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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The HPV vaccine: Is it working yet?
We’ve called HPV (human papillomavirus) the common cold of the sexually active world —but just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s not worth preventing when possible. While there are 40 different strains of the virus, only a couple of them are the major cause of cervical cancer (types 16 and 18) and most genital warts […]
The STI testing question of the hour: Where?
Ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections (STIs). Early diagnosis and treatment means better long-term health and less likelihood of passing the infection on to future sexual partners. So why don’t more people in the U.S. get tested? Two new studies suggest that where the testing is happening may be […]
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 […]
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 […]
