Updated December 05, 2014.

The impact of having a monthly period, for some women, can be experienced as a minor inconvenience, yet it can also be a major health concern for others. The use of the NuvaRing gives women the choice to decide when and if they become pregnant while also allowing women the ability to control when and if they have a period. Research shows that if given the choice, most women would prefer extended menstrual cycles.

Many women may have medical reasons for wanting to skip a period. The most common medical reasons that women give include headaches, cramping, painful periods, heavy bleeding, and PMS.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: N/A

Here's How:

1. Determine the month that you wish to skip your period.
2. Continue to keep your contraceptive ring in place during the month prior to wanting to skip your period.
3. After 3 weeks, take out your old ring.
4. Instead of waiting for your period during week 4 and then inserting your new ring, insert your new ring right after you take the previous one out. This will keep the hormone levels constant), and by keeping steady the supply of hormones, this will eliminate your monthly withdrawal bleed, although you may still have some spotting.
5. As long as you continuously replace your ring, you won't have a full period. When you want to have a period, at the end of the third week of wearing a ring, take it out, and your monthly withdrawal bleed (i.e., period) should return.

Tips:

1. In order to do this, you need to pick up your ring a week early from the pharmacy and insert it a week early. But because some insurance companies won't allow this, you should with your insurance provider.

1. Keep track of where you are in your cycle as you must insert the new contraceptive ring immediately after taking out your previous ring at the end of your third week of use.
2. If you only wish to skip one period, as soon as you begin insert your new contraceptive ring, continue as you normally would. However, if you want to skip the next month’s period as well, just repeat steps 2-5.
3. Some women are concerned about the safety of skipping periods. Research has consistently shown that this is common and completely safe to do. Plus, this practice does not compromise the effectiveness of your NuvaRing.
   • For More Information: See No More Periods: The Safety of Continuous Birth Control
4. Keep in mind that some women may have spotting/breakthrough bleeding at the time when they would have had their period.

What You Need:

• NuvaRings
• A calendar