Birth Control in Japan - Options?

Hi!

I�fm moving to Japan in January for work and have some concerns regarding birth control.

Currently, I�fm on the birth control shot, but I know that this method isn�ft available in Japan. I was thinking of having an arm implant placed before I leave, but am worried that it will make medical care difficult for me while in Japan if anything were to happen with it. (I know that since implants aren�ft used in Japan, many doctors don�ft really know how to work with them)

The pill makes me incredibly sick, and I can�ft have an IUD placed due to past trauma, so the implant really seems like my best shot, but I�fd really appreciate some differing perspectives and/or advice!

(For me, birth control is incredibly necessary for my physical health, so it�fs unfortunately really not something that I can just stop taking)

Thank you!

From a Japanese woman living in Japan who has used oral contraceptive pills for many years (and now on hormone replacement therapy).

In Japan, as you say, the choices are limited. The kinds of oral contraceptive pills are limited too. What I know my doctor, who is �gpro-pills�h, prescribes are several types of oral pills (a few different types one could try to see if one works better than others) and contraceptive patches – she said the patches should not come off that easily with sweating, but I did not try it, as oral pills worked OK for me. She does not do implants.

Recently I accompanied a non-Japanese friend of mine, who has an implant that is soon to expire. The doctor suggested oral pills, for one thing. For the implant, she suggested a surgeon who should be able to remove it when necessary (but would not be able to place a new one – that doctor�fs field is slightly different, though within feminine care). So the only choice my friend has here is to go on oral pills once the implant expires, and wait till she gets to go visit her home country to get a new one placed, unfortunately.)
By the way, my friend has not had any issue with the implant at all during the past two years or so, so if the active medication in the implant agrees with you (like same with the shot you are getting), it should be fine during use.