Ethinylestradiol/etonogestrel

Ethinylestradiol/etonogestrel, sold under the brand name Nuvaring among others, is a hormonal vaginal ring used for birth control and to improve menstrual symptoms. It contains ethinylestradiol, an estrogen, and etonogestrel, a progestin. It is used by insertion into the vagina. Pregnancy occurs in about 0.3% of women with perfect use and 9% of women with typical use.

Common side effects include irregular vaginal bleeding, nausea, sore breasts, vaginitis, mood changes, and headache. Rare but serious side effects may include blood clots, toxic shock syndrome, anaphylaxis, gallstones, and liver problems. Use is not recommended in those who both smoke and are over the age of 35. While use in pregnancy is not recommended, such use has not been found to be harmful to the baby. Use during breastfeeding is typically not recommended as it may decrease the milk supply. It mainly works by decreasing gonadotropins thereby stopping ovulation.

The combination was approved for medical use in the United States in 2001. It is available as a generic medication in the United Kingdom. In 2022, it was the 194th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 2 million prescriptions.