Simple, effective and convenient: The birth control ring

Once monthly birth control? Now that has a nice ring to it. The birth control ring (AKA NuvaRing) has been a trusted contraception method for nearly 20 years. With only one step each month, it gives you the convenience you want and the pregnancy prevention you need.

Is the vaginal ring the right birth control for you? An OB-GYN or certified nurse midwife can help you decide.

While OB-GYNs and midwives are knowledgeable in general medicine, they’re experts in women’s health – and your well-being and reproductive health are their main focus.

The best part? You don’t need to head to the clinic. Video visits bring your OB-GYN or midwife to you.

Small and flexible, the NuvaRing gets inserted into the vagina where it stays for three weeks, releasing hormones to prevent pregnancy.

After three weeks, the ring is removed. If you’d like to have a period, you’ll insert a new ring seven days after removal. If you want to skip your period, you’ll insert a new ring right away.

Similar to many birth control pills, the NuvaRing releases estrogen and progestin, mimicking the hormones a woman’s body makes naturally. This stops ovulation (aka the release of an egg from your ovaries during your monthly cycle), so there’s no egg waiting around for a sperm to fertilize. The hormones also thicken the mucus over the cervix, helping to block sperm from entering the uterus.

The NuvaRing is easy to place yourself without the help of a doctor, but it’s important to replace it at the right time each month for it to be effective.

Besides pregnancy prevention, the vaginal ring has many other benefits. Here are some of the reasons women like the ring:

• It’s convenient with only one step each month
• It can help regulate your monthly cycle to make it more predictable, lighter or help you skip it altogether
• It can lessen or prevent period symptoms, such as PMS, menstrual cramps, menstrual migraines, heavy bleeding and acne
• It can prevent other conditions, such as anemia, bone thinning and endometriosis
• It can provide protection against endometrial and ovarian cancers

Getting started on the NuvaRing can be simple. First make a video visit appointment with an OB-GYN or midwife. They know everything there is to know about birth control, including the differences between methods and how they may affect you personally.

During the visit, your doctor or midwife will talk with you about your health history, lifestyle and goals. If the ring is a good fit for you and you want to move forward, they’ll send a prescription to your pharmacy of choice. It’s that easy.