Breaking News: A big win for emergency contraceptive access!
After years of legal back and forth, it looks like Plan B One-Step—and possibly generic versions of it as well—will finally be available over the counter to all. Happy Friday indeed!
Are Depo shot users more likely to break a bone?
Whoa. Some very interesting news in our latest “Get on Top”:
For women who use the shot (a.k.a. Depo-Provera), there’s good news and there’s weird news. For years women have been warned that the shot can cause loss of minerals in their bones—which could mean they’re more prone to bone fractures. A new study from England found that women using the shot did have a higher risk of broken bones compared to women using other types of birth control—but that was the case before they ever used the shot.
The pill, only when you get lucky
What if there was a birth control pill you didn’t need to take every. single. day? If you like the sound of a pill that works to prevent pregnancy when taken within a few hours of sex, you’re not alone….
Not-so-shocking news: People like sex, whether or not it involves using a condom.
Happy National Condom Week! In case you haven’t stumbled upon this study yet, basically some kind researchers took it upon themselves to debunk the all-too-common myth that sex is no fun with condoms. Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that condoms do not prevent people from enjoying sex—good news since condoms are the only birth control method that protect from STIs. Check out a few other interesting tidbits from the study over in our news section.
Hello, Skyla! Getting to know the newest IUD
Well happy Method Monday to us. Rumor has it that a new IUD is coming soon to a health care provider near you. Allow us to tell you all the details…
IUD News!!! New super-effective birth control options may be coming soon to a uterus near you.
After 12 years of only two birth control options for U.S. uteri, a new IUD is hitting the market next week (!). We decided to celebrate with a look at the new arrival, Skyla, and a few other IUDs that may be on the horizon.
IUDs Winning (As Usual)
We’ll be reporting more detail soon, but in the meantime, since it is Method Monday, we wanted to share a couple news items relating to our beloved IUD.
1) A study out of Europe found that the Mirena IUD is the best way to deal with heavy menstrual bleeding. According to WebMD, the IUD “was found to be superior to oral contraceptives and non-hormonal drugs approved for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding in reducing the condition’s effect on quality of life.” Super-effective birth control, super-effective solution to a problem that affects 1 in 4 women? Sounds like winning to us.
2) A new IUD is coming to town. It’s called Skyla, it’s just been approved by the FDA for sale in the U.S., and it’s set to go on the market on February 11th. Skyla uses a low dose of progestin like the Mirena and it works for up to 3 years. It’s not every day that a new birth control option hits the market, let alone a super-effective one. We thought it deserved a happy dance…
More to come!
Don't believe everything you read on a birth control label...
Our latest feature article covers the good, the bad, and the inaccurate when it comes to birth control labels. From the history of prescription drug labeling in the U.S., to “black box” warnings, to “off-label” uses, we’ve got deets for you.
On your parents’ health insurance? One more reason to use birth control.
From our latest Get on Top post:
You’ve probably noticed that we’re fans of the Affordable Care Act—mostly for all it does to make it easier and more affordable for people with insurance to use the birth control that’s best for them.
We’ve talked less about our other favorite feature of the ACA, which allows young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance plan till age 26. (Before, they could be kicked off of their parents’ insurance as soon as they turned 18.) …Unfortunately, one major short-coming of dependent coverage is that it often doesn’t cover pregnancy…
Being allowed to stay on your parents’ health insurance till age 26? Awesome. Not being covered if you get pregnant? Not so awesome. Still, we have a few points on the bright side for you…
Advances in HIV prevention and testing? Happy July to us all.
From our latest “Get on Top”:
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 approved a once-a-day pill that can seriously reduce the risk of contracting HIV.
