Vaginal ring
The vaginal ring is a soft, flexible plastic ring which contains progestins and estrogens inside. It is prescribed by a gynecologist and can be inserted into the vagina by the woman herself during the first five days of menstrual bleeding. The insertion is similar to that of a tampon.
The vaginal ring should be inserted in such a way that the woman does not find it annoying, or at best does not feel it at all. It is possible that sometimes, for example during sexual intercourse, the ring may fall out. It should then simply be reinserted.
As long as the vaginal ring has not been removed from the vagina for more than three hours, the safety of the contraceptive is not affected. It can also be removed intentionally for a short time, for example if it is felt to interfere with sexual intercourse. In total the vaginal ring remains in the vagina for 21 days and is then removed.
A new vaginal ring is inserted after seven days of interruption during which menstrual bleeding occurs. The vaginal ring releases an equal amount of progestin and estrogen every day, thus ensuring a continuous hormone level. The effect is therefore identical to that of the contraceptive pill.
The hormones prevent ovulation, so that no mature, fertilisable egg cell is available for fertilisation. By thickening the cervical mucus plug (cervix) and by inhibiting the growth of the endometrium, the sperm cannot easily reach the egg, and an egg cannot implant well because the endometrium is not built up. With a Pearl index of 0.5, the vaginal ring is just as safe a contraceptive as the contraceptive pill.The continuous release of progestins and estrogens results in identical side effects to the pill.
The growth of hormone-dependent tumours is promoted (hormone-dependent breast cancer = breast cancer) and the development of benign liver tumours (focal, nodular hyperplasia and liver cell adenoma). It can lead to: Weight gain Water retention Edema Thrombosis Mood swings and loss of libido. Women with certain previous illnesses or risk factors should therefore use a different contraceptive.
These include women with an increased risk of thrombosis, existing liver problems, previous heart attack or embolism, but also older women (from the age of 30) if they are heavy smokers. The gynaecologist should decide whether the vaginal ring is suitable for a woman after determining possible risk factors. In principle, the vaginal ring is very well suited for all women who do not want to think about taking the pill every day, after excluding contraindications.
The advantage over taking the pill is that the hormones in the vaginal ring are absorbed through the mucous membrane of the vagina and not through the intestines. Thus diarrhoea and vomiting do not affect the effect of the vaginal ring. The loss of effect of the hormones when taking antibiotics must be distinguished from this.
When taking antibiotics, the effect of the hormones is always affected, whether with the pill or the vaginal ring. The reason for this is that the hormones and the antibiotics are each metabolized in the liver and can influence each other there. Rarely do women report that the vaginal ring can be felt during sexual intercourse or even interferes with it.
Ultimately, every woman should find out for herself whether this method of contraception is the best for her. The continuous release of progestins and estrogens results in identical side effects to the pill. The growth of hormone-dependent tumours is promoted (hormone-dependent breast cancer = breast carcinoma) and the development of benign liver tumours (focal, nodular hyperplasia and liver cell adenoma).
It can lead to:. Women with certain previous illnesses or risk factors should therefore use a different contraceptive. These include women with an increased risk of thrombosis, existing liver problems, previous heart attack or embolism, but also older women (from the age of 30) if they are heavy smokers.
The gynaecologist should decide whether the vaginal ring is suitable for a woman after determining possible risk factors. In principle, the vaginal ring is very well suited for all women who do not want to think about taking the pill every day, after excluding contraindications. The advantage over taking the pill is that the hormones in the vaginal ring are absorbed through the mucous membrane of the vagina and not through the intestines.
Thus diarrhoea and vomiting do not affect the effect of the vaginal ring. The loss of effect of the hormones when taking antibiotics must be distinguished from this. When taking antibiotics, the effect of the hormones is always affected, whether with the pill or the vaginal ring.
The reason for this is that the hormones and the antibiotics are each metabolized in the liver and can influence each other there. Rarely do women report that the vaginal ring can be felt during sexual intercourse or even interferes with it. Ultimately, each woman should find out for herself whether this method of contraception is the best for her.
- Weight gain
- Water retention edema
- Thrombosis
- Mood swings and
- Libido loss
Hormone sticks are thin rods made of plastic, which are filled with the hormone progestin inside. They are implanted into the upper arm. This procedure is performed on an outpatient basis.
After anesthesia of the corresponding skin area, a rod is inserted into the skin with a thin needle and implanted there. It then remains in this position for a maximum of three years and has a contraceptive effect for three years from the implantation date. If a woman wishes to have a child before the end of the three years, or if she no longer wishes to use the hormone rod for other reasons, it can be removed beforehand.
The contraceptive effect is achieved by the hormone progestin. Like the contraceptive pill, the hormone stick prevents ovulation by releasing progestins from the depot every day. In addition, the mucous membrane of the uterus (endometrium) is not built up, so that implantation (nidation) of the egg is not possible.In addition, the mucus of the cervix thickens, making it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterus.
As with the contraceptive pill, the side effects include mood swings, bleeding disorders (intermediate and spotting bleeding = menorrhages and metrorrhages), breast tenderness and weight gain. In addition, it can sometimes be difficult to remove the hormone sticks because they can become too firmly attached. As the Hormone Stick contains only progestins and no estrogens, it is particularly suitable for women who cannot tolerate estrogens or who have certain pre-existing conditions or risk factors that do not allow them to use a contraceptive containing estrogens.
Risk factors may include an existing increased risk of thrombosis. In any case it is advantageous that the woman does not have to think about taking the pill every day and uses a very safe contraceptive with a Pearl index of 0.00 – 0.05. Since the hormones enter the bloodstream from the implant site via the tissue and are not absorbed via the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract as with the contraceptive pill, the hormone stick does not lose its effect in case of diarrhoea or vomiting. However, the effect is limited during the period of taking antibiotics or antiepileptic drugs (drugs for seizures), so that during this time another (mechanical) contraceptive should also be used.