Research finds sex is still good with condoms
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 […]
Abuse by birth control sabotage
By Dr. Liz Miller, MD, PhD, the Chief of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. About twelve years ago, I was working as a doctor in a clinic in California. A young woman came in and requested a pregnancy test. Her test was negative. I asked her if she wanted to be […]
Birth control bullies: When your partner wants your method to fail
When I was training to become a doctor, one of my patients was a 25-year-old woman. She already had one child and didn’t want to get pregnant again. She’d been using the birth control patch , but came to me because the patch wasn’t working for her. When I asked her “why not?” she said, […]
The magical powers of semen…
Just when we thought we had the biology of human reproduction figured out, new research shows there’s still plenty we don’t understand. Today’s example? A team of biologists have shown that a protein commonly found in the semen of many animals—including humans—can help kick-start the release of an egg (a.k.a. ovulation). The protein, which has […]
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 , […]
37% of U.S. babies are “a surprise”
New data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) tell us that 37% of all babies born to 15-44-year-old women between 2006 and 2010 were, ahem, a surprise. And of course that doesn’t account for unintended pregnancies that ended in miscarriage or abortion. There was lots of useful information in the report […]
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 […]
Male birth control gel? Keep that bubbly on ice…
Could it be that, finally, after all these years, a new birth control method for dudes is on the scene? Kinda sounds like it based on recent headlines , but we’re not popping any corks quite yet (pun totally intended). The last thing we want to do is rain on a birth-control-related parade, but it […]
The more you know…
Well, there’s good news and bad news. First, the good. A recent Guttmacher Institute analysis of a 2009 study on 18-29-year-olds in the United States found that the more people know about contraception, the better they are at preventing accidental pregnancy.* Women who got more correct answers on a quiz about birth control were more […]
Justin, 27, diaphragm
In the beginning, they were cautious about STIs and pregnancy, so they used condoms to protect against both. Now, as an exclusive couple with a clean bill of health, they use a diaphragm and go condom-free. (Except when she’s ovulating; that’s when they double up because women are more susceptible to getting pregnant around the […]
