Birth Control Renewal Reminder

It depends on the exact product. The copper IUD (Paragard) is FDA-approved for up to 10 years. Among hormonal IUDs, Mirena and Liletta are approved for up to 8 years, Kyleena for 5 years, and Skyla for 3 years. The Nexplanon implant is approved for 3 years. The birth control shot (Depo-Provera / DMPA) is different — it's repeated every 13 weeks, with a grace period up to 15 weeks. This tool uses those approved durations to calculate your date. Note that research suggests some devices work beyond their approved dates, but the label duration is what's officially approved.

Once a device passes its approved duration, its reliability for preventing pregnancy is no longer guaranteed, so it should be replaced (or removed) around its expiry to stay protected. There's no danger in it simply reaching the date, but you'd want a new one placed at or before expiry to avoid a gap in protection — and you can usually have the old one removed and a new one placed in the same visit. If you're near or past the date, book with your clinician, and consider a backup method until it's replaced.

The shot is designed to be repeated every 13 weeks, but there's a built-in grace period: it can be given up to 2 weeks late — within 15 weeks of the last shot — without needing a backup method. If you're more than 2 weeks late, you can still get it, but you'll need to use a backup like condoms for 7 days afterward, and consider emergency contraception if you've had unprotected sex recently. Our missed-dose tool covers exactly what to do.

Yes. IUDs and implants are fully reversible and can be removed at any time by a clinician if you want to stop, switch methods, or try to conceive — you don't have to wait for the expiry date. Fertility typically returns quickly after removal. The expiry date is only about how long the device keeps working, not a minimum you're committed to. If you want it out sooner, that's entirely your choice to make with your provider.

No. IUDs, the implant, and the shot are highly effective at preventing pregnancy but offer no protection against sexually transmitted infections — only condoms do. So even with a long-acting method in place, condoms are worth using if STIs are a concern, and it's wise to stay current on testing. Long-acting contraception and STI protection are two separate jobs.

Yes. This tool runs entirely in your browser. The date you enter is used on your own device to do the math and is never sent to a server, saved, or shared — close the tab and it's gone. It's general educational information based on FDA-approved durations; it isn't medical advice and can't replace your records or your clinician.