Vaginal ring vs Hormonal coil (IUS)
Need help choosing? Speak to a doctor
£From £0.41/day
Add your Hormonal coil (IUS) review
Overview
Rated 3.6
52 reviews
Every 3 weeks
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 3.5
825 reviews
Every 3-8 years
Frequency
Over 99%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Vaginal ring ingredients
Main hormones in Vaginal ring
progestogen
oestrogen
Hormonal coil (IUS) ingredients
Main hormones in Hormonal coil (IUS)
progestogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
Adenomyosis
Endometriosis
Heavy periods
Menopause
Period pain
Try it now
£From £0.41/day
Try it now
Add your Hormonal coil (IUS) review
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Vaginal ring reviews
52 reviews
Used for 3 - 6 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
The first few months weren’t awful, had regular side effects like nausea, anxiety & tiredness. The main function of the ring for me was to skip my periods & for the first 3 months it worked great. On my 4th ring a few days later I started to feel incredibly nauseous (I didn’t vomit) & the day after I started bleeding, I spotted every day for over a month & still spot every other day, I also had had a large sack of my uterus wall come out which is apparently a side effect when your hormones are unstable. My hips, pelvis, back and legs were aching to the point I struggled to walk. I removed the ring & had instant relief. The nuvaring has made it so I physically can’t have sex as it feels like my vagina is on fire as soon as anything’s inserted, when I took the ring out for a few days this went away & came back the second I reinserted it (it’s also irritated my partners penis). I don’t know if I’m just very sensitive down there or my body doesn’t agree with having a foreign body inside but this just simply hasn’t worked for me. It’s also difficult to get in the right position. My boobs have gotten bigger tho atleast but so has my tummy from the awful bloating!! Swapping to the patch today & hoping it works.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
50 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I have had the Nuva-ring for years. It's brilliant, no side effects, it gives the hormone dose at the point in my body I need it so I know less hormone is swirling around my body and going through my liver. Surely that's a good thing. I don't think GPs prescribe it here in the UK nearly enough as possibly more expensive than the pill? I was living in Europe after the birth of my second child, initially I was put on the mini-pill and immediately fell into a very low mood which I hadn't felt the weeks after the birth so knew it was the mini-pill that had effected me. I was taken off it straight away and it was suggested I avoid progesterone-only contraceptive as I am probably progesterone-intolerant (beware anyone on the Merina-coil - so many don't realise progesterone can give you depression). I was then given the Nuvaring which I have been on ever since. Oestrogen and me are happy bed fellows. I am also now on HRT which I can take with the ring. When my oestrogen levels dipped as I hit 50 yo the oestorgen in HRT once again lifted my mood. It's all trial and error but only we know what works and what doesn't.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 22nd Jan 25
NuvaRing greatly affected my mood, at one point I thought I had depression and got prescribed antidepressants by incompetent doctors. The second I stopped using NuvaRing (based on INTERNET RECOMMENDATIONS), all my mental problems went away
Very negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
The first few months weren’t awful, had regular side effects like nausea, anxiety & tiredness. The main function of the ring for me was to skip my periods & for the first 3 months it worked great. On my 4th ring a few days later I started to feel incredibly nauseous (I didn’t vomit) & the day after I started bleeding, I spotted every day for over a month & still spot every other day, I also had had a large sack of my uterus wall come out which is apparently a side effect when your hormones are unstable. My hips, pelvis, back and legs were aching to the point I struggled to walk. I removed the ring & had instant relief. The nuvaring has made it so I physically can’t have sex as it feels like my vagina is on fire as soon as anything’s inserted, when I took the ring out for a few days this went away & came back the second I reinserted it (it’s also irritated my partners penis). I don’t know if I’m just very sensitive down there or my body doesn’t agree with having a foreign body inside but this just simply hasn’t worked for me. It’s also difficult to get in the right position. My boobs have gotten bigger tho atleast but so has my tummy from the awful bloating!! Swapping to the patch today & hoping it works.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
50 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I have had the Nuva-ring for years. It's brilliant, no side effects, it gives the hormone dose at the point in my body I need it so I know less hormone is swirling around my body and going through my liver. Surely that's a good thing. I don't think GPs prescribe it here in the UK nearly enough as possibly more expensive than the pill? I was living in Europe after the birth of my second child, initially I was put on the mini-pill and immediately fell into a very low mood which I hadn't felt the weeks after the birth so knew it was the mini-pill that had effected me. I was taken off it straight away and it was suggested I avoid progesterone-only contraceptive as I am probably progesterone-intolerant (beware anyone on the Merina-coil - so many don't realise progesterone can give you depression). I was then given the Nuvaring which I have been on ever since. Oestrogen and me are happy bed fellows. I am also now on HRT which I can take with the ring. When my oestrogen levels dipped as I hit 50 yo the oestorgen in HRT once again lifted my mood. It's all trial and error but only we know what works and what doesn't.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 22nd Jan 25
