The easy answer is that the ring, like other birth control products, tricks the body into thinking that it is pregnant. This “trickery” occurs when the hormones in the ring (progestin and estrogen) are absorbed into the bloodstream from the walls of the vagina and keeps the ovaries from releasing eggs. The hormones also cause the cervical mucus to thicken, which keeps sperm from meeting with and fertilizing an egg. When the ring is removed, the body thinks that an egg was not fertilized and sheds the lining of the uterus. And so the cycle begins again with the reinsertion of a ring.

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“Will drinking affect my birth control?”

Great question! Let’s break this down:

• Alcohol won’t affect the way the IUD, implant, ring or patch works.
• Alcohol doesn’t change the effectiveness of the shot.
• Alcohol will only affect the pill if you throw it up because of drinking, or you drink so much that you forget to take it. (Drinking that much alcohol can be dangerous, so please be careful and be smart.)

Even though alcohol doesn’t mess with your birth control, mixing alcohol and sexual activities can be dangerous. Alcohol can cloud your judgment and make you do things you normally wouldn’t do sober (consent = a must). It can also make you forget to use a condom (or use one incorrectly), which can leave you susceptible to STIs and unplanned pregnancy.

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