Long-acting just got longer
-
By: health
-
August 31, 2011
The Mirena IUD is one of the longest lasting reversible methods we have available, and it could have an even longer lifespan than we thought. Recent research out of Europe suggests that Mirena—approved for five years of use in the U.S.—may actually work to prevent pregnancy for up to eight years. But whether its maker […]
Avoiding Evital
-
By: health
-
August 31, 2011
Morning after pills sold under the name Evital—a brand mainly sold in the Dominican Republic and not approved by the FDA for sale in the U.S.—may be counterfeit and not effective for preventing pregnancy. [ FDA ] original post
Emergency Contraception 101 (because mishaps happen)
-
By: health
-
August 19, 2011
UPDATE: Plan B One-Step emergency contraception is now available over the counter without a prescription or age restrictions. Here’s what we know about it so far ! You could be drunk and forgetful. You could be crazy in love, horny as hell, and out of birth control. You could be perfectly responsible, but the condom […]
Baby in one hand… birth control in the other
-
By: health
-
August 19, 2011
As if they didn’t have their hands full already, women who have just given birth have to be especially careful when choosing a contraceptive. The CDC has just updated it’s guidelines on which methods are safe for new moms to use, and when. While hormonal methods that don’t contain estrogen—the shot, the Mirena IUD, the […]
Full birth control coverage? Thanks, President Obama!
-
By: health
-
August 17, 2011
If you happened to catch the folks at Planned Parenthood doing a little dance earlier this month, it was for a good reason. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) just announced that by this time next year, new health insurance plans will have to cover any FDA-approved birth control method your doctor prescribes […]
IUDs are A-OK: Doctors say the best new birth control has been here all along
-
By: health
-
August 3, 2011
UPDATE: Since this article went live, several more IUDs have hit the market. Learn all about the IUDs available in the U.S. as of 2017 . — If you’ve been skipping right over the IUD when exploring your birth control options , you aren’t alone. The mere sight of that homely acronym (an umbrella term […]
Can the pill make you choose the wrong guy?
-
By: health
-
August 3, 2011
I feel sorry for the pill ; it’s always the scapegoat. Despite providing excellent protection from pregnancy when taken consistently, reducing cramping and bleeding with periods, and having a huge amount of evidence to prove its safety, the pill gets blamed for the strangest things … Today’s example: blaming the pill for choosing the wrong […]
Affordable birth control and health care reform
-
By: health
-
July 21, 2011
UPDATE: President Biden has opened the enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act health insurance plans for 2022. You can now enroll in one of these plans until January 15, 2022, at healthcare.gov . Some states have their own open enrollment periods and websites for signing up. Check to see if your state does . […]
The emergency contraceptive that keeps going… and going…
-
By: health
-
July 15, 2011
I’ve written before about our best-laid plans for having protected sex gone awry … It’s pretty common. For anyone who finds herself worried about becoming pregnant the morning after, there are multiple options . The one I want to tell you about today is perhaps the best-kept secret of emergency contraception: the non-hormonal copper intrauterine […]
Where in the world is birth control for men?
-
By: health
-
May 31, 2011
Last updated on November 11, 2014. Picture this: a couple is in a committed relationship and they’ve agreed they’re not ready for kids. They talk to each other about birth control and maybe he helps her remember to take her pill. Maybe he’d like to take even more responsibility for birth control…but he’s got scant […]