buffer-overrun

I was a relatively early adopter of the Nuvaring, and I found it a lot less stressful than daily pills. The problem is that it is just as easy to mess up, as is therefore no more effective, compared daily pills.  The CDC has both listed at a 9% failure rate with “typical use”.  The issue is that the very first active pill of your cycle is the most important.  Any delay in starting active pills makes it much more likely that the process of ovulation will start before the pills kick in. Later pills are still important, but not as crucial as starting the first pill on time.  And the ring has the same problem.  If you mess up getting your prescription filled and don’t put the ring in on time, it is the same as missing your first active pill (and you need to use backup contraception for a week). My husband and I ended up using condoms for the first week of my Nuvaring cycle 3 or 4 times over the course of the 3 years I was on it.

It is not surprising to me that so many doctors use IUDs.  I have a Mirena and it has great effectiveness statistics. But, like the doctors, I have insurance and an OB/GYN, so it is medically and financially an option for me.  Also, I’m not sure if this is still true, but they used to discourage women from using IUDs unless they were at low risk for STIs, because of risks of uterine infections.  I think this has changed, though, because IUDs are now recommended for teenage girls (in combination with condoms for STIs) because they are so effective at preventing pregnancy.