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A Vaginal Ring can slip out of the vagina. If this happens, you can wash the ring with cold to lukewarm water (not hot) and reinsert it. If you lose the original ring, insert a new one as soon as possible. If more than three hours pass without the ring in your vagina, there is a chance of becoming pregnant. The Vaginal Ring must be worn continuously for 7 days to regain effectiveness. During this week, you may wish to use a back up method of birth control such as male condoms or spermicide; a diaphragm is not recommended as a back up method for the Ring. Missing a period does not necessarily mean you are pregnant. However, if you miss a period, you may want to consider the likelihood of pregnancy and get a pregnancy test. Pregnancy is more likely if the last ring used was outside the vagina for more than three hours, two periods are missed consecutively, or if a ring was worn for longer than four weeks. If you are pregnant, discontinue use of the Vaginal Ring.
Some women may not be able to use the Vaginal Ring because of the risk of serious health problems. Women over 35 who smoke or have any of the following conditions should not use the Vaginal Ring:
Women with a family history of breast cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, headaches or epilepsy, depression, gallbladder or kidney disease, recent major surgery, easily irritated vagina, dropped uterus, dropped bladder, rectal prolapse, severe constipation, or are breastfeeding may not be able to use a Vaginal Ring. Your clinician or doctor can decide with you.
As the body adjusts to hormonal changes from the vaginal ring, women may experience some minor side effects, including:
The effectiveness of a Vaginal Ring is lowered when taken with certain medications, including antibiotics, St. John's Wort, anti-seizure, tuberculosis, and migraine medications. If you are taking any medications, tell your clinician. When taking medications that may interfere with the Vaginal Ring, consider adding a backup method of birth control, like condoms or spermicide. As with all drugs, it is useful to inform all your medical providers if you are using hormonal birth control.
Women who experience any of the following symptoms while wearing a Vaginal Ring should call the clinic immediately:
Your Cervix The cervix is the opening to the uterus where menstrual blood, babies, and sperm pass. It is also the opening through which abortions are performed. Barrier methods of birth control, including the cervical cap, diaphragm, and female condom, work by covering the cervix and preventing sperm from entering the uterus. Hormonal methods of birth control, such as the Vaginal Ring, Contraceptive Patch, Oral Contraceptives (the Pill), Depo Provera, and Lunelle, affect the mucus around the cervix and make the opening more resistant to sperm. Women's bodies also naturally produce hormones that change the cervix during a menstrual cycle. You can learn more about your cervix using a speculum to perform a self-exam.
Emergency Contraception (The "Morning After" Pill - "Plan B" - "EC") You can prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse by taking Emergency Contraception pills (Plan B). Plan B works by giving the body a short burst of synthetic hormones that disrupt the hormone patterns needed for a pregnancy to start. Some types of regular birth control pills will work. Emergency Contraception is most effective 24-48 hours after unprotected intercourse but it can work for several days. To find a clinic, doctor or pharmacy close to you, call the nationwide Emergency Contraception Hotline at 1-800-584-9911, 24 hours a day in English or Spanish (also at 1-888-NOT-2-LATE and ec.princeton.edu). If you already have birth control pills in your possession, ask the hotline how to use them as emergency contraception. Or call our clinics at 800-572-4223 and ask how to use the birth control pills you already have to prevent pregnancy after sex. In Washington State you can get Plan B directly from your pharmacy without first getting a prescription from a doctor. Call ahead to make sure they have it in stock and a trained person available to give it to you. Women's health activists are working to make Plan B available over-the-counter nationwide so that one day soon you could purchase it at your neighborhood drug store. Some people are buying Plan B in advance (it costs around $35-50) so they will have it on hand if they need.
March 3, 2008 |
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