Meet Annovera, a New Type of Birth Control

In case you didn’t hear the news, there’s a new type of hormonal birth control available. You’re probably aware of the ring—a flexible ring that you insert into your vagina that releases hormones. You leave it in for three weeks (21 days), then take it out and leave it out for a week (7 days). That’s usually when you get a period-like withdrawal bleed.

Annovera is a new kind of ring that you don’t have to replace monthly. Here’s some more info that might be helpful, and for more information on this method, visit your nearest The Right Time health center.

What makes Annovera different?

Previously the only ring available was the NuvaRing (and its generic version). With NuvaRing, you throw out the ring when you take it out and refill your prescription monthly, so for each cycle you’re starting with a brand new ring.

With Annovera though, there’s no need to get a new ring each month—you can use the same ring for up to 13 cycles. You still take it out after three weeks and leave it out for a week, but instead of the waste and hassle of throwing it out and getting a new one each month, you can just put back in the same one.

How do you use it?

Once you insert the ring, leave it in for three weeks (21 days). Take it out for the fourth week (that means that you’ll leave it out for seven days). After taking it out, wash it with mild soap and water, pat it dry, and store it in its case at room temperature. When the ring is out, you’ll probably get a withdrawal bleed, which is like a period. After seven days, even if you’re still bleeding, put the Annovera back in again.

If you leave it out for more than seven days, you’ll need to use a backup method of birth control, like condoms, for seven days after putting it back in.

During the three weeks (21 days) that you have the ring in, it’s important not to take it out. And it’s designed to keep it in during sex. But if it ever comes out, make sure to put it back in right away. If the ring is out of your vagina for more than two hours total during those 21 days, you will need to use a backup method of birth control for seven days after putting it back in.

Where can you get it?

At your nearest The Right Time health center (where you can also get free or low-cost access to all the other methods of birth control).