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Clinically Speaking: Questions and Answers About Choosing Hormonal Birth Control
Read More: Clinically Speaking: Questions and Answers About Choosing Hormonal Birth ControlIf you’ve decided to use birth control pills for contraception or other medical reasons, your next decision is which kind. We talked to Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine and a member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health Advisory Council, about choices women…
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How Hormonal Contraception Works
Read More: How Hormonal Contraception WorksEspañol Medically reviewed by Barbara Dehn, R.N., M.S., N.P. People have more than 50 hormones circulating in their blood. These chemicals carry messages throughout the body to control metabolism (the process of changing food into energy), growth and development, sexual function, and many other things. Estrogen and progesterone help women become and stay pregnant. Estrogen…
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Cómo funciona la anticoncepción hormonal
Read More: Cómo funciona la anticoncepción hormonalBarbara Dehn, R.N., M.S., N.P., hizo la revisión médica de este documento. Más de 50 hormonas circulan en la sangre de las personas. Estos químicos portan mensajes a través del cuerpo para controlar el metabolismo (el proceso que transforma los alimentos en energía), el crecimiento, el desarrollo, la función sexual y muchas otras cosas más.…
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How to Switch to Estrogen-Free Birth Control Pills
Read More: How to Switch to Estrogen-Free Birth Control Pills+ Infographic text Combination birth control options mix estrogen and progestin to stop pregnancy and control period symptoms. But estrogen causes most of the side effects of birth control pills, so some people may want an estrogen-free pill. Who Can Benefit from Estrogen-Free Hormonal Birth Control? People with high blood pressure Anyone at risk for…
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Estrogen-Free Birth Control Pills
Read More: Estrogen-Free Birth Control PillsMedically reviewed by Barbara Dehn, R.N., M.S., N.P. + Slides transcript Slide 1 Estrogen-Free Birth Control Pills Can’t take estrogen or prefer not to? No worries. Here’s what you need to know about estrogen-free birth control pills. Slide 2 Combination Birth Control Pills Combination birth control pills have estrogen and progestin. But not everyone can…
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FDA Approves First OTC Birth Control Pill
Read More: FDA Approves First OTC Birth Control PillStatement from Beth Battaglino, RN-C CEO, HealthyWomen, regarding access to oral birth control: The FDA approval of the first over-the-counter (OTC) progestin-only oral contraception, Opill, is an important step toward dramatically increasing access to birth control across the country. Reflecting the robust body of scientific evidence, HealthyWomen supports OTC access to hormonal contraceptives for women…
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Taking Control: Our Recent Survey Says Women Want Regular Periods, No Hormones and More Communication About Contraceptives
Read More: Taking Control: Our Recent Survey Says Women Want Regular Periods, No Hormones and More Communication About ContraceptivesBirth control has come a long way, baby. Today, millions of women in the United States rely on contraceptives for many reasons, such as regulating periods, preventing pregnancy and improving health conditions. But the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion has sparked discussion about access to…
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Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About IUDs
Read More: Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About IUDsMedically reviewed by Mary Jane Minkin, M.D. Women today have more options than ever when it comes to birth control. One of these options is the intrauterine device, better known as the IUD. But how do you know if an IUD is right for you? Talk to your healthcare provider (HCP) about your options. In…
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Clinically Speaking: Questions and Answers About Long-Acting Reversible Contraception
Read More: Clinically Speaking: Questions and Answers About Long-Acting Reversible ContraceptionMedically reviewed by Mary Jane Minkin, M.D. If you’re looking for a safe, effective and hassle-free way to prevent pregnancy, long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) may be a good option for you. We reached out to Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine…
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Hormonal Birth Control
Read More: Hormonal Birth Control+ Infographic text What are hormonal contraceptives? A type of birth control that uses hormones to prevent pregnancy and help manage periods and certain medical conditions They are: Safe for most women 99% effective at preventing pregnancy Birth control is for more than just for preventing pregnancy Many women use hormonal birth control to manage…
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New Survey, New Insight
Read More: New Survey, New InsightAt HealthyWomen, we pride ourselves on providing expert health information you can trust. We also strive to listen and take note of the important issues and valuable information you share with us. In our recent survey of women ages 35-64, we found particularly interesting results regarding oral contraception, menopause and hormone therapy. Turns out, more…
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What You Need to Know About the Mini Pill
Read More: What You Need to Know About the Mini PillMedically reviewed by Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., FACOG, NCMP + Infographic text What is the mini pill? Most birth control pills contain the hormones estrogen and progestin, a human-made form of progesterone. The mini pill contains only progestin. PULLOUT: Progestin-only pills are sometimes called POPs. How does the mini pill work? Mini pills interfere with…
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Why Hormonal Birth Control Is So Important to Women’s Healthcare
