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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 , […]
Starting the pill: How about now?
Sometimes old ideas die hard. One good example is the old idea that you have to start taking the pill on a Sunday, or start it five days after your period begins. Research has shown that this is just plain wrong. Out with the old… In the old days, health care providers often advised women […]
5 myths about the emergency contraceptive pill, busted
Emergency contraception pills (ECPs) are the subject of more rumors and misunderstandings than any celebrity I can name—despite the fact that the medical community has been studying them for over 50 years. Part of the confusion is due to outdated information included in package labeling, and part is due to political interference with science . […]
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: Wait, there’s good news?
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 […]
Ovarian cysts: No biggie, but birth control can help
Patients almost always have the same look on their face when we talk about ovarian cysts. It’s that look of, “OMG, I have a ticking time-bomb in my pelvis!” I worry that they imagine a giant green blob growing larger and larger inside them, like a Chia pet , that might one day suddenly explode. […]
Getting pregnant: Yes you can!
As a doctor, one of the things that most surprises me is the number of women who don’t use birth control because they think they can’t get pregnant. Risk can be tricky to understand and we all want to believe that things like car wrecks and debilitating diseases never happen to us or to the […]
Risky business 2: Migraines, high blood pressure, and blood clots
I’ve written before that accidental pregnancy is the most serious health risk of many birth control methods. But there are other risks to consider, too. All modern methods of birth control can have positive and negative side effects—Bedsider has information about both for each method. Hopefully anyone who wants to avoid a pregnancy can find […]
Late, late, for a very important pill?
First, the short answer: If you miss a pill, you should take the pill you missed as soon as you can. If you take the pill less than 24 hours after you were supposed to and it’s not the first week of a new pack, you don’t need a back-up method —just take the pill […]
The pill messes with memory? Forget about it!
Sure, we know remembering to take your birth control every day can be hard. But some recent headlines are saying that birth control pills actually alter women’s memory… Really? The short answer is that—in spite of the headlines—we still don’t know. Memory and hormones: Is there a connection? The real story on hormones and memory […]
Breastfeeding: good for baby—and for mom’s birth control
Effective birth control isn’t always a product made by a pharmaceutical company… sometimes our own bodies take care of it for us. Breastfeeding, if done a certain way, can be one of those times. In the first six months after birth, breastfeeding provides many benefits to a new mom and baby—and effective contraception can be […]