NuvaRing greatly affected my mood, at one point I thought I had depression and got prescribed antidepressants by incompetent doctors. The second I stopped using NuvaRing (based on INTERNET RECOMMENDATIONS), all my mental problems went away
Very negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Hormonal coil (IUS) reviews
825 reviews
Used for 12 - 18 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Overall my periods were regular but once I got the coil I had very irregular periods and extra cramping. I also have frequent dizzy spells and headaches since it has been inserted. And I've seen an increase in spots and body hair since starting with the coil
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Struggled to fit the Mirena & so fitted the Kyleena instead - potentially leading to an insufficient amount of progesterone as i continued to have irregular bleeding. After about 12 months this settled down and month on month this has lessened and my cycle continued. However, I experienced consistent cramping like I'd never had before and from 15 months onwards severe & debilitating pain about a week before my period. This is why I had it removed.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
41 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I experienced irregular periods, major mood swings and no sex drive at all. Would not recommend this at all.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
1 helpful
1 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Overall my periods were regular but once I got the coil I had very irregular periods and extra cramping. I also have frequent dizzy spells and headaches since it has been inserted. And I've seen an increase in spots and body hair since starting with the coil
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Struggled to fit the Mirena & so fitted the Kyleena instead - potentially leading to an insufficient amount of progesterone as i continued to have irregular bleeding. After about 12 months this settled down and month on month this has lessened and my cycle continued. However, I experienced consistent cramping like I'd never had before and from 15 months onwards severe & debilitating pain about a week before my period. This is why I had it removed.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
41 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I experienced irregular periods, major mood swings and no sex drive at all. Would not recommend this at all.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
1 helpful
1 comments
Used for 8+ yr
36 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Insertion isn't pleasant, but once it's in place, there's nothing to do for years! I had my first Mirena coil over 8 years ago and haven't had a period since insertion, only very occasional spotting (maybe once every 3-6months). I know some women like to track their cycle, but I never think about it and prefer it that way! Would recommend.
Top side effects not reported
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Loved this until I got BV then no treatment would fix it until I got IUS removed
Top side effects not reported
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
38 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
The threads disappeared on the first coil so had it changed early (wasn't great as they had to go digging about to find the threads). Had another put straight in at the time thinking it was a one off but the same happened with the second so I had it removed early as soon as I noticed them becoming shorter to avoid the first scenario again and switched to the implant. Great that my periods stopped on it and it's super low maintenance though.
Top side effects not reported
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
40 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
Extremely painful insertion. Blood loss continuously for about 3 months, bleeding everyday. Then periods became irregular, passing clots the size of my palm. Periods worsened after merina, when ironically merina was prescribed for heavy periods. Dermatitis caused by merina after 2 months. Told that results with merina are variable, and to wait and see. Not good advice considering the health issues and extreme blood loss caused by merina so far.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I mean as a contraceptive it works because I haven’t gotten pregnant. A positive my periods are extremely light and irregular, but as a distant irregular. But my skin has never been so worse in my life, I constantly have big deep spots on my chin. I used to have quite dry skin but now on the oily side.
Worse skin
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
The mirena coil stopped my periods and worked as a contraceptive, however it stimulated hair growth on my face which was not there before. As a result I have required many courses of laser. I do not have PCOS and have had testing, however I think the hormones in the mirena coil started the changes that are now continuing despite having the coil since removed. The coil was also extremely painful to have inserted.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
33 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
Had the Mirena Coil in for around 9 months and it's made my periods so much lighter but a bit more irregular. It was really painful upon insertion and I'm still getting stabby cramps around when I should be having my period. Overall, I think it's worth it because my periods are so much lighter.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments

Women's health, reviewed.
Get the best women’s health info in your inbox
You are signing up to receive The Lowdown's latest findings and news in women's health. Your data will be used in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie policy
Slide into our DMs
Built by doctors and experts
Our tools are made by medical professionals for your peace of mind
Our website uses affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click on them