No products in the cart.
Gone Viral: 6 things you should know about herpes
Genital herpes is one of the most feared and misunderstood sexually transmitted infections (STIs, a.k.a. STDs). Here are 6 things you probably didn’t know about this virus (but should) in honor of STD Awareness Month . 1. You’re having sex on the tip of an enormous iceberg. You might ask a prospective sex partner whether […]
Will over-the-counter birth control pills ever happen?
In recent years there have been plenty of headlines about the birth control pill becoming available over the counter. There has even been a proposal about it in Congress . But what does all of this actually mean for women who use the pill ? First, a definition. What exactly does “over the counter” mean, […]
How to get tested for HIV
Getting tested for HIV is a standard part of health care for U.S. adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all people between ages 13 and 64 be tested at least once. Your health care provider may recommend testing more often depending on your personal risks. The good news is that […]
5 myths about getting HIV, busted
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the most recently discovered viruses in the world, and we’ve learned a lot about it in the last 30 years. In that time, we’ve developed treatments that allow people with HIV to live long and healthy lives . Unfortunately, back when the virus was still new and misunderstood, […]
5 myths about living with HIV, busted
Today in the U.S., about 1.2 million people are living with HIV . Just like other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), there is no way to tell if someone is living with HIV just by looking at them. And just like other STIs, there are plenty of other myths about what it means to live with […]
Depo SubQ: The do-it-yourself birth control shot
Co-written by Laurel Slough, MPH. So maybe you’ve heard of the birth control shot , a.k.a. Depo, Depo-Provera, or DMPA. Most people who use it go to a health care provider every 3 months to get it. But what if you were able to give the shot to yourself at home? No more making appointments, […]
Pull out all the stops: Doubling up with withdrawal
Withdrawal, or pulling out, is often ignored by health care providers and researchers as a form of birth control. The U.S.’s top public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), doesn’t even include withdrawal on its list of contraceptive methods . When researchers ask people about the birth control they use, they […]
Can you get an STD from oral sex?
While you can’t get pregnant from oral sex , you can get a sexually transmitted infection (STI, a.k.a. STD). The risk of getting an STI from oral sex is a little different from the risk of vaginal sex, so let’s go over the details. First, the basic biology STIs are bacteria or viruses that rely […]
How to: Birth control and the pharmacy
UPDATE: Pharmacists in Oregon and California can now prescribe and dispense certain kinds of birth control! —- Whether you have a prescription from a health care provider or just need to stock up on condoms , your local pharmacy can be a great resource to keep you protected from pregnancy and STIs. I have my […]
Before you stop using condoms…
Condoms are great—they’re available in almost any drug store or clinic and they protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). More than half of U.S. couples use a condom when they have sex for the first time, and over 93% have used condoms at some point. The number of couples relying on condoms tends […]
