Vaginal ring
The contraceptive vaginal ring is a soft, flexible, plastic ring that goes into your vagina. It needs to be changed every three weeks.
The vaginal ring is a soft, flexible plastic ring that you place inside your vagina.
It releases two hormones — oestrogen and progestogen — just like the combined pill.
It prevents pregnancy by:
- Stopping ovulation (so you don’t release eggs)
- Thickening mucus in the cervix (so sperm can’t get through)
- Thinning the womb lining (so a fertilised egg can’t grow)
- The ring stays in for 21 days, then you take it out for 7 days before putting in a new one. Some people choose not to take a break.
- You’re still protected during the 7-day ring-free period. You can find out more about breaks here.
- You’ll need a health check with a doctor or nurse before starting.
- You can control when you bleed by using rings back-to-back, but you must change it every 3 weeks.
- It may ease PMS and make periods lighter and less painful.
- Possible side effects at first: sore breasts, nausea, spotting — these usually improve within 3 months.
- The ring doesn’t protect against STIs, including HIV — use condoms too. Learn more about STIs here.
The vaginal ring is available from:
You can find your nearest GP or sexual health clinic using our find a service tool.
