Emergency contraception: the back-up plan
-
By: health
-
January 5, 2010
As reliable as contraception is, there are times when birth control doesn’t work. Like every once in a while when we use a method incorrectly. Or on a rare occasion when a condom breaks. And sometimes—especially when partying—we forget to use anything at all. All of these times scream out: Emergency contraception NOW! Listen to […]
Alexandria, 21, the ring
-
By: health
-
January 5, 2010
Alexandria moved from the pill to the ring and has good things to say about the switch. She’s got shorter periods now and prefers dealing with birth control once a month instead of once a day. For the most part, once the ring is in, it’s in. A couple of times, though, it’s come out […]
Nicole, 21, diaphragm
-
By: health
-
January 5, 2010
Nicole sums up the perks of her diaphragm like this: it’s easy to use, undetectable, and reliable. She likes that it’s there when she needs it, but there’s no long-term commitment. Even though the diaphragm is easy to hide once it’s in—and it’s important to Nicole that her choice of birth control stays private—at some […]
Norelle, 22, not right now
-
By: health
-
January 5, 2010
Norelle used to have sex. Lots of it, in fact. But after being diagnosed with a UTI, a yeast infection, and a STI—all at once—she decided to make a change and not be so “out there with the guys.” Rather than trying to find the right person, though, Norelle decided to be the right person. […]
Alesondrje, 21, sponge
-
By: health
-
January 5, 2010
Alesondrje and her boyfriend used condoms when they first got together. But eventually they decided to move the relationship “to a deeper level” by getting tested for STIs and trading condoms for the sponge , a method her mom used back in the day and highly recommended. Alesondrje likes to use the sponge along with […]
Anastasia, 21, internal condom
-
By: health
-
January 5, 2010
The first time Anastasia used an internal condom , she and her boyfriend were on the beach, under the stars. (Sigh.) She had been given some samples at a clinic just a few days before and decided this was the time to try them out. Anastasia had to open a few packs before figuring out […]
Ramiyah, 23, condom
-
By: health
-
January 5, 2010
For Ramiyah, it’s all very logical: Sex is fun. Sex can lead to pregnancy. If you want to have sex and don’t want to have a pregnancy, birth control always needs to be part of the equation. Ramiyah prefers to use condoms as her method of birth control.What if the guy doesn’t have one? Not […]
Emily, 19, condom
-
By: health
-
January 5, 2010
Emily used to use the pill . She wasn’t that good at remembering to take it, though, and eventually got pregnant. After that, she decided to find a method she would remember to use consistently. So she switched to spermicidal condoms . She loves that they’re convenient, affordable, easy to use, and effective. But they’re […]
Rachel, 26, fertility awareness methods
-
By: health
-
January 4, 2010
Rachel read an article about fertility awareness that described the method simply: it’s all about knowing your body. So she decided to do a little “getting to know you” of her own. After a year of tracking—and we’re talking about everything from hair greasiness and back pain to cervical mucus and basal body temperature—Rachel finally […]
Anna, 19, not right now
-
By: health
-
January 4, 2010
Anna was born into a culture where the expectation is no sex until marriage. Over time, she’s realized she has her own religious reasons for saying “not right now” . Most of Anna’s friends are sexually active, but she doesn’t judge them for their choice. She asks them questions about sex and they ask her […]