Contraceptive News and Research

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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

British mother demands the right to know about teenage abortion

A British mother is presently fighting government guidelines issued last year to reduce teenage pregnancy, abortions and sexually transmitted diseases.

10 Nov 2005

Waiting for Plan B - don't hold your breath!

According to a Food and Drug Administration official, regulators may take months to review public comments on Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s application to sell the Plan B "morning-after" contraceptive without a prescription.

9 Nov 2005

Hormonal clue to higher asthma rates in women

According to experts hormone fluctuations resulting from life cycle changes are a factor in higher rates of asthma, more frequent emergency department visits, and higher hospital admission rates in women than in men.

7 Nov 2005

'Morning-After Pill' still no decision by FDA

At the end of the two-month comment period on the "morning-after pill" Plan B, there is no indication when or how the Food and Drug Administration will proceed with the controversial application.

2 Nov 2005

More than half of Norwegian doctors surveyed prescribe themselves medication

A study published in the open access journal BMC Medicine reveals that a large number of doctors in Norway start self-prescribing early after graduation and continue doing so well into their career - a finding that is likely to be mirrored in other western countries.

23 Oct 2005

Women be warned, men can be bad for you!

According to a UK obesity expert when women move in with their man they very often put on weight as a result.

17 Oct 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

One in nine women in the UK now risk contracting breast cancer during their lifetime

Some scientists argue that the cause may be an increased exposure to a number of environmental chemicals, a claim taken up by campaigners in the US and the UK who urge the government to provide better health protection.

11 Oct 2005

Study confirms that couples using natural family planning have intercourse just as frequently as couples using other methods

Couples who use fertility awareness-based methods of family planning have sex just as often as couples who use other contraceptive methods -- they just time it differently, according to a new Georgetown University Institute for Reproductive Health study to be published in a forthcoming edition of the Journal of Biosocial Science.

11 Oct 2005

The rise of breast cancer

In a continuing increase in breast cancer, one in nine women in the UK now risk contracting the disease during their lifetime.

10 Oct 2005

Substance found in cotton plant could help treat psoriasis

A substance found in the cotton plant could help treat the common skin disease psoriasis, according to new research from the Pharmacy School at Sunderland University launched at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester.

28 Sep 2005

Governments considering reclassifying some drugs from prescription to over-the-counter status

Governments in several countries with public Pharmacare and in a few provinces in Canada are considering reclassifying some drugs from prescription to over-the-counter status. In a Canadian Medical Association Journal essay, Lynd and colleagues comment on the economic effects of such changes.

27 Sep 2005

Questionnaire helps identify women who have inherited genetic mutations that increase their risk for breast or ovarian cancer

A simplified way for patients to report and update their family medical histories could help identify women who have inherited genetic mutations that increase their risk for breast or ovarian cancer.

26 Sep 2005

Oral contraceptives appear to reduce risk of developing multiple sclerosis

Over a three-year period, the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) was reduced in women taking oral contraceptives, according to a study in the September issue of Archives of Neurology.

19 Sep 2005

Most teenage boys who don't plan to cause pregnancy still believe it is likely they will get someone pregnant within six months

The likelihood is linked to beliefs about pregnancy and condoms, as well as socioeconomic status. These findings are reported in the electronic edition of the September issue of Pediatrics.

6 Sep 2005

For post-menopausal women light to moderate exercise is best

A British expert says that although exercise is important for reducing the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease in post-menopausal women, too much exercise in pre-menopausal women may actually increase the risks.

5 Sep 2005

Contraceptive pill controls severe premenstrual disorder

According to a new study, a low dose oral contraceptive works as a treatment for the most severe form of premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

1 Sep 2005