Physicians who care for patients of reproductive potential should initiate conversations about contraception

A new Annals ‘In the Clinic’ provides a detailed summary of contraceptive methods and presents evidence-based discussion points that physicians can use to initiate a dialogue with their patients of reproductive potential. The timing of this release is crucial as pregnancy-associated mortality is on the rise, abortion access is decreasing, and the mini pill has just been approved for over-the-counter use in the United States. The ‘In the Clinic’ feature is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

From birth control to mammograms, many women missed out on preventive care for all of 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic knocked many women off schedule for important health appointments, a new study finds, and many didn’t get back on schedule even after clinics reopened. The effect may have been greatest in areas where such care is already likely falling behind experts’ recommendations.

UNC Researchers Receive $3.74 Million to Create Injectable Technology for Contraception, HIV Prevention

The lab of Rahima Benhabbour, PhD, has received a $3.74 million grant over five years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will fund the creation of an injectable that will provide long-acting protection for women against sexually transmitted pathogens and prevent pregnancy, but is also removable.

A few hundred dollars makes a difference in use of long-lasting birth control

Getting a birth control implant used to cost some women hundreds of dollars, especially if they had a high-deductible health plan. A new study shows the impact of the Affordable Care Act’s no-cost birth control provision, and the potential impact of a Supreme Court ruling allowing employers to opt out.

The Challenge Initiative at the Bloomberg School of Public Health Receives Two Grants to Support Family Planning for Women and Girls in Poor Urban Areas

The Challenge Initiative (TCI), a global initiative based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health that supports the reproductive health needs of women and girls living in poor urban communities in Africa and Asia, has received grants totaling $18.1 million from Bayer AG and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Fertilization discovery reveals new role for the egg, could lead to new male contraceptive

An unexpected discovery about fertilization reveals new insights on how sperm and egg fuse and could have major implications for couples battling infertility – and may lead to a future male contraceptive.

Secret-Shopper-Style Study Shows Online Birth Control Prescription Overall Safe, Efficient

Secret-shopper-style study of nine Web-based and digital-app vendors of contraception scripts shows their services are overall safe and efficient
Analysis also reveals reliable screening by vendors for contraindicated health conditions and medications in line with CDC prescription guidelines
Such services may help reduce barriers to contraception and expand access for underserved populations
Further improvements needed, particularly in counseling about alternative birth control methods and ensuring patient ability to adhere to prescribed medication

Teens feel pressured to get pregnant

Female adolescents are experiencing relationship abuse at alarming rates, according to a new Michigan State University study that specifically researched reproductive coercion – a form of abuse in which a woman is pressured to become pregnant against her wishes. Heather McCauley, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, and co-researchers found nearly one in eight females between ages 14 and 19 experienced reproductive coercion within the last three months.