A woman who monitors her he alth and plans for pregnancy, wanting to protect herself from the unpleasant consequences of spontaneous intercourse, chooses contraceptive methods that cannot harm her he alth. One such method is the use of a contraceptive ring. Many doctors recommend this product for use as one of the easiest and most reliable to use. This article proposes to consider the main questions about the use, contraindications, reviews of women who have already tried Nuvaring rings.
Scope of application
The purpose of the hormonal ring is to prevent unwanted pregnancy. It is a modern and easy-to-use contraceptive method containing a low amount of a hormone that is not released immediately, but gradually. Only a woman can use it, since the method of application is vaginal. The penetration of the hormone occurs through its mucous membrane, avoiding effects on the intestines and liver.
The use of such a contraceptive does not give 100 percentguarantee against pregnancy. According to statistics, the probability of protection is only 96%. Naturally, the main condition is the observance of the instructions and the timely change of the contraceptive. Restoration of reproductive function occurs in the first month after the abolition of the contraceptive. This means that a woman can plan motherhood in the next cycle without having to wait several months, as when taking oral contraceptives.
It is worth noting that the effect of the drug can be reduced while taking antiviral (Ritonavir), anti-tuberculosis (Rifampicin), antiepileptic (Phenytoin, Primidon, Topiramate, etc.), antimicrobial drugs ("Tetracycline", "Ampicillin"), as well as those that have St. John's wort in their composition. Therefore, it is worthwhile to warn the doctor in advance about taking such medicines even before the contraceptive is selected.
How it works
The main principle of action of such a contraceptive is the suppression of the action of the ovaries. Due to the release of the progestogen component (ethinylestradiol and etonogestrel) and estrogen by the hormonal ring, ovulation is suppressed and, therefore, prevents further pregnancy.
The release of hormones occurs directly in the uterine cavity, and then it penetrates the ovaries. This avoids adverse effects on the work of other organs. The warmth of the vaginal hormone ring releases hormones. At the same time, the rangebody temperature can vary from 34 to 42 degrees. This means that even the presence of a disease cannot affect the effectiveness of such a contraceptive.
Hypoallergenic material, which consists of several layers of latex membranes, avoids a negative reaction of the body to a foreign object. The ring releases a certain dose of hormones every day. It does not depend on the rhythm of a woman's life, her internal biological processes, mood or well-being. This fact is an undoubted plus, and allows us to single out the hormonal ring among other drugs as contraceptives.
Indications for use
The main and only purpose of the drug is to prevent unplanned pregnancy. It is not intended to be used for medicinal purposes. It is also worth considering that, unlike a condom, its use will not protect partners from sexually transmitted diseases.
Before a doctor prescribes such a contraceptive to a woman, he must carefully examine her state of he alth, measure blood pressure, check the condition of the mammary glands, examine cytology tests and general blood counts. It is important to rule out pregnancy before starting a hormone ring.
You can use it as a delay in the onset of menstruation. To do this, it is necessary to start using the drug earlier by the number of days for which it is necessary to delay menstruation. At the same time, it should be taken into account thatthe shorter the break, the greater the delay of the new cycle.
Who is contraindicated
Women who are particularly sensitive to the components of such a contraceptive, are in a position, breastfeed, cannot use it as a method of protection. And also if she has a history of diseases such as thromboembolism, thrombosis, diabetes mellitus with vascular complications, liver disease (including in the presence of a tumor), pancreatitis, migraine.
Without consulting a doctor, the use of a hormonal ring, the name of which, for example, "Novaring", is not recommended for women with obesity, arterial hypertension, certain heart diseases, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis.
With uterine fibroids, epilepsy, fibrocystic mastopathy, over 35 years of age, with a hernia of the rectum or bladder, with smoking, the appointment of such a method of protection should be justified and allowed by the doctor.
Side effects
In general, there are positive reviews about the hormonal ring. Women, using it, do not think about the risk of gaining weight, about mood swings and the need to take pills every day at a certain time. Ease of use hides most imperfections.
Among the main side effects are an allergic reaction, itching and burning in the genital area. This is due to personal intolerance to the components of the hormonal ring. From a psychological point of view, a woman canthere is a sensation of the presence of a foreign object. However, those representatives of the beautiful half of humanity who are especially sensitive and subtle natures face this more often.
Negative reviews about the hormonal ring, including the presence of side effects, also take place. For example, nausea, vomiting, decreased sexual desire for a sexual partner, increased fatigue and anxiety. This all refers to rare cases, since each female body is individual, and it cannot be said that they can touch each one.
