Ring

NuvaRing is a small, flexible ring that you insert inside your vagina. You wear the NuvaRing for three weeks and then remove it for one week. (You will usually get your period during this one week.)
NuvaRing has two hormones called estrogen & progesterone (just like birth control pills & patch). These hormones are like the ones that your body makes to control your period. They are absorbed into your blood through the skin in your vagina.

It works by preventing the ovaries from releasing any eggs each month. If no egg is being released, you cannot get pregnant. It also makes the cervical mucous thicker, making it harder for sperm to travel through the uterus. If used correctly, NuvaRing is more than 99% effective in preventing a pregnancy. However, it will not provide any protection from a sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Only condoms made from latex or polyurethane provide protection against STIs.

These may include:

• Regular menstrual periods
• Easy to use – there are NO pills or shots
• Lower levels of hormones than some other birth control methods
• Convenient– you don’t have to think about it much
• Less bleeding and or cramping with your period

You insert NuvaRing in the vagina. You keep it in place for 3 weeks (21 days). Then you remove it for 1 week. During the one week break, you will usually have your period. Then insert a new ring for the next 3 weeks and the cycle continues.

When to start NuvaRing:

• Insert NuvaRing anytime during the first 5 days of your period. Insert it at the latest on DAY 5, even if you haven’t stopped bleeding yet.
• It will take 7 days for NuvaRing to start working. During this time you must either not have sex or use condoms to prevent a pregnancy.
• Each NuvaRing comes in a reclosable foil pouch. After you remove NuvaRing, keep the pouch for disposal.

To insert NuvaRing, follow these steps:

• Wash & dry your hands. Remove the ring from the foil pouch (keep pouch).
• Choose the position most comfortable for you. You may find it’s helpful to lay down, squat, or stand with one leg up while inserting NuvaRing.
• Hold the NuvaRing between your thumb and index finger and press the two sides together.
• Gently push the folded ring into your vagina. As long as the ring is inside the vagina it will work. The exact position of the NuvaRing is not important, however, the further it is pushed back, the less likely it is to slip out.
• The NuvaRing should not feel uncomfortable once it is inserted. If it is, you should use your finger to gently push it further into the vagina. There is no danger of the NuvaRing being pushed too far up in the vagina, or getting lost.
• Once it’s in, keep NuvaRing in place for 3 weeks. (Mark a calendar with a sticker.) It is not recommended to remove it during sex.

How to remove NuvaRing:

• Remove the NuvaRing 3 weeks after you put it in, on the same day of the week it was inserted, at about the same time. For example, if you put the ring in on Tuesday at 5pm, then the ring should be removed 3 weeks later on Tuesday at 5pm.
• Remove NuvaRing by hooking your pointer finger around the rim and pulling out.
• Put the used ring in the foil pouch and throw in trash. Do NOT flush down toilet.
• Your period may begin within 1-3 days.

To place new NuvaRing after 1 week:
After 5-7 days with no ring in place (NO LONGER than 7 days) insert a new ring.
You may not have finished bleeding when it is time to place the new ring.
YOU MUST INSERT THE NEW RING ON TIME, OR YOU MAY GET PREGNANT.

• If it slips out and it’s been LESS THAN 3 HOURS, you should still be protected from pregnancy. Rinse the ring with cool – lukewarm water (not hot) and put it back in as soon as possible. If you lost the NuvaRing, put in a new one but keep on the same schedule as before. That means you would still remove it when you would have removed the ring you lost.
• If the ring has been out of the vagina for MORE THAN 3 HOURS, you may not be protected from pregnancy. You must either not have sex or use condoms for the first 7 days after a newly placed NuvaRing is in place to be protected from a pregnancy.
• If the ring is out for more than 3 hours, or you wait longer than 7 days to insert a new ring, you should take a pregnancy test in 2 weeks.

Many people have side effects during the first month or two of using NuvaRing. If you do, they usually wear off after the first couple months. This happens because your body is getting used to the hormones. Side effects may include:

• Vaginal discomfort or infection
• Heavier vaginal discharge
• Headache
• Weight gain
• Feeling sick to your stomach
• Breast tenderness
• Irregular bleeding or spotting

Serious side effects are very rare, but they can happen. These may include:

• Severe abdominal pains
• Chest pains
• Shortness of breath
• Headaches (change in regular pattern)
• Eye problems (blurred or loss of vision)
• Severe leg cramps or swelling of the legs

If you have one of these or any other serious health problem, you must tell your healthcare provider so he/she can help you decide if the NuvaRing is right for you. Remove the ring immediately and remember to use another form of birth control, or do not have sex, to prevent a pregnancy.

We recommend that you do NOT smoke cigarettes or tobacco while using NuvaRing. Smoking increases the chance for serious side effects.

Call us at West Suburban Teen Clinic if you have any questions about the NuvaRing or any other topics that affect teens and adults. We are here to help.