Gaining weight: Is it the birth control?
It’s a very common story. A woman starts using hormonal birth control, finds herself gaining weight, and assumes the birth control is to blame. The tricky thing is that lots of research about hormonal birth control shows that, with one important exception, it’s probably not the birth control. A note on personal experiences vs. the […]
Does birth control cause breast cancer?
Wondering if your birth control can increase your risk of breast cancer? This is a common concern, but don’t worry, we have lots of studies showing that birth control does not increase breast cancer risk. Let’s break it down. Why would birth control be related to breast cancer anyway? First things first: although breast cancer […]
Alyssa, 19, the pill
Alyssa is on Seasonique, a birth control pill that reduces her period to just four times a year. Before taking it, her period was irregular, so she never knew when it would arrive or how long it would last. Now she knows when she’s going to get it and, because it only happens once a […]
All about hormones!
At the most basic level, a hormone is a chemical made in one part of a living thing that travels around and affects other parts of that thing. Hormones are as old as the hills, and probably evolved when life on Earth was nothing but cells bobbing in the primordial seas. The special organs in […]
While you’re in there: Birth control for right after having a baby
Planning for a baby can be overwhelming. You’re dealing with prenatal care, setting up a nursery, making a birth plan, and simply preparing to be responsible for a new life. But the real work starts when you get that newborn home—and the last thing you’re going to want to worry about is an unplanned pregnancy. […]
Generic vs. brand name birth control: But, I thought it was all covered?
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 . […]
Which medications can mess with birth control?
Many women using birth control with hormones—including the pill , the patch , and the ring —have heard that antibiotics can make these methods less effective. Thankfully, that’s not true for most antibiotics. But there are medicines that can interfere with some kinds of birth control. Let’s talk details, why these meds mess with birth […]
A quick guide to skipping periods with birth control
That weekend at the beach you’ve been looking forward to or the first day of school or a new job can be stressful times to have your period start, especially if your periods are painful . Wouldn’t it be nice on days like those not to have to worry about pads, tampons, or pain killers? […]
Period pain? Birth control can help!
Having a painful period can mess up your day, or week—or weeks! Every woman’s period is different and the same woman’s periods are often different over time. So how do you know if the pain you have with your period is normal? And what can you do to make your periods less painful? My periods […]
Can the pill protect you from ovarian cancer?
First, the bad news: About 12 in 100,000 U.S. women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, making it the eighth most common cancer in women. Yet ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of women’s cancer death’s because it has few early symptoms and is often caught after it’s more difficult to treat. But […]
