I have epilepsy. Am I loveable? Can I have sex? Be a good parent?
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By: health
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September 14, 2016
I started asking myself a lot of questions when I was first diagnosed with epilepsy . How am I supposed to get over the embarrassment of having seizures in class, in the lunch line, at the bus stop, at work, at friend’s houses…etc? How do I tell people I have epilepsy? What birth control can […]
Birth control methods with estrogen may boost vitamin D
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By: health
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August 11, 2016
About 4 in 5 African American women have low levels of vitamin D—though this doesn’t necessarily cause health problems . Now a new study of more than 1,600 African American women in Detroit has shown that two big factors affected participants’ vitamin D levels: whether they took a supplement, and what kind of birth control […]
Johanna, 28, IUD and emergency contraception
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By: health
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June 3, 2016
Johanna turned her need for emergency contraception into a long-term plan. Instead of going with the EC pill, which may be less effective if you’re above a certain weight , she chose to get a Paragard IUD. Big bonus: The non-hormonal IUD is the most effective form of EC if it’s inserted within 5 days […]
Can an IUD improve your sex life?
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By: health
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May 26, 2016
We already know that IUDs are really good at preventing pregnancy. But are they good for your sex life? New evidence suggests that, for many people, IUDs have the potential to improve “sexual well-being.” Sexual well-being involves being able to avoid negative sexual things such as violence or unwanted pregnancy, but it also involves more […]
Tee, 21, not right now
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By: health
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May 19, 2016
Tee used to be sexually active with guys and tried the pill but had trouble remembering to take it every day. (Bedsider reminders can help with that if you’re in the same boat.) The patch irritated Tee’s skin. Now that Tee only dates women, pregnancy protection isn’t an issue. Tee does use barrier methods, though, […]
Combined hormonal versus progestin-only birth control
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By: health
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February 2, 2016
Three of the most common forms of birth control—the pill, the ring, and the patch—all work the same way. They’re all considered “combined” hormonal methods, meaning they contain two kinds of hormones: estrogen and progestin. Other hormonal methods—the shot, the implant, hormonal IUDs, and the progestin-only pill (a.k.a. minipill)—contain only one kind of hormone—a progestin. […]
Which birth control method will help reduce my cramps?
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By: health
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September 15, 2015
Most women who use hormonal birth control–the pill, the ring, the shot, the patch, the implant, or a hormonal IUD–will have less painful periods than those who don’t. This is because these methods of birth control make the lining of the uterus thinner. There’s less tissue in the uterus to shed, so periods are lighter. […]
Is it safe to lose blood by spotting a lot?
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By: health
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September 15, 2015
Spotting, which can happen with a bunch of different methods, doesn’t make you lose that much blood, even though it might seem like it. We have a Provider Perspective article about it if you want to learn more. Still not working? You may have more luck on a pill with a slightly higher dose of […]
Calling all women with Essure
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By: health
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July 20, 2015
UPDATE: Essure will no longer be sold after the end of 2018. Find out more here . There’s been a growing campaign to get the FDA to review the permanent birth control method Essure. Essure is a set of coils that a health care provider inserts in the fallopian tubes, where the coils cause the […]
Does birth control cause brain cancer?
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By: health
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January 22, 2015
Today’s scary headline is about birth control increasing the risk for brain cancer. Let’s take a look at the data behind the headlines . (It’s a lot less scary than it sounds.) First, some definitions Glioma is a general term for several kinds of brain tumors. Together, these tumors make up much of the brain […]