Birth control ring

The hormonal IUDs, shot, implant, and progestin-only pill have all been shown to overall reduce periods for most people. For some people, that means they don’t get a period at all, but for others it can cause bleeding when you aren’t expecting it even if you have less total bleeding.

You can use the pill or the ring continuously to intentionally skip your period altogether.

It depends on your situation. Unless you’re in a totally exclusive relationship and you and your partner have both been tested recently for every single STI, using condoms with whatever other birth control method you choose is a good idea. Basically, if there’s any chance you or your partner could have an STI, the only way to decrease the risk of transmitting it is by using condoms, internal condoms, dental dams, and/or PrEP, (a medication which decreases the risk of getting HIV.) Other forms of birth control don’t protect against STIs.

Using a condom with another form of birth control is called dual protection. It means you’re being super-safe and protecting yourself against both pregnancy and STIs.

Most birth control methods will not cause weight gain. Everyone’s body responds to birth control differently, but research shows that the pill, patch, the hormonal IUD, the ring, and non-hormonal birth control methods like a copper IUD or condoms don’t cause weight gain (or loss). Studies do show that about 1 in 4 people who use the shot will gain some weight (around 5% of body weight).

Both the Annovera and the NuvaRing are designed to keep in during sex. During the three weeks (21 days) that you have the Annovera in, it’s important not to take it out. But if it ever comes out, make sure to put it back in right away. If Annovera is out of your vagina for more than two hours total during those 21 days, you will need to use a backup method of birth control for seven days after putting it back in.

If you are using the NuvaRing and decide to take it out during sex during the three weeks (21 days) that you have the ring in, make sure to put it back in as soon as possible. If it’s out for more than 48 hours, you’re at risk for getting pregnant, and you’ll need to use a backup form of birth control for 7 days after putting the ring back in. If you leave the NuvaRing out for more than 48 hours during the third week of a cycle, put it back in right away. On the day when you would normally have taken the ring out (day 22 of the cycle, where day 1 is the day you put it in), take it out and put a new one in, skipping your ring-free week. If you don’t put a new one in on that day, you’ll need to use a backup form of birth control until you’ve had a ring in for seven days in a row.


Tampons and menstrual cups do not interfere with the ring’s effectiveness. If your ring is in when you remove your tampon or cup, you might pull it out a bit, which might be annoying if it happens a lot.

When inserting your tampon or cup, make sure that your ring is all the way in first, and then position the tampon or cup afterwards. If you do end up pulling the ring out, you can rinse it in cool water and re-insert it right away.

The ring hardly ever falls out—especially in younger women who haven’t had children. But if it does slip out, you can just rinse it off with cool water and reinsert it. If it’s been out more than a few hours (or you’re not sure how long), make sure to use backup method, like a condom or internal condom, for the next 7 days.

Nope. It won’t. And it won’t get lost inside either.

The ring is effective seven days after you start using it, so be sure to use backup method, like a condom or internal condom, until then.

It’s funny to say, but the ring almost has a sixth sense for getting itself into the right place. If you insert the ring and can’t feel it, you’ve got it in correctly.

If you always change the ring on time, it can be very effective. With perfect use, it’s more than 99% effective. The way it’s typically used, though, it’s around 91% effective.

In other words:

Of those who use the ring exactly as directed, fewer than 1 in 100 will experience an accidental pregnancy during the first year of using this method.

Of those who do not use the ring exactly as directed, 9 in 100 will experience an accidental pregnancy during the first year of using this method.

You shouldn’t feel the ring inside of you. If you do, try pushing it up further into your vagina. Don’t worry, it won’t get lost up there. Promise.

One of the main ways hormonal birth control prevents pregnancy is by stopping ovulation—meaning that the egg never leaves the ovary. The pill, the patch, the ring, and the shot are the methods that are the most reliable at blocking ovulation, so people using these methods may have fewer ovarian cysts. If you tend to get ovarian cysts, your provider may recommend one of these methods to prevent future cysts. The progestin-only pill, also called the mini-pill, has an unpredictable effect on ovulation and may actually lead to more cysts. These cysts almost always disappear on their own, but if you’ve had problems with cysts in the past, the mini-pill may not be the best birth control for you.