Courtney, 28, spermicide
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
Courtney used to be on the pill , but was advised to go off of it when her breasts grew to the point of causing back pain. Her doctor suggested condoms and spermicide instead, and that combo has kept her protected since. Courtney got really good at using spermicide when in an abusive relationship. That […]
Sonya, 28, sponge
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
Sonya started out on the pill and then tried the shot . But not being happy with either of those methods, she decided to try the sponge once a friend recommended it. It didn’t hurt that her clinic gave her a bunch for free. Because the sponge is still new to her, Sonya hasn’t yet […]
Brittany, 24, IUD
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
Brittany has some big goals she’d like to accomplish before having kids. Like moving to London and going to graduate school. Wanting a reliable method that didn’t add to her daily To Do list, Brittany opted for a Paragard IUD . She’s thrilled with her choice and doesn’t mind that she had to spend 300 […]
Lindsay, 20, fertility awareness methods
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
Lindsay first started using birth control after giving birth as a teen. After trying a number of hormonal methods, she decided to start practicing fertility awareness methods . For the last three years, she’s been looking at her cervix, charting the consistency of her mucus, and monitoring her basal body temperature. She now knows what […]
Theresa, 21, the ring
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
The first time Theresa used the ring , she was a little unsure how to insert it. But now she’s a pro, with a twist method to get it in and a fishhook move to get it out. No sweat. She also uses the stickers that come with each ring to remind her when one […]
Savannah, 18, not right now
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
A few months after a bitter break up, Savannah is currently saying “not right now.” She tends to not have casual hook-ups and isn’t looking for a new relationship yet, so, really, it’s pretty easy for her to avoid having sex. She’ll soon move to a new city and she’s ready for the fresh start. […]
Angela, 22, fertility awareness methods
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
Angela, a stay-home mom of one, has been using fertility awareness since giving birth to her daughter. She’s been tracking her periods and learning when in her cycle she’s most fertile. Rather than using condoms (or another barrier method), Angela chooses to not have sex during her most fertile times. She feels closer to her […]
Emergency contraception: the back-up plan
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
As reliable as contraception is, there are times when birth control doesn’t work. Like every once in a while when we use a method incorrectly. Or on a rare occasion when a condom breaks. And sometimes—especially when partying—we forget to use anything at all. All of these times scream out: Emergency contraception NOW! Listen to […]
Alexandria, 21, the ring
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
Alexandria moved from the pill to the ring and has good things to say about the switch. She’s got shorter periods now and prefers dealing with birth control once a month instead of once a day. For the most part, once the ring is in, it’s in. A couple of times, though, it’s come out […]
Nicole, 21, diaphragm
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By: health
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January 5, 2010
Nicole sums up the perks of her diaphragm like this: it’s easy to use, undetectable, and reliable. She likes that it’s there when she needs it, but there’s no long-term commitment. Even though the diaphragm is easy to hide once it’s in—and it’s important to Nicole that her choice of birth control stays private—at some […]