Trial to Assess Acceptability and Safety of Two Placebo Intravaginal Rings

This research study is being conducted to find out how easy, comfortable, and safe intravaginal rings are for women to use. The two rings used in this study do not dispense any medications, are the same size, but differ in their flexibility and hardness. This study will enroll approximately 100 HIV-negative persons, aged18-45 years, and assigned female sex at birth from sites in the United States, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Participants will be randomly assigned to use (self-insert) Ring A for 4 weeks and then Ring B for 4 weeks or Ring B first followed by Ring A. There will be a 1-3-week rest period between using the two different rings. The study involves answering questions, undergoing pelvic examinations, and collecting blood and vaginal fluid samples over a total of 7 in-person visits and 2 telephone calls over approximately 9-11 weeks. In addition, both participants and approximately 30 of their sexual partners will be asked to take part in in-depth interviews to further assess acceptability, attitudes, and experiences with ring use to gauge interest in the future use of intravaginal rings as a HIV prevention option.