I'm back with more information to help all you ladies find the right birth control method for you. Thanks for all your helpful comments in my first installment, and please feel free to offer up your own advice and experiences in the second installment as well! Let's just jump right in.

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The Ring

• The ring, otherwise called the NuvaRing, is another prescription form of birth control. It is a flexible rubbery ring that is inserted in the vagina and left alone for three weeks out of every month
• The ring releases hormones similar to the pill and the patch, preventing the ovaries from releasing eggs, in addition to thickening the lining of the uterus making it more difficult for sperm to penetrate
• While this method is convenience free for three weeks at a time, if the ring is inserted improperly or if it falls out of place for more than three hours at a time, you run a risk of getting pregnant
• Like the patch, it is important to not keep the ring in for longer than the prescribed amount of time, but it must be kept in for the entire three weeks. When it is time to remove it, make sure you take it out on the same day of the week in which you inserted it
• The ring must stay inserted during intercourse
• The week in which you are ring free is when you will menstruate. If that week is up and you are still bleeding, insert the new ring regardless
• Side effects for the ring are the same as the pill and the patch, including but not limited to: possible change in your sex drive, possible change in your weight, breast tenderness, depression, nausea, spotting and the possibility of blood clotting especially if you are a smoker over the age of 35

The Shot

• The shot, otherwise known as Depo-Provera, is a monthly progestin-only prescription form of birth control that keeps you safe from pregnancy for 12 weeks at a time
• The shot is considered to be the most effective prescribed birth control method and is effective immediately if given within the first seven days of your period
• One disadvantage of the shot is if you have an adverse hormonal reaction, the hormones will stay in your system for the full life span of the shot
• Another downfall to the shot is it can take longer to get pregnant after discontinued use, sometimes 9-12 months
• On the flip side, if the shot is a good fit for you, it is a big plus to be birth control care free for 12 weeks at a time

The Insert

• The insert, otherwise known as Implanon, is a new form of birth control, approved in July 2006, that prevents pregnancy for up to three years and is immediately effective if inserted within the first 5 days of your period
• Implanon is inserted through a needle under your skin in your upper arm by the elbow
• The insert slowly releases hormones throughout a three year period and when removed, pregnancy can happen anytime
• The insert has been known to cause irregular periods and often missed periods all together as well as irregular bleeding. The first 6-12 months is when you would experience most side effects from the insert

I will be back tomorrow with more information to help keep you safe and protected. Stay tuned!

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