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The FDA weighs in on blood clots and birth control
We’ve written before about concerns that some brands of the pill (along with the patch ) carry a higher risk of blood clots than others. Last week, the FDA officially concluded that the benefits of the brands in question outweigh the drawbacks, but that their labels should be updated to warn of the higher blood […]
Breaking news: Plan B One-Step will stay right where it is
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 ! There’s been a lot of talk in recent days about an expected FDA decision to make Plan B One-Step, a popular form of emergency contraception (EC) , available […]
Blame it on the pill (again)
Another day, another study attempting to link the world’s ills to the birth control pill. Headlines are blaring news of a study, published in BMJ Open , that alleges that the pill may cause prostate cancer. In fact, as others have noted , what the study really shows is that rates of prostate cancer are […]
Pap smear every year? Not so much.
A government-backed panel released new recommendations for women of reproductive age to get a pap smear every 3 years rather than annually. The recommendations are still in draft form and accepting public comment, but given that cancer patient advocacy groups like the American Cancer Society have voiced their support for the recommendations, they may not […]
Nexpla-what? The next generation of the implant has arrived!
UPDATE: Since this article was published, research has shown the implant to be effective for up to four years. The folks at Merck, who brought us Implanon (a.k.a. the implant ), have officially introduced Nexplanon for use across the United States. Nexplanon is a lot like Implanon—same smaller-than-a-matchstick rod, same 3-year protection, same upper-arm insertion […]
Pill good news and bad news
There was good news and not-so-good news for the pill this week. First, the good news: a new study confirms that women who have ever taken the pill—even for just a few years—have long-lasting protection from ovarian cancer. Previous research has shown that the pill also protects against uterine cancer and that, contrary to popular […]
Happy Birthday Our Bodies, Ourselves!
Long before women could look to the Internet for advice, support, and information, a small group of feminist activists published a book that became a sort of Bible of sexual health. Our Bodies, Ourselves has just been published in its ninth edition and it’s no less relevant than the first, which turns 40 this year. […]
Is solo sex linked to safer sex in teens?
New evidence suggests that teens who masturbate (which includes, surprise!, most of them) may also be more likely to use condoms when they have sex. At least, the ones willing to talk about it say they do. The study relied on a small number of teens who had to have permission from their parents to […]
Minding the unplanned pregnancy gap
There are some things—acne, awkwardness, a curfew—it’s generally safe to look forward to outgrowing once your teenage years are behind you. One hazard that’s not so easily shed? Unplanned pregnancy. According to a report from the Guttmacher Institute , the proportion of US pregnancies that are unintended—already higher than other developed countries—rose slightly from 2001 […]
