The Ring

Method

A woman places a soft, flexible ring in the vagina for three weeks, followed by a ring-free week. The ring contains a combination of the hormones estrogen and progestin.

Success Rate

With typical use, 8 women in 100 (8%) become pregnant in one year. With perfect use, less than one woman in 100 (less than 1%) will become pregnant in one year.

The Perks

If used correctly, the ring provides non-stop protection from pregnancy; it can make a woman’s periods more regular, reduce cramps, and shorten or lighten a woman’s period. It only has to be changed once a month.

Drag Factor

Offers no protection against STDs including HIV. Some women have vaginal discomfort, nausea, headaches and breast tenderness. If a woman misses 3 or more hours during a cycle, she should either not have sex or use a back-up method of contraception (such as a condom) until she has used a new ring for 7 days.

How To Get It

Through a prescription from a health care provider; the cost runs $15 to $50 a month, plus the cost of the visit to a health care provider. Whether you need parental consent for a prescription depends on your state, find more here. http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_MACS.pdf