Nuvaring

[silverc]

Hi! So I've decided to change my birth control method from the pill to the Nuvaring. My doctor told me that during the first month I wouldn't be fully protected against pregnancy. My question is, am I protected as soon as I start using a second ring or should I wait 7 days during that second month in order to be fully protected?

[Heather]

In general, you always want to do as your prescribing physician instructs, rather than second-guessing their advice. They're the ones with your health history in their hands, so are always the best people to make these kinds of determinations.

That said, the clinical instruction for switching from a pill to ring is to start the ring the day after your last ACTIVE pill (http://www.aafp.org/afp/2011/0301/p567.html). If someone does that, they will not likely have any gap in their protection. Otherwise, yes, you want to use a backup method for the first cycle of the ring.

Just FYI, backing up with condoms is always best practice: neither the pill nor ring provide needed STI protection, and the risk of STIs from intercourse is just as high as pregnancy. People in the age group we serve have the highest rates of STIs of any other age group, and much of that has to do with not using condoms and other safer sex barriers.

[silverc]

Hi! I don't think I expressed my self correctly. I am not second guessing my doctor at all. I am certainly using back up during the time that she advised me to. I just wasn't sure if I understood the instructions. She told me to use back up during my first cycle. I was wondering if that meant that the moment I started using a seconds ring I was already fully protected or if during the first week of the second cycle I was still not fully protected. Also my boyfriend and I always use condoms. I just wanted to know because I feel better that way. But I guess it doesn't hurt to call her office and ask. Thanks for the help.

[Karyn]

You would be fully protected when you insert your second ring, you don't need to wait a week into that second ring for full protection.