The ring’s got perks
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By: health
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February 16, 2012
Heavy periods affect lots of women, with consequences ranging from annoyance to missed days at work or school. We know from previous research that the pill and the hormonal IUD can help reduce heavy menstrual bleeding and increase women’s sense of well-being. But new research from Egypt shows that the ring is another good option […]
IUD use is up—but not when it comes to emergency contraception
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By: health
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February 16, 2012
The good news: U.S. women with health insurance are increasingly opting for low-cost IUDs . New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed a sixfold increase in IUD use by insured women from 2002 to 2008. The increase was less dramatic among women under 25, even though the IUD has now […]
EC from a vending machine?
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By: health
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February 16, 2012
Shippensburg University, a small-ish school in Pennsylvania, made the news last week for offering emergency contraception (EC) through a vending machine in their student health center. The machine has been there for about 2 years, but the FDA only recently started asking questions about it, possibly as an after-effect of December’s controversy about over-the-counter access […]
DIY IUD Removal: Yesss or yeeeck?
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By: health
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February 16, 2012
According to new research from the University of California, San Francisco, some women like the idea of being able to remove their own IUD—so much so that it might make them more willing to try one in the first place. Women who liked the idea of removing their own IUD said it was because they […]
The Obama Administration makes it official!
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By: health
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January 25, 2012
We shared this via tumblr last week, but for those who somehow missed the big news, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has decided to include almost all employers in the new health reform ruling that requires them to cover birth control in their health insurance plans without co-pays or deductibles. If you’re […]
It ain’t easy getting emergency contraception
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By: health
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January 25, 2012
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 ! We’ve talked about the ability, or lack thereof, of guys and younger teens to access emergency contraception (EC) , but what about women 17 and over? As we […]
Science gets behind using the pill for pain
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By: health
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January 25, 2012
Ever stayed home during your period with cramps so bad you wished you didn’t have uterus? As many as one in seven young women have. A new study from Sweden shows that women who use the pill have significantly less painful periods than those who don’t. Women in the study answered questions about birth control […]
SILCS: It’s not your mama’s diaphragm (not her spermicide, either)
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By: health
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January 17, 2012
Update: The Caya diaphragm, a.k.a. SILCS, is now available in the U.S. — In the 1960s, more than 10% of married women in the U.S. used a diaphragm for birth control—today, fewer than 1% do. The drop could be because so many other birth control options have been introduced since then, including the implant , […]
Birth control spotlight: Hit me with your best shot
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By: health
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January 6, 2012
It lasts for three awesome months of sex per shot. Has a 94% effective rate in preventing pregnancy. There’s nothing you have to remember to take daily or weekly. These are just a few of the reason why we’re fans of Depo-Provera . Yes, it’s a shot and shots aren’t exactly fun to get, but […]