Putting in the vaginal ring
You put the vaginal ring inside your vagina on the first day of your period. The ring is soft and flexible, and it’s similar to inserting a tampon.
Once the ring is in place, you should not be able to feel it, including during sex.
You leave the ring in for 21 days before removing it using your finger.
You then wait 7 days before putting in a new ring. You may have period-like bleeding during this time. This is nothing to worry about.
When you’ve taken the vaginal ring out, put it in the pouch that comes in the pack and throw it in the bin. Do not flush it down the toilet.
The packaging that comes with your vaginal ring will have a leaflet with pictures showing how to put the ring in and take it out.
Follow the instructions carefully to make sure the ring is properly fitted in place.
How well the vaginal ring works
When used correctly all the time, the vaginal ring is more than 99% effective.
If not used correctly, it’s 91% effective, which means that about 9 in 100 women will get pregnant in a year. This is because things can go wrong, for example you might forget to replace a ring at the right time.
Starting the vaginal ring
If you're not already using hormonal contraception, you can usually start using the vaginal ring from day 1 to day 5 of your period. You should be protected from pregnancy straight away.
Speak to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice if you're planning to start using the vaginal ring after day 5 of your period. You will need to use additional contraception, such as a condom, for 7 days.
Speak to a doctor or nurse if you’re already using hormonal contraception and are thinking of changing to the vaginal ring. You may need to use condoms for some time to make sure you’re protected against pregnancy.
Things that can happen when using the vaginal ring
Things that can sometimes happen when using the vaginal ring include:
- forgetting to take the ring out after 21 days
- forgetting to put in a new ring after the 7 days break
- the ring coming out of the vagina
If any of these happen to you, speak to a pharmacist, nurse or doctor, or read the leaflet that comes with your ring to find out what to do.
You may need emergency contraception. Speak to a pharmacist, sexual health clinic, GP or call 111 for advice as the vaginal ring can affect how some emergency contraception works.
Medicines and herbal remedies that affect the vaginal ring
Some medicines and herbal remedies can affect how the vaginal ring works. The ring may not work properly to stop you getting pregnant.
You may need to use another type of contraception.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice before using the ring if you take medicine to treat TB (tuberculosis), epilepsy or HIV.
You should also ask for advice if you take griseofulvin (an antifungal medicine), lamotrigine (a mood stabiliser), bosentan (a high blood pressure medicine) or St John's wort (a herbal remedy).