Top Takeaways
- Ringza is a long-term vaginal contraceptive ring that will compete with NuvaRing and has similar efficacy to an oral contraceptive pill.
- Ringza is reusable and can be washed and re-inserted for up to 13 cycles, allowing for more convenience than NuvaRing that requires disposing of each month and regular prescription refills.
- Ringza isn’t for everyone and should be avoided in women with a BMI over 29 and could be costly to replace if it’s lost or damaged.
Ringza (ethinyl estradiol/segesterone) will be a new long-term vaginal contraceptive ring that will compete with NuvaRing.
It’s inserted and removed vaginally by the patient with 21 days “in” and 7 days “out” for each cycle...similar to NuvaRing (ethinyl estradiol/etonogestrel).
But Ringza is a REUSABLE vaginal ring that is cleaned and reinserted for up to 13 cycles...and NuvaRing is disposed after every cycle.
Point out that efficacy of Ringza or NuvaRing is similar...about the same as an oral contraceptive pill.
Continue to recommend an IUD or implant as the most effective contraceptive. They last at least 3 years...with a single insertion.
Consider Ringza as an option for patients who prefer a vaginal ring and don’t want to worry about contraceptive refills like NuvaRing.
But don’t recommend Ringza for patients with a BMI over 29...there’s not enough evidence to say whether it’s safe or effective.
Ringza costs about $380/ring, or $29/month...versus about $21/month for NuvaRing. But Ringza could be costly to replace if it’s lost or damaged.
Advise cleaning Ringza with unscented mild soap and patting it dry before each insertion AND after each removal...and storing it in its case at room temperature for the “out” days.
Discourage removing Ringza during sex since it’s not necessary and it’s easy to forget to put it back in. Also advise patients that backup is needed if it’s out for more than 2 hours per day during the 21-day “in” period.
Caution that Ringza’s efficacy may be reduced by oil- or silicone-based vaginal products...such as some lubricants (K-Y Silicone, etc). Recommend patients stick to water-based lubricants instead (K-Y Sensual Silk, etc).
Don’t advise skipping Ringza’s “out” week. Suggest a different contraceptive if patients also want to avoid menses.
See our chart, Comparison of Oral Contraceptives and Non-Oral Alternatives, for more details about how Ringza stacks up.
- Archer DF, Merkatz RB, Bahamondes L, et al. Efficacy of the 1-year (13-cycle) segesterone acetate and ethinylestradiol contraceptive vaginal system: results of two multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 3 trials. Lancet Glob Health. 2019 Aug;7(8):e1054-e1064.
- Black A, Guilbert E; Co-Authors; Costescu D, et al. Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Canadian Contraception Consensus (Part 1 of 4). J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2015 Oct;37(10):936-42.
- Gemzell-Danielsson K, Sitruk-Ware R, Creinin MD, et al. Segesterone acetate/ethinyl estradiol 12-month contraceptive vaginal system safety evaluation. Contraception. 2019 Jun;99(6):323-328.