Each time you switch to a new type of hormonal birth control, it is normal to experience staining for the first 1-3 months as your body adjusts. It is also common to have staining when combined hormonal contraception is taken for more than the conventional 21 to 26 (depending on type) consecutive days.

In light of this, we suggest that you give the patch another month or two before deciding whether you should switch to the NuvaRing. During this time, you should not skip the week break. Should this solve the problem of staining, then we suggest you gradually increase the time you use the patch before taking a break to find the amount of uninterrupted use that works for you without staining.

At this point, if the staining has not let up, we recommend taking the week break now to get your period. You may experience staining after your period but not all stains will invalidate the clean days. Please see our articles on stains and toilet paper for more details.

Please feel free to get back to us with any further questions.