Irregular bleeding for many months and difficulty in removal have caused many to think of it as a problem contraceptive. This is unfair. Norplant is just one of many methods to prevent pregnancy. And when they don't work well, they can cause a lot of misery and inconvenience. The problem is that there is no blood test or fancy scan that can tell a doctor what's the best contraceptive for any individual patient.
Contraception is pretty much trial and error.
If a method doesn't work well, it's time to try another. Similar to what's in Norplant is in a shot called Depo-Provera. A patient could get this shot every three months and have the same protection Norplant offers. But with the shot, she must keep getting them. With the Norplant, turnover is every five years.