Birth Control Ring
What Is It
The contraceptive ring is a thin, flexible, plastic ring that a woman wears inside the vagina to keep from getting pregnant. It comes in one size that works for most women. The ring has two hormones in it: estrogen and progestin. The hormones slowly go into the woman's body through the skin in her vagina.
The ring works on a 4-week cycle. The woman puts a new ring in once a month. The ring works to prevent pregnancy. But it does not protect against HIV and other STDs. If you are having sex with someone who might give you a sexually transmitted infection, use a condom. TOP
Effectiveness
Perfect user: A person that uses their method of pregnancy prevention correctly all of the time.
Typical user: A person who does not use their method of pregnancy prevention correctly.
With perfect use, the ring is 99.7% effective.
This means that if 100 women use the ring exactly the right way, only 1 woman (and probably no women) out of that group will get pregnant in a year.
With typical use, the ring is 92% effective.
For women who don't always use their ring exactly as directed, 8 women out of 100 might get pregnant in a year. TOP
Advantages
- The ring is very good at preventing pregnancy.
- You only have to put the ring in once a month.
- The ring does not interrupt having sex.
- The ring may make periods lighter and less "crampy".
- The ring may make acne better.
- The ring helps protect against cancer of the ovary and cancer of the uterus.
- The ring does not cause any serious health problems in most women.
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Possible Side Effects
- Changes in menstrual bleeding
- Headaches
- Increased vaginal discharge or irritation
Important: Some women stop using the ring when they have any of these side effects. The side effects won't hurt you or stop you from having a baby in the future. They usually go away in 1 to 3 months. If they bother you, go back to your clinician so that you can be given a different method that may not cause any side effects.
Remember: If you ever stop the ring for any reason, you can get pregnant right away. TOP
Possible Warning Signs
Some signs of possible serious side effects are:
- Dizziness
- Numbness in arms or legs
- Abdominal pain that is severe
- Chest pain
- Bad headache
- Eye problems
- Bad leg pain, swelling, or redness
Important: If you have any of these signs, it could mean you have developed a blood clot. Though this is very rare, it is important that you go to your clinician or an emergency room right away.
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Important Warning
If you see a doctor for any reason, tell the doctor that you are using the ring. Some medicines may keep the ring from working as well. If you need to take one of these medicines, you may need to use a back up method of pregnancy prevention, like condoms, until you finish the medication. Your doctor will tell you if this is necessary. TOP
To Learn More
To learn more about how to use the ring, go to:
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