Nuva ring

[Ilove]

So I have a question about the product called nuva ring. (and other products that work like it) I understand the basis of it. but my question about it is how able are younger females able to use it. For example my gf is 16 years old and we are about to go and get her on contraceptives. I was looking at the product and it is inserted into the vagina and that is how the hormones are released. however teenagers aren't as regular. Does this mean that they would start there period off schedule thereby messing with the hormones (would that mess up the hormones?)
sorry for such a wordy question but I could not think of a better way to phrase it

[Brandye]

Yes, young women tend to be irregular. The standard treatment for irregularity in young women is hormones. The ring releases hormones into her system and, as would the pill, makes her more regular.

When the prescriber writes the prescription, she should tell her exactly when, in relation to her period, to insert the first ring. The rest is by the calendar. Her period will not start immediately upon removal each month and she may have some residual bleeding when she inserts the next one. Follow the directions precisely.

The really good news about the ring is that it puts the lowest level of hormone into her system. This means women tend to tolerate the ring very well. The downside is that there is little margin for error. Follow the directions, mark the calendar and she is in good shape.

At 16, she may find some doctors hesitant to prescribe any hormonal system for birth control. The ring is not used primarily for dysmennorhea as is the pill sometimes.

[Ilove]

Sorry I didn't quite understand what that last sentence meant but thank you for the help. I do not believe we will have a hard time getting a doctor to superscribe birth control to her because there are multiple 14 y/o girls at my high school who got a prescription from the local planned parenthood place.

[Brandye]

What the last sentence means is that many doctors will prescribe the pill for difficult periods. The ring is not used for that. Some doctors will not, therefore, prescribe contraceptive hormones for one that young. I am quite surprised that Planned Parenthood will commonly prescribe for 14 yo or that they prescribe the ring. Unusual.

Use a dictionary?

[Rouge]

On the topic, I was wondering if anyone had actually used them. I asked my doctor about them, as I'd hoped to use them instead of the pill, but he said that a number of his patients had been unsatisfied with it as it comes out during sex nearly 100% of the time.

Does this happen?

[Brandye]

Maybe three per cent of all women using the ring have this difficulty. When they first came on the market, I wore a non-hormonal ring for a couple months to check it out. I had no difficulty and no complaints from men. Among my patients, I have had even fewer who have had difficulties. The major advantage is they are effective as the pill with much less hormone in the system. For the first month or so, I have patients check daily, and before sex, to assure themselves that they are protected.

I have moved several patients from the pill to the ring because of side-effects. Almost all have stayed with the ring.

[browneyedgirl]

I am on the ring and have had zero issues with it. I've been on it for over 2 years. It works very well. It has never come out during sex, and I have never felt it during sex. My bf has never felt it. You can of course feel it if you put a finger in, and if a man is fingering you then he can feel it. You can take it out for several hours at a time if you want to before having sex, but I only did that once, and never again as I almost forgot about it and had to come back home early to put it in again. It's been a great easy method for me. I also like that it has a lower dose of hormones. I would really recommend it - especially considering how many young girls (and not so young) will forget to take a pill every day. Give it a try, and you can always switch to something else later if it doesn't work out.