Monthly birth control ring (NuvaRing)

It depends on when you put the ring in and if you are switching from a hormonal method of birth control. The ring is effective immediately if you get it inserted within 5 days of the start of your period, you’re switching from another method of hormonal birth control that you’ve been using consistently, it’s been less than 7 days since a first or second-trimester pregnancy ended, or you gave birth in the last 21 days. Otherwise, it will take 7 days after you insert the ring for it to be effective at preventing pregnancy. So, you’ll need to use a backup method, like condoms or internal condoms if you have sex during that time.

Depending on the type of ring you use and how consistently you change the ring on time, it can be very effective at preventing pregnancy. With perfect use, it’s 97- 99% effective. The way it’s typically used, though, it’s around 93% effective.

In other words:

Of those who use the monthly ring exactly as directed for a whole year, fewer than 1 in 100 will get pregnant when they don’t want to during the first year of using the ring. If you are using the yearly birth control ring perfectly, it’s slightly less effective—97%.

Of those who do not use the monthly ring exactly as directed, 7 in 100 will get pregnant when they don’t want to during the first year of using the ring. For the yearly ring, we don’t have enough data to know the difference between perfect and typical use rates.

It depends on the method. Some forms of birth control including the pill, patch, ring, shot, and implant are not effective immediately after you start using them, but most IUDs are (and so are methods that you only use when you have sex, like a condom). To be sure, check with a health care provider before having sex without another method of birth control.

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 (it works as birth control in any position in your vagina), 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.