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Birth Control (Types and Options) »
If a woman is sexually active and she is fertile — physically able to become pregnant — she needs to ask herself, "Do I want to become pregnant now?" If her answer is "No," she must use some method of birth control (contraception).
If a woman does not want to get pregnant at this point in her life, does she plan to become pregnant in the future? Soon? Much later? Never? Her answers to these questions can determine the method of birth control that she and her male sexual partner use — now and in the future.
There are a number of different ways to describe birth control. Terms include contraception, pregnancy prevention, fertility control, and family planning. But no matter what the process is called, sexually active people can choose from a plethora of methods to reduce the possibility of their becoming pregnant. Nevertheless, no method of birth control av...
If the ring ever falls out during the 3-week wearing time, rinse it with warm water and reinsert it. If it slides down into the lower part of the vagina, use a finger to push it in farther. If the ring is lost, a new vaginal ring should be inserted as soon as possible and the schedule continued without change. Do not leave a ring out for longer than 3 hours.
During week 1 or 2 of wearing time: If a ring has been out of the vagina for more than 3 hours, you may not be protected from pregnancy. You must use a back-up birth control until the new or replaced ring has been in place for 7 days in a row.
During week 3 of wearing time: If a ring has been out of the vagina for more than 3 hours, you may either insert a new ring and start a new 3-week cycle, or you may wait 7 days (and have a menstrual period) before you insert a new ring. You must use back-up birth control until the new or replaced ring has been in place for 7 days in a row.
Avoid leaving the vaginal ring in place for longer than 3 weeks. Call your doctor if you get off the proper schedule for use and non-use of the vaginal ring. Do not wear more than one ring at a time.
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, or vaginal bleeding.
Do not smoke while using this medication, especially if you are older than 35. Smoking can increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack caused by birth control pills.
Ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel will not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases--including HIV and AIDS. Using a condom is the only way to protect yourself from these diseases.
While using the ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel vaginal ring, do not use a diaphragm as back-up birth control. The vaginal ring may interfere with the correct placement and position of the diaphragm
Vaginal lubricants, spermicides, and yeast infection treatments should not affect the vaginal ring. However, talk to your doctor before using other vaginal products while using the ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel vaginal ring.
Some drugs can make ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Your pharmacist can provide more information about ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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