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5 myths about herpes, busted
Herpes is common. Really common. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in six adults has genital herpes, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by herpes simplex virus.* (To learn more about the two types of herpes, HSV-1 and HSV-2, check out the CDC’s herpes fact sheet ). While […]
Stress, depression, and birth control…
Feeling stressed or depressed can make it harder to do all kinds of basic things —like get to work or school, sleep well, and make decisions. Turns out it can also make it harder to stay on top of your birth control. The study Almost 700 women in Michigan, ages 18-19, took part in a […]
How to make sex safer in 4 simple steps
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
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 , […]
A very happy National HIV Awareness Month…
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is definitely doing its part to make this July, which just happens to be National HIV Awareness Month , a special one. It kicked off the month by approving OraQuick, the first DIY over-the-counter HIV test to be made available on the U.S. market. Now, mid-month, the FDA has […]
Mycoplasma geni…huh? A new STI comes to town.
Ever heard of Mycoplasma genitalium (or M. genitalium … because that’s so much easier to say)? If not, you’re in good company—even some doctors don’t know about it. M. genitalium is a tiny bacterium that growing scientific evidence shows is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Considering how little-known it is, M. genitalium is actually pretty […]
Rob, 23, male condom
You know what really feels good? Peace of mind. That’s one of the main reasons why Rob is cool using condoms . He thinks they’re easy to keep stocked wherever—and whenever—you need them. Plus, when used correctly and consistently, they protect against pregnancy and STIs. That means he doesn’t have to worry about having a […]
Herpes blues
Once you get it, it’s with you for life—so about 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. has genital herpes. Two prescription-only medications, acyclovir and valacyclovir, help make outbreaks of the virus less frequent and less painful. Acyclovir and valacyclovir are good at reducing the amount of herpes virus present in the genital area, so […]
Before you panic about condom problems…
If a couple uses condoms correctly every time they have sex, they have only a 2% chance of pregnancy in one year. That 2% represents a problem with the condom—most likely slipping or breaking during the act. But a recent review of the problems people report when using condoms found a much high proportion of […]
Condoms in college
A few weeks ago, headlines blared about a new study that found women to be less likely to use condoms by the end of their freshman year of college. The study asked how frequently women had used a condom during sex in the last month. They could select one of five answers ranging from “never” […]