Increased sensitivity of the mammary glands, the appearance of vaginal discharge, candidiasis, acne is not excluded. There is a risk of the ring breaking or being damaged during intercourse. It is worth being prudent and not using foreign objects that could lead to this. If this does happen, you will have to use a new ring, while its duration should be equal to the remaining days of using the damaged ring.
How to use
Starting from the 1st to the 5th day of the cycle, a woman can start using a hormonal ring as a contraceptive. First you need to take a comfortable position - you can lie on your back or half-sitting. The ring is squeezed in the hands, with two fingers. It is inserted deep into the vagina, fixed in the cervix, there is no need to check it every time.
Due to its flexible shape, it conforms to the shape of the body and is not felt inside. During intercourse a mandoes not feel its presence, on the contrary, it may experience pleasant sensations, since it makes the vagina a little narrower in this place.
In some cases, it is allowed to remove the hormonal ring for a while (no more than 3 hours), but then it must be returned back. Before this, the product is washed in warm water and reintroduced into the vagina. After 7 days, a break is made, the ring is removed and then a new one is inserted, regardless of the end of menstruation, also for 21 days. Menstrual flow should appear immediately after removing it.
After an abortion (in the first trimester), the use of the ring as a contraceptive is resorted to immediately after the medical procedure. If such an operation occurred in the second trimester, as well as after childbirth or miscarriage, the start of using the ring is considered after the fourth week. At a later date, it is recommended to resort to additional barrier methods during the first week of use.
It happens that a woman forgets to remove the ring on time and wears it for more than three weeks. In this case, you should not rely on the reliability of this method of preventing pregnancy. Because the efficiency is greatly reduced. In the event of a week break, the absence of pregnancy must be established before starting to use the product from a new package.
With short breaks in the use of the contraceptive, spotting may occur or menstruation is less meager than usual. If the week of the break in the use of the drug has passed, and menstrual bleeding is notis observed, then first of all it is necessary to do an express pregnancy test and only after that to find out the reason for the lack of discharge.
Switching from another contraceptive to a ring
If a woman used other methods of contraception before the hormone ring, the instruction advises starting it during the first five days of a new cycle, and using a condom for the next seven days. The same scheme must be followed when switching from drugs that contained only progestogen, for example, it can be an intrauterine device.
When switching to this birth control method from oral contraceptives, there is no need to take breaks or resort to additional protection measures. Immediately after a seven-day break, the woman inserts a hormonal ring into the vagina and continues to lead a normal life.
Issue form
The manufacturer of products "Novaring" produces the drug in a package of 1 and 3 pcs. According to doctors, the hormonal ring at the initial stage of use should be purchased in the amount of 1 piece. In order to determine whether it is suitable or not, see how the body reacts to a new method of protection.
The package consists of aluminum foil, and the ring itself is 54 mm in outer diameter and 4 mm in inner diameter. After opening the package, it is allowed to re-place the previously used ring there and close it securely. This may be required when extracting it for a while.
Advantages over other barrier methods
Minimal impact on the body and local impact on the reproductive system makes it possible to distinguish the hormonal contraceptive ring "Novaring" from other barrier methods of contraception. Among the positive aspects include the absence of jumps in weight, the contraceptive does not affect blood clotting. Compared to the tablet form, when a woman needs to take the drug every day at a certain time, the ring is inserted into the vagina once and only changed after a month.
By installing the ring, a woman can engage in any active sports - horseback riding, swimming, etc. There is no need to inform the sexual partner about its presence. If a woman is interested in her own safety and does not want to get pregnant at the moment, then this method of protection will come in handy.
Usage feedback
Positive feedback about the hormonal contraceptive ring can be found among most women who have already evaluated its effectiveness. They note a decrease in pain during menstruation, the normalization of the cycle (it becomes regular), the discharge becomes less abundant.
Among the inconveniences that at first arise due to inexperience in use, there may be cases of loss of the ring, both after insertion and during active sexual intercourse. Also in many forums, you can find reviews of the Novaring hormonal ring, and they all agree that it should be used when a woman hashas one regular sexual partner.
Doctors advise looking at this method of protection for those who have difficulty taking pills daily, explaining this by forgetfulness or other reasons. The main thing is to change the ring in time.
Doctors advise being careful when using tampons. So, there are reviews of women who were faced with the fact that a vaginal ring was also removed with him. Of course, it can be returned to its place. However, this requires hygiene procedures.
In order to prevent the risk of hormone ring prolapse, some women recommend exercising the muscles of the vagina. For example, with Kegel exercises. They will increase the internal tone, improve blood circulation.
There are also reviews about the high cost of a vaginal hormonal ring, which many can not afford. Compared to birth control pills, which cost two or even three times less, the ring is not much more effective. Therefore, most choose the more familiar method of contraception.
