Birth Control News and Research

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Is it safe to use Lybrel to eliminate periods?

The new birth control pill Lybrel is the first oral contraceptive designed to be taken 365 days a year with no pill-free intervals.

28 Aug 2007

Improved guidelines for providing intrauterine devices

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have found that intrauterine devices are safe and effective in a population of women previously not considered as good candidates for this method of birth control.

6 Aug 2007

Contraceptive sponge making a comeback

The contraceptive sponge initially launched in 1983 is now making a comeback ten years down the line.

31 Jul 2007

Implantable contraceptives are extremely effective

Although the devices are barely used in developed countries and only a bit more popular elsewhere, a new review of research suggests that implantable contraceptives are extremely effective.

25 Jul 2007

Fewer teens getting pregnant and more using condoms

According to a new report by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, in 2005 the teenage birth rate in the U.S. reached an all time low and more high school students were using condoms.

16 Jul 2007

Do vaccines promote a false sense of security?

A new study examines whether a vaccine that offers only partial protection can backfire by increasing risky behavior, as a false sense of security could make recipients less careful than they otherwise would be.

16 Jul 2007

New weapon in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Putting bacteria on birth control could stop the spread of drug-resistant microbes, and researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found a way to do just that.

10 Jul 2007

Four hours in ecomony class doubles the risk for deep vein thrombosis

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the chances of developing deep vein thrombosis ( DVT) double after traveling for four hours or more; this says WHO equates to one in 6,000 long-haul passengers at risk of potentially dangerous blood clots.

2 Jul 2007

FDA soon to approve contraceptive pill Lybrel that also stops periods

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States is about to approve a birth control pill with a double whammy.

21 May 2007

Steroidal hormones for contraception in women with sickle cell disease

Hormonal contraceptives are unlikely to predispose women to type 2 diabetes and appear to be safe for those with sickle cell anemia.

4 May 2007

No-scalpel vasectomy better

Although no-scalpel vasectomies are becoming more popular among physicians and patients, there are no definitive statistics to confirm the superiority of this choice, and a new review's main conclusion is to underline the importance of training.

19 Apr 2007

Emergency contraception does not reduce unintended pregnancy rate

The morning after pill, may be a good option for individual women in crisis, but advance access to emergency contraception is no antidote for the national problem of unintended pregnancy.

19 Apr 2007

For teens - abstinence-only sex education programs...a waste of money!

It has taken a U.S. government report to confirm what experts in sexual behaviour have repeatedly warned about in recent years regarding teenage sex....abstinence just doesn't work.

16 Apr 2007

The passing of 'honest sex education policy' applauded

Yesterday, the Washington State House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 5297 by a vote of 63-34, paving the way for comprehensive sex education -- education that includes scientifically accurate information on abstinence and the health benefits of birth control and condoms -- to be taught in the state's schools.

15 Apr 2007

Treatment options for endometriosis

Jan Ruma's pain was getting worse, but she wrote it off as just a part of growing older and a normal side-effect of "that time of the month."

4 Apr 2007

Study suggests there's a role for religious institutions to play in the fight against HIV

HIV-positive people who say religion is an important part of their lives are likely to have fewer sexual partners and engage in high-risk sexual behavior less frequently than other people with the virus that causes AIDS, according to a study issued today by the RAND Corporation.

4 Apr 2007

FDA discourages consumers from purchasing Accutane online

FDA last week launched a Web page aimed at discouraging consumers from purchasing the acne drug isotretinoin, sold by Roche under the brand name Accutane, on the Internet, Dow Jones/Marketwatch reports.

2 Apr 2007

New oral blood thinner

A new oral blood thinner is being compared to an old standby to see if it works as well and is easier to manage long term, researchers say.

13 Feb 2007

Vasectomy and trouble with words

Northwestern University researchers have discovered men with an unusual form of dementia have a higher rate of vasectomy than men the same age who are cognitively normal.

13 Feb 2007

Some doctors do not tell patients about treatments they oppose

Some physicians do not tell patients about treatments -- such as contraception, abortion or sedation for dying patients -- that they are morally opposed to, according to a study published in the Feb. 8 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, the Washington Post reports.

13 Feb 2007