Advantages of the birth control ring include:
- You might prefer the birth control ring if you don’t like taking pills
- You don’t have to “use” NuvaRing daily the way you would a pill; just set it and forget it
- A disadvantage of the pill is that if you’re sick and vomit around the time you take it, you’ll have to take a new one. This doesn’t apply to the birth control ring because it’s inserted into the vagina and releases hormones locally
- NuvaRing can alleviate premenstrual symptoms and bleeding may become lighter and less frequent
- Easy application
- Doesn’t interrupt sex the same way a condom might.
Disadvantages of the birth control ring include:
- You might not like the process of inserting and removing the ring
- During the first few months of using the birth control ring, you may experience bleeding or spotting
- You might experience temporary side effects while using NuvaRing; this can include mood changes, breast tenderness, nausea, headaches and discharge
- NuvaRing doesn’t protect you against STIs
- If you struggle remembering when to remove and replace
- NuvaRing, you might benefit from a long-active contraceptive method like the implant
- Certain medications may affect the birth control ring’s effectiveness
- When you stop using NuvaRing, it may take a while before you’re fully fertile again