Dr. Kate is an OB/GYN at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New York City who’ll be answering your medical questions here regularly. After her recent post on the NuvaRing, a lot of you asked for more information on this birth control device, so here goes:
The NuvaRing is one of my favorite forms of hormonal contraception — all of the benefits of the Pill, without the daily hassle of remembering to use it. But since the Ring hasn’t been around as long as the Pill, many women have a lot of questions about using it. So I thought I’d address the most common Ring issues that come up in my office. When using the Ring….
What’s okay to put in your vagina:
- A penis. Intercourse will not push the ring up into your pelvis, or to any place where you can’t retrieve it. And semen/sperm will not diminish the ring’s effectiveness.
- A vibrator or other toys. Same as above.
- Tampons. Ditto.
- Medication. It’s fine to treat a yeast infection with over-the-counter creams like Monistat, or to treat vaginosis with prescription MetroGel. You don’t need to rinse the ring off afterward, either — the medication will all absorb eventually.
What’s okay to come out of your vagina:
- The ring before sex. If sex is uncomfortable with the ring in place, just take it out. It sounds counter-intuitive, to take out your birth control before having sex. But the ring works its magic by turning off your ovaries — and the hormones will remain in your system after the ring comes out. You can remove the ring for up to three hours without losing effectiveness (and if anyone is having sex longer than three hours, please share your good fortune with the rest of us!). Just be sure to put it back in before you roll over and go to sleep.
- Increased discharge. It doesn’t mean you have an infection — it’s just your vagina’s way of reducing friction with the ring in place. Think of it as more lubrication for sex.
Still have more questions about the NuvaRing? Then check out Dr. Kate’s follow-up post, “Everything You Need to Know About the Nuva Ring“
Dr. Kate of Gynotalk.com is an OB/GYN at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New York City. She also lectures nationally on women’s health issues and conducts research on reproductive health.
Dear kate I have been on the nuvaring sence I had my son 2 months ago.I just have one small question, Can you have sex while the nuva ring is out for that week?
I am going to start nuva ring soon when i get my period but im a little scared because a lot of my friends were saying that its dangerous because what if later you can’t have kids when you want to because of the nuva ring. so now im scared and un sure if i should take it.
i just started the nuva ring the begining of sept had not yet started my period it is now october 17th and i still haventy started am i pregnant or is my period really late because of the nuvaring?
Hi, I started Nuvaring in May and decided not to take it anymore as of sept 5th because I feel I’m ready for another child! Was just wondering how long it could take to become pregnant again?
hi ,my period started yesterday ,and i inserted the ring ,but after i took it off because my period was very painfull,so i placed it back in the bag and then i the fridge ,is it ok to put i back in after more than 4 hours even though this is the first time am using it ?
I’ve used nuvaring and like that it takes it effect quick,but it always interfer wit having an orgasm mentally.
I stopped taking the nuvaring because it made me depressed, lost my sex drive, had trouble breathing… just felt like something was very wrong with me.. I had my last period on june 27 started the ring on the 10th of july and 3 weeks after that i put in the new one. I was trying to avoid having a period. I stopped the ring on the 9th in the morning.. I still havent gotten my period and have symptoms of being preggo, but i heard thats common when stopping. Should I be worried or does it take a week to get my period?
I’m a user of nuvaring but every time i have sex i remove it, then when done i put it back in…. my question is can i still get pregnant that way
I use nuvaring but every time i have sex i takes it out, then when im done i put it back in…. can i get pregnant that y
I removed my nuvaring out a week early forgetting it was suppose to be 3 weeks, then I put one in a week after and 3 weeks later after I took out the nuvaring, I havent had my period for 3 days so far. I was wondering if it had to do with me putting it in on the day I was suppose to have my period, but at the same time I dont know if it maybe means I am pregnant. what should I do? 3 days without the dated period.
i have been using nuva ring for 3 days now since my last period. last night i removed it to have sex and left the ring in a cool clean environment, anyways i saw it just now at 6:30 pm the next day,i forgot to put it back in before i went to bed. can i re-insert that same ring and still have the same effectiveness, or should i just go get a new one
i’m wondering if the nuvaring reduces you sex hormones like doesn’t make you not want to as much,and also during the seven days i take it out for my period is it still effective like whats the protection i have during that 7 days?
Dear Kate, I had sex a day after putting the ring back in and beeing ring free for 7 days, and while my boyfriend and I were having sex the ring fell, so I put it back in but it didn’t feel confortable no more so I decided to take it out and we just had unprotected sex, but put the ring back in before the 3 hours, so I’am wondering if I’am still protected eventhough I was ring free for 7 days and had unprotected sex a day after putting ring back in?
By the way since this happend it’s been a month and now
I was suppose to take my nueva ring out on the 20th and didnt take it out till the 24th and had sex on the 22nd…i don know what to do!! can i be pregnate?
hi DR. Kate
i have been on the nuvaring for 2 years and my 3 last periods have started late and are really light compared to my normal period and i do have unprotected sex with my boyfriend