The modern world and medicine give all American women the main right - the right to choose. We can make a lot of decisions ourselves, including the question of how to avoid pregnancy. There are many options. These can be birth control pills, spirals, hormonal implants in the arm, condoms... But in this article, we'll talk about the birth control ring (AKA NuvaRing).
What is NuvaRing and how to use it.
NuvaRing is a small, flexible ring, that prevents pregnancy by releasing hormones into your body. It’s a safe, simple, and affordable birth control method that you wear inside your vagina once a month. It's just as effective as the birth control pill, but you only have to think about it once a month.
It works by releasing a low-level dose of the hormones progestin and estrogen, which keep your body from ovulating (this is the same way the birth control pill works). If you're not ovulating, then there's no opportunity for sperm to fertilize an egg, and you won't get pregnant. The ring also thickens the cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus in the first place.
The ring is really effective if you always use it the right way. You use the NuvaRing for three weeks, after three weeks, you'll take it out and get your period during the "off" week. At the end of that week, you'll put a new ring in and be good to go for another 21 days.
How do you insert it?
The great thing about the ring is that you can think about it once a month instead of once a day, but inserting it is a bit more complicated than just taking a pill. The best way to do it is to get in a comfortable position, pinch the ring in the center so it looks like a figure eight, and gently slide it into your vagina. You want it to go far enough up that it's not uncomfortable (in a few hours you won't even be able to feel it at all), and your pelvic muscles will hold it in place.
Always wash and dry your hands before you adjust the ring! And, please don’t worry that your partner can feel it during sex. You don’t have to take it out during sex. It may need to be pushed up a little further, that's it. Some guys insist they can feel it. However, "in clinical studies, nine out of ten (90%) partners did not find this to be a problem."
Does the ring protect against STDs?
It’s a very important question! And you should remember, that the answer is “No”. While NuvaRing is really good at preventing pregnancy, it won’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections.
Luckily, using condoms every time you have sex really lowers the chance of getting or spreading STDs. The other great thing about condoms is that they also protect against pregnancy, which means that using condoms + the ring gives you awesome pregnancy-preventing power.
I am Amelia Grant, journalist, and blogger. I think that information is a great force that is able to change people’s lives for the better. That is why I feel a strong intention to share useful and important things about health self-care, wellness and other advice that may be helpful for people. Being an enthusiast of a healthy lifestyle that keeps improving my life, I wish the same for everyone.
Our attention to ourselves, to our daily routine and habits, is very important. Things that may seem insignificant, are pieces of a big puzzle called life. I want to encourage people to be more attentive to their well-being, improve every little item of it and become healthier, happier, stronger. All of us deserve that. And I really hope that my work helps to make the world better.