Contraceptive ring

How does it work?

The contraceptive ring releases a small dose of  hormones every day. These protect you against pregnancy for a month. 

How to use it

• Keep the ring in your vagina for 3 weeks in a row
• Remove the ring after 3 weeks. Do not insert a new ring for 1 week. This is called the ‘ring-free interval’ and is when you’ll have your period. In the ring-free week you’re also protected against pregnancy
• After 1 week without a ring, insert a new ring

Where can you get the vaginal ring?

Ask your doctor for a prescription for the vaginal ring. Not all pharmacies on the island stock the vaginal ring. Your doctor can tell you the pharmacies that regularly stock it. 

Not a real period

In the ring-free week you’ll bleed a bit. It seems like a period and it feels like that too, but you’re not really menstruating. How does that work? 

Every month there is a new egg in your uterus. This happens during ovulation. During a proper period, that egg is discarded. If you use the vaginal ring properly, you don’t ovulate. So, there’s no egg to be discarded. That’s why you’re not really having a period, just a small bleed.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• You only have to think about it twice a month
• You know when you’ll have your period
• You can postpone the bleed
• Vomiting or diarrhea do not affect its reliability
• The ring is invisible 

Disadvantages:

• Sometimes you may have side effects
• You could forget to insert a new ring after 4 weeks
• The ring doesn’t protect against STIs
• A slightly higher risk (in comparison with the pill) of serious side effects such as blood clots

Are there any side effects?

When you start using a vaginal ring, you might have some side effects. That’s because your body has to get used to the hormones the ring contains. Possible side effects are:

• headaches
• irregular blood loss
• painful breasts
• nausea
• low moods
• weight gain
• reduced sex drive

Usually, the side effects disappear after a couple of months. If you’re having trouble with side effects, get in touch with your doctor.

When do you run the risk of pregnancy?

• If you insert your new ring too late (more than 7 days after removing the old ring)
• If you keep your ring in for longer than 3 weeks

STIs

Remember: the vaginal ring doesn’t protect against STIs. To prevent STIs, you should use condoms.