Um, can I get pregnant if…? Part 2!
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By: health
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March 14, 2013
We got so many questions about pregnancy scares in the comments of the original “Um, can I get pregnant if…?” that we decided it was time for part 2. Last time we talked about specific sex acts that could lead to pregnancy—this time we’re talking the chance of pregnancy in various circumstances. Can I get […]
Research finds sex is still good with condoms
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By: health
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February 14, 2013
We’ve heard some pretty colorful excuses for not using condoms (a.k.a. the only birth control method that protects against STIs ). Reducing sensitivity is definitely a big one. Fortunately, science is here to help put the rumors to rest and assure us that condoms may be a barrier to STI transmission, but they’re no barrier […]
How to make sex safer in 4 simple steps
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By: health
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November 12, 2012
Most of us have said, or heard a friend say, at one point or another “Hello birth control—goodbye condoms!” I get the thought process behind this—but as a healthcare provider for young women, it worries me. Here’s why: young women have the highest risk for accidental pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Double trouble… A […]
5 myths about the IUD, busted
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By: health
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September 13, 2012
After years in unofficial exile, the IUD is finally making a much-deserved comeback in the U.S. The device got a bad reputation mostly due to health problems women experienced using the creepy-looking Dalkon Shield , a poorly designed model of the IUD that’s been off the market for decades. Fortunately, medical providers and researchers , […]
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: Wait, there’s good news?
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By: health
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June 12, 2012
Two of the most common STIs (sexually transmitted infections) in the U.S., chlamydia and gonorrhea, are caused by bacteria. We know that the large majority of people who get chlamydia and gonorrhea are under age 26. It’s difficult to know exactly how common these STIs are because lots of people who have them never have […]
The STI testing question of the hour: Where?
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By: health
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May 7, 2012
Ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections (STIs). Early diagnosis and treatment means better long-term health and less likelihood of passing the infection on to future sexual partners. So why don’t more people in the U.S. get tested? Two new studies suggest that where the testing is happening may be […]
Birth control and infertility: Does using birth control hurt my chances of getting pregnant later?
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By: health
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April 22, 2010
Women under 30 years old are incredibly fertile—their ability to get pregnant is at its peak. In the U.S., about three in four sexually active women under 30 are using some type of birth control. But many of them ask me, does using birth control now hurt my chances of getting pregnant in the future? […]