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ASK THE GYNO!
Who can remember to ask your doc birth control questions when their feet are in stirrups and their delicate bits are on display? No worries—we answered all of 'em right here. Get the facts from the comfort of your own screen.
I'll be traveling for a month and I don't want to bother taking birth-control pills. Can I switch to, say, NuvaRing and go back on the Pill when I get home?
Yes. It's fine to use a different method for a single month every once in a while, says Lee P. Shulman, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. But you may notice an increase in cramping or mood swings if the new product contains a higher or lower dose of hormones, or a different progestin, than your usual method.
Also, be sure to go back to your old birth control ASAP. The effectiveness of any contraceptive relates directly to how consistently you use it. Once a year isn't a big deal, but switching methods every other month will up your odds of becoming pregnant.
Here's how to make the switch: On the day you'd normally start a new pack of pills, insert the ring. Remove it three weeks later. Then, after another seven days, start your new pack of pills.
