and they suddenly stop, you should confirm that you are not pregnant or contact your healthcare professional. If you confirm you are pregnant, you must tell your healthcare professional immediately.
Other very common events
The following is a list of events reported by at least 1 in 10 women during clinical trials of Jadelle®. If you are concerned about the possibility of side effects speak to your healthcare professional for advice.
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Fungal infection of the vagina
Vaginal discharge
Pelvic pain
Breast pain
Weight gain
Genital itch
Inflammation of the cervix
Acne
Bleeding at insertion site
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any side effects following insertion of Jadelle®, particularly if they worry you.
More information
Jadelle® must be removed by a healthcare professional. In cases where removal of the rods has been difficult, there have been reports of pain, numbness, tingling and scarring in the upper arm.
For information about other possible side effects – including rare but serious complications – and other important things to be aware of when using Jadelle® speak to your healthcare professional and review the following resources:
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT JADELLE®
Find a contraception provider
PP-PF-WHC-NZ-0036-3. TAPS NP25426D, SEPTEMBER 2026