Are there any health risks with using the ring continuously to skip my period?

By Kendall @ Planned Parenthood | June 11, 2013, 12:30 p.m.

Category: Ask the Experts, Birth Control

Can using Nuva Ring for four weeks damage reproductive organs or increase infertility? Are there any downsides to using them all the time and skipping your period?

No and no. It’s safe to use the birth control ring to control when and how often you have your period. If you want to skip your period, you can put in a new ring every three weeks, rather than taking it out and going ring-less for a week. If you want to leave the ring in for four weeks, that’s fine, too — but you may find you still get a period or light spotting during that fourth week.

There aren’t any health risks associated with skipping your period, but you may notice some breakthrough bleeding or spotting. This usually goes away after six months or so if you keep skipping your period. Using the birth control ring, however you use it, won’t damage your reproductive organs or cause infertility. In fact, the ring can actually benefit your reproductive health — it can help alleviate bad menstrual cramps and provides some protection against ovarian cysts, endometrial and ovarian cancers, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infections in the ovaries and uterus.