What Should I Avoid?
Cigarette smoking
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects when you use combination oral contraceptives, including NuvaRing. This risk increases even more if you are over age 35 and if you smoke 15 or more cigarettes a day. Women who use combination hormonal contraceptives, like NuvaRing, are strongly advised not to smoke.
Breastfeeding
Do not breastfeed while using NuvaRing. Some of the medicine may pass through the milk to the baby and could cause yellowing of the skin (jaundice) and breast enlargement in your baby. NuvaRing could also decrease the amount and quality of your breast milk.
Drug interactions
The hormones in NuvaRing can interact with many other medicines and herbal supplements. Tell your health care professional about any medicines you are taking, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, herbal remedies, and vitamins.
The blood levels of the hormones released by NuvaRing were increased when women used a vaginal medication (miconazole nitrate) for a yeast infection while NuvaRing was in place. The pregnancy protection of NuvaRing is not likely to be changed by use of these products. The blood levels of these hormones were not changed when women used vaginal, water-based spermicides (nonoxynol or N-9 products) along with NuvaRing.
Certain drugs and herbal supplements may interact with combined hormonal contraceptives to make them less effective in preventing pregnancy or cause an increase in breakthrough bleeding. Such drugs include rifampin, drugs used for epilepsy such as barbiturates (for example, phenobarbital), carbamazepine, and phenytoin, primidone, topiramate, phenylbutazone, modafinil, and some drugs used for HIV such as ritonavir. Pregnancies and breakthrough bleeding have been reported by users of combined hormonal contraceptives who also used the herbal supplement St. John’s Wort. You may need to use a nonhormonal method of contraception during any cycle in which you take drugs that can make oral contraceptives less effective. Be sure to tell your health care professional if you are taking or start taking any other medications, including nonprescription products or herbal products, while using NuvaRing.
Back-up methods
While using NuvaRing, you should not rely upon a diaphragm when you need a backup method of birth control because NuvaRing may interfere with the correct placement and position of a diaphragm.
Laboratory Tests
If you are scheduled for any laboratory tests, tell your doctor or health care professional you are using NuvaRing. Contraceptive hormones may change certain blood tests results.
Prescription NuvaRing is a flexible vaginal ring approved for the prevention of pregnancy in women.
Important Safety Information
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects when you use combination oral contraceptives. This risk increases even more if you are over age 35 and if you smoke 15 or more cigarettes a day. Women who use combination hormonal contraceptives, including NuvaRing, are strongly advised not to smoke.
- The use of combination oral contraceptives is associated with increased risks of several serious side effects, including blood clots, stroke, or heart attack. NuvaRing is not for women with a history of these conditions. The risk of getting blood clots may be greater with the type of progestin in NuvaRing than with some other progestins in certain low-dose birth control pills. It is unknown if the risk of blood clots is different with NuvaRing use than with the use of certain birth control pills.
- NuvaRing is not for women with certain cancers or those who may be pregnant.
- NuvaRing does not protect against HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases.
- The most common side effects reported by NuvaRing users are: vaginal infections and irritation, vaginal secretion, headache, weight gain, and nausea.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please read the Patient Information for NuvaRing, including the information about the increased risk of serious cardiovascular side effects, especially in women who smoke, and discuss it with your doctor. The physician Prescribing Information is also available.
Back to top