Read More: Why Hormonal Birth Control Is So Important to Women’s HealthcareSeptember 26, 2022, is World Contraception Day. The word “miserable” comes to mind for Shannon Luders-Manuel when she remembers the days before she was on hormonal birth control. The 47-year-old writer, editor and sensitivity reader has had premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) since she was in high school. A week before her period every month, she…
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Why Access to Contraception Matters for Women of All Ages
Read More: Why Access to Contraception Matters for Women of All AgesKelsie Williams grew up in rural Kentucky, where accessing contraception was — and still is — a struggle. “The more rural regions are really short-staffed and they’re low on specialists who provide reproductive healthcare,” Williams explained. “I still hear from friends and family who have to take time off for work to drive long distances.…
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It’s Illegal — but My Insurance Company Refused to Cover My Birth Control
Read More: It’s Illegal — but My Insurance Company Refused to Cover My Birth ControlAs told to Shannon Shelton Miller More than two years ago, I made an appointment with my physician to discuss the best contraceptive options for my healthcare needs. Together, we decided on a method and my physician submitted the prescription to my insurer. I was stunned when my insurer refused to cover my contraceptive of…
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Why Access to Contraceptives Matters
Read More: Why Access to Contraceptives MattersModern advances in contraceptive medicine have been game-changing for women of all ages. Women take birth control for many reasons — from trying to prevent a pregnancy, hoping to minimize what can be crippling side effects of menstruation, or aiming to reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as ovarian cancer. Whatever the reason, access…
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Hormonal vs. Non-Hormonal Contraception: What’s the Difference?
Read More: Hormonal vs. Non-Hormonal Contraception: What’s the Difference?Erika Zar, 45, tried many different kinds of birth control before she settled on her current one. “Most of them seemed to amplify my mood shifts,” she said. The birth control pills that she tried lowered her sex drive and made her depression worse, and the vaginal ring made her so “ragey” that she only…
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Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About Birth Control
Read More: Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About Birth ControlEspañol Medically reviewed by Dr. Sabrina SahniSabrina Sahni The best birth control option varies for each person. It’s important to consider factors such as your lifestyle, schedule, medical history and any medicines you take when you pick a birth control method. As these details change throughout your life, the best birth control option for you…
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Yes, You Do Need Sex at Every Age
Read More: Yes, You Do Need Sex at Every AgeMay is Women’s Health Month. Medically reviewed by Dr. Heather Bartos It’s women’s health month, and it seems like a good time to mention that sexual health is just as important a part of women’s health as any other — and it remains important throughout a woman’s life. To delve into sexual health at every…
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How Inflammatory Bowel Disease Affects Relationships, Sexual Health and Fertility
Read More: How Inflammatory Bowel Disease Affects Relationships, Sexual Health and FertilityMedically reviewed by Dr. Heather Bartos. Relationships are hard. Forming a close connection with another person while navigating choices around dating, sex and family planning can be tough for anyone. But add inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) into the mix, and things get extra complicated. Characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, IBD is an…
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Biden Moves to Overturn Trump Birth Control Rules
Read More: Biden Moves to Overturn Trump Birth Control RulesJulie Rovner, Kaiser Health News The Biden administration Wednesday formally proposed the repeal of Trump-era regulations barring abortion referrals and making other changes intended to evict Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers from the federal family planning program, Title X. The 2019 rules dramatically limited access to these family planning services for many low-income people.…
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Syphilis Cases in California Drive a Record-Setting Year for STDs Nationwide
Read More: Syphilis Cases in California Drive a Record-Setting Year for STDs NationwideBy April Dembosky, KQED, Kaiser Health News In certain circles of San Francisco, a case of syphilis can be as common and casual as the flu, to the point where Billy Lemon can’t even remember how many times he’s had it. This story is from a partnership that includes NPR, KQED and KHN. It can…
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What Birth Control Is Right for You?
Read More: What Birth Control Is Right for You?For the best experience, please view in full screen mode. What Birth Control Is Right for You? Click here to for our interactive tool
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Without Ginsburg, Judicial Threats to the ACA, Reproductive Rights Heighten
Read More: Without Ginsburg, Judicial Threats to the ACA, Reproductive Rights HeightenBy Julie Rovner, Kaiser Health News On Feb. 27, 2018, I got an email from the Heritage Foundation, alerting me to a news conference that afternoon held by Republican attorneys general of Texas and other states. It was referred to only as a “discussion about the Affordable Care Act lawsuit.” I sent the following note…
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Heart Health During Pregnancy and Beyond
Read More: Heart Health During Pregnancy and BeyondMedically Reviewed by Dr. Nieca Goldberg If you’re looking to become pregnant or are already expecting, you’ve likely started thinking about creating the optimal conditions for a healthy pregnancy and birth. As you talk to your doctor about your reproductive health and other factors we typically associate with pregnancy, you should also pay close attention…