Birth Control News and Research

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Matchstick-sized contraceptive implant that lasts for three years

The Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. has given approval for a new contraceptive which will protect women from pregnancy for as long as three years.

20 Jul 2006

FDA approves Implanon (etonogestrel implant) contraceptive

Organon announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Implanon (etonogestrel implant) 68mg, the first and only single-rod implantable contraceptive that is effective for up to three years.

18 Jul 2006

Study finds ways to improve detection of blood clots in the lung

Largest study ever conducted to assess the role of contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomographic (CT) angiography for diagnosing pulmonary embolism.

5 Jun 2006

The impact of an abortion ban on socio-economic outcomes of children

In his bestselling book Freakonomics, Steven Levitt argues convincingly that the legalization of abortion in the United States contributed to a subsequent decline in crime rates.

1 Jun 2006

Plan B - Lancet has a go at the FDA

A well known international medical journal has called on the acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach to adopt an independent stance and follow the best judgment of it's expert staff and scientific advisers, even when that means incurring the wrath of patients' groups, industry, Congress, and even the White House.

21 May 2006

Intrauterine device as satisfactory as surgery for treating heavy menstrual bleeding

For women who experience heavy periods, surgery is more effective than oral or intrauterine medication in reducing volume of bleeding at one year, according to a systematic review of studies.

11 May 2006

When it comes to mothers and babies, top spot to be is Sweden

According to a report by the U.S. charity Save the Children, Scandinavian countries lead the stakes when it comes to the top countries to be a mother, while Australia along with the Netherlands ties for 7th place and countries in sub-Saharan Africa dominate the bottom tier.

10 May 2006

Media campaigns that remind parents to talk with their children about sex are effective

Robert H. DuRant, Ph.D., and his colleagues studied a public service announcement (PSA) campaign aired recently in North Carolina that conveyed the message, "Talk to your kids about sex. Everyone else is."

23 Feb 2006

Vitamin B3 variant reverses effects of fetal alcohol syndrome in mice

A form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide can reverse the molecular, cellular, and behavioral effects of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in mice, according to a study by physician-scientists at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

21 Feb 2006

Blood clot warning to go on Ortho Evra birth control patch

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says early results of a new study show that women who use the Ortho Evra contraceptive patch are twice as likely to develop blood clots than others who took a birth control pill.

19 Feb 2006

Research indicates birth control pill could cause long-term problems with testosterone

In the January issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers have published a new investigation measuring sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) before and after discontinuation of the oral contraceptive pill.

6 Jan 2006

New research indicates birth control pill could cause long-term problems with testosterone

4 Jan 2006

Women suffering lupus OK to take oral contraceptives

Major study of women with either inactive or stable systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) – a disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and damages healthy tissues of the skin, joints and internal organs – were able to take oral contraceptives without increased risk of flares, or periods of increased disease activity, that characterize the disease.

22 Dec 2005

Lupus patients safe to go back on the pill

Two new studies confirm that women who suffer from lupus, a chronic disease that can lead to inflamed kidneys, can safely take oral contraceptives without fear that the pill will worsen their condition.

19 Dec 2005

Pharmacists in disagreement over law on morning-after pill

A recent survey of pharmacists in the United States has revealed that as many as 39 percent of respondents are against state laws that would require them to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception known as the morning-after pill.

6 Dec 2005

Women warned about contraceptive patch

The makers of a revolutionary contraceptive patch are warning women that they are at a greater risk of blood clots and other serious side-effects because of the higher doses of hormones the patch delivers.

15 Nov 2005

Youth group calls Bush hypocritical over Plan B

Advocates for Youth, a national, nonprofit organization that creates programs and supports policies that help young people make safe, responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health

15 Nov 2005

Warnings about blood clots with contraceptive patch

According to U.S. regulators, Johnson & Johnson's Ortho Evra contraceptive patch contains higher levels of a hormone known to cause blood clots than average birth control pills.

13 Nov 2005

Vaginal gel shown to protect female monkeys against an HIV-like virus

Research with female monkeys at the Tulane National Primate Research Center has for the first time shown that three different anti-viral agents in a vaginal gel protect the animals against an HIV-like virus.

1 Nov 2005

Isotretinoin-related birth defects

Isotretinoin (also known as Accutane) is a drug used to treat severe acne, but it can cause birth defects when taken by pregnant women. Because of these risks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Roche Pharmaceuticals (Accutane's manufacturer) developed a voluntary pregnancy prevention program (PPP) in 1988 to try and prevent conception in women taking the drug.

16 Oct 2005