Birth Control News and Research

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Survey reveals widespread misconceptions about the role of certified nurse-midwives

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the United States is expected to face a significant shortage of OB-GYNs in the next five years.

4 Dec 2025

Trump wants Americans to make more babies. Critics say his policies won’t help raise them.

Maddy Olcott plans to start a career once she graduates from college. But the junior at the State University of New York-Purchase College is so far not planning to start a family — even with the Trump administration dangling inducements like thousand-dollar "baby bonuses" or cheaper infertility drugs.

3 Dec 2025

Cash transfer programs improve health outcomes across low- and middle-income countries

Large-scale, government-led cash transfer programs drove significant improvements in health outcomes across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to a major new study in The Lancet from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

10 Nov 2025

After chiding democrats on transgender politics, Newsom vetoes a key health measure

California Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed a suite of privacy protection bills for transgender patients amid continuing threats by the Trump administration.

17 Oct 2025

New insights into sperm metabolism could transform infertility treatments

Michigan State University scientists have pinpointed the molecular "switch" that supercharges sperm for their final sprint to an egg - a breakthrough that could reshape infertility treatments and pave the way for safe, nonhormonal male contraceptives.

10 Oct 2025

Hormonal birth control influences emotion and memory in women

Hormonal birth control is a fact of life for millions of women. In the U.S. alone, more than 60 million women of reproductive age have used contraceptives according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most often to prevent pregnancy but also to manage conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome and irregular cycles.

29 Aug 2025

Planned parenthood bets on redistricting to push back against GOP funding cuts

Abortion rights groups are backing California Democrats in the escalating battle to redraw congressional maps, warning that Republicans are rigging seats on the heels of deeply unpopular cuts to safety net health programs and restrictions on reproductive care.

20 Aug 2025

Over-the-counter oral birth control pill improves access to contraception

Two years ago, the Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of an over-the-counter birth control pill for the first time in the United States without a prescription.

18 Aug 2025

Chronically ill? In Kennedy’s view, it might be your own fault

On a recent weekday evening, Ashly Richards helped her 13-year-old son, Case, with homework. He did math problems and some reading, underscoring how much he's accomplished at his school for children with autism.

31 Jul 2025

B.C. sees major shift in contraceptive choices after making them free

More than 11,000 additional women opted for the most effective form of birth control-long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)-within just 15 months of B.C. making prescription contraception free.

28 Jul 2025

Promising new male birth control pill could be taken every three days

YCT-529, a novel non-hormonal male contraceptive, demonstrates safety and tolerability in early trials, offering a potential solution for male birth control.

28 Jul 2025

HHS eliminates CDC staff who made sure birth control is safe for women at risk

For Brianna Henderson, birth control isn’t just about preventing pregnancy.

1 Jul 2025

Leaving out numbers in medical communication may mislead patients

When a physician says a procedure is "rarely risky," what does that really mean? Although terms like "common" and "unlikely" may sound descriptive enough, experts in medical decision-making suggest that leaving out numbers may be misleading for patients.

22 May 2025

Even where abortion is still legal, many brick-and-mortar clinics are closing

On the last day of patient care at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Marquette, Michigan, a port town on the shore of Lake Superior, dozens of people crowded into the parking lot and alley, holding pink homemade signs that read "Thank You!" and "Forever Grateful."

16 May 2025

Despite historic indictment, doctors will keep mailing abortion pills across state lines

When the news broke on Jan. 31 that a New York physician had been indicted for shipping abortion medications to a woman in Louisiana, it stoked fear across the network of doctors and medical clinics who engage in similar work.

6 May 2025

Can your diet affect fertility? Gut-linked dietary score reveals surprising risk pattern

A cross-sectional study of over 3,000 U.S. women found a non-linear link between a gut microbiota-based dietary index (DI-GM) and infertility. Risk decreased with healthier diets but unexpectedly rose beyond a certain threshold score.

4 May 2025

Trump restores Title X funding for two anti-abortion states — while wiping it out elsewhere

The Trump administration quietly restored federal family planning money to Tennessee and Oklahoma, despite court rulings that the states weren’t entitled to funds because they refused to provide women information about terminating pregnancies or abortion referrals on request.

30 Apr 2025

Better sleep, BMI, and glucose control lower female infertility odds

A new study using NHANES data found that higher Life’s Crucial 9 (LC9) scores, reflecting better cardiovascular and mental health, were linked to lower odds of female infertility. However, adding depression to the LE8 framework did not significantly improve its predictive value.

29 Apr 2025

Teen births linked to lower infant birth weight

At a time when the number of teens having babies in the Mountain State remains higher than the national average, maternal and child health researchers at West Virginia University found these infants have a lower birth weight and are smaller for their gestational age compared to those born to adults.

10 Mar 2025

This International Women’s Day, Meet the Scientist Changing Women’s Health

Prof. Dr. Inge Herrmann discusses her innovative work in healthcare, focusing on a reversible hydrogel implant that could transform gynecological treatments.

4 Mar 2025