About.com Contraception

Want to Skip Your Period?

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:46:47 +0000

Did you know that you can subscribe to my weekly Contraception Newsletter? It's free and is delivered straight to your email. I received the following question from one of my newsletter's subscribers. This question has to do with birth control pills and is probably one of the most common questions that my readers ask me.

Leigh wanted to know the following,
"Help! My fianc� has planned a super-romantic get-a-way for the two of us over Christmas...the only problem, according to my calculations, I should be having my period during that time. I am currently on the pill. I've heard that women can skip their periods using the pill, is this safe? If so, how do you do it?"

Good news Leigh - women can definitely skip their periods while using combination birth control pills, basically by beginning your next pack of pills during the start of your placebo week. Also, you will be happy to know that doing this is perfectly safe!

Also of Interest:

_{Birth Control Pills Photo � 2008 Dawn Stacey}

Want to Skip Your Period? originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 01:46:47.

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Facts on Publicly Funded Contraceptive Services in the US

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:15:43 +0000

According to the latest report by the Guttmacher Institute, the average American woman, who wants two children, spends about five years pregnant, postpartum or trying to become pregnant, and three decades (more than 3/4ths of her reproductive life) trying to avoid pregnancy. In 2006:

There were 66.4 million women in the US of reproductive age US
More than half (36.2) of these women were in need of contraceptive services and supplies
Of the 36.2 million who needed birth control, 17.5 million were in need of publicly funded services and supplies because they either had an income below 250% of the federal poverty level or were younger than 20

The importance of publicly funded family planning centers can be seen in the fact that one-quarter of US women and half of poor women all received care at publicly funded family planning centers in 2006. Publicly funded family planning services help women to avoid pregnancies they do not want and to plan pregnancies they do. In 2006, these services helped women avoid 1.94 million unintended pregnancies, which would likely have resulted in about 860,000 unintended births and 810,000 abortions.

Read the Full Guttmacher Institute Report: Facts on Publicly Funded Contraceptive Services in the United States

_{Photo Courtesy of Keith Brofsky/Getty Images}

Facts on Publicly Funded Contraceptive Services in the US originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 21:15:43.

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Before You Seek Support From a Crisis Pregnancy Center

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:46 +0000

Hope you all had a fun Halloween. Now that the holiday has passed, most people expect the haunting and tricks to be over. If, however, you are facing an unintended pregnancy �and try to seek help from a crisis pregnancy center, beware that you may encounter some mischief. These pregnancy centers may offer free pregnancy tests and appear to provide support about abortion, adoption, and pregnancy options, but many crisis pregnancy centers may be deceptive and misleading.

Before You Seek Support From a Crisis Pregnancy Center

More Crisis Pregnancy Center Resources:

_{Photo Courtesy of Keith Brofsky/Getty Images}

Before You Seek Support From a Crisis Pregnancy Center originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 00:00:46.

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Pregnant Moms - How to Be a "Smart Mother"

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:43:26 +0000

The Smart Mother's Guide to a Better Pregnancy is a book that empowers pregnant women by emphasizing the importance of knowledge during a pregnancy. This pregnancy guide provides information about how to seek the best prenatal care. Topics range from healthcare issues to pregnancy statistics and there is a helpful section on teen pregnancy. This is a comprehensive book that yields valuable information (that may not be obvious) for pregnant women to consider.

Read my review of this book and add your own review as well!

Book Review:

Smart Mother's Guide

_{The Smart Mother's Guide to a Better Pregnancy Photo � 2009 Dawn Stacey}

Pregnant Moms - How to Be a "Smart Mother" originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 21:43:26.

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Is Trouble Lurking in Your Medicine Cabinet?

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:10:07 +0000

According to a study published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, about 50% of all unplanned pregnancies occur while women were actually using contraception during the month that they conceived. One of the main reasons that contribute to birth control failure is user error. Before you take it, do you read the package insert of a new prescription medication? If you are finding yourself asking, Huh? There is an information sheet in my prescription box...read on!

One question that I am often emailed about often is whether or not it is okay to use antibiotics while on the pill. There are several types of medication and/or supplements that can decrease the effectiveness of the birth control pill. Its important to keep in mind, these same medications also can compromise the success rate of other hormonal birth control methods as well - such as the NuvaRing, OrthoEvra Patch, Depo Provera Shot, and Mirena IUD.

Know what medications could compromise your contraception, and make sure to use a back-up method (like a condom or the sponge) if you have to use one of them.
It is also a good idea to check with your health-care provider before taking a new medication just to make sure that it does not lower your birth control's effectiveness.

_{Birth Control Pill Photo � 2009 Dawn Stacey}

Is Trouble Lurking in Your Medicine Cabinet? originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 05:10:07.

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What is Your Family Planning Goal? Can NFP Help?

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:30:00 +0000

What is your family planning goal for right now? Hmmm? Perhaps you may wish to delay having a child for a while, or maybe you want to get pregnant now (or some point in the near future)? Whatever your answer is to these questions, understanding natural family planning (or NFP) may be of some assistance. Fertility awareness teaches you how to identify the natural fertility signs that your body reveals. In a sense, it's the natural language spoken by a woman's body!

_{NFP Chart Photo � 2007 DELC}

What is Your Family Planning Goal? Can NFP Help? originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 08:30:00.

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Hormonal Birth Control - All You Need to Know

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:46:44 +0000

Hormonal birth control �tends to be enormously popular due to its ease of use �and effectiveness. These contraceptives use estrogen and/or progestin to help prevent ovulation. Like other contraception, hormonal birth control has common side effects as well as some medical risk factors. There are also many myths about these methods, so I put together a list of the most common questions that I receive about hormonal birth control. If you are considering one of these methods (or are even currently on one), hopefully, you will have a better undertsanding of what hormonal birth control is (and isn't), how it works, and common concerns about these methods.

Top Questions About Hormonal Birth Control

_{Hormonal Birth Control Photo � 2008 Dawn Stacey}

Hormonal Birth Control - All You Need to Know originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 21:46:44.

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Is Your Birth Control as Effective as You Think?

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:07:58 +0000

Did you know that approximately 50% of all unintended pregnancies �occur while women are using contraception?

Not only do you need to know how to use your contraceptive, but you also should know how effective it is. A common problem people face is understanding the effectiveness of birth control. To make it more complicated, statistics are cited as failure rates, effectiveness, typical rates, perfect user rates, and the list goes on. It is easy to see how confusing this can be. So how do you get your facts straight?

Take a Look - did the birth control method you thought earn the highest effectiveness rate?
Available Birth Control Methods

_{Photo courtesy of Microsoft Office Online}

Is Your Birth Control as Effective as You Think? originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Saturday, October 17th, 2009 at 02:07:58.

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Ouch - Does it Hurt? The Scoop on IUD Removal

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:09:31 +0000

It seems that many people may have misconceptions about IUDs. Kerry emailed me with the following questions, "I have had the Mirena IUD for almost 5 years, so it is time to have it removed. I was wondering if I left it in, will it eventually disintegrate? Also, if I do need to have it removed, will the removal hurt as much as the insertion?

First of all, please know that IUDs, whether the ParaGard or Mirena must eventually be removed, since IUDs do not dissolve and, for the most part, will not come out on their own. It is especially important that women should never try to remove an IUD by themselves or ask an unqualified person (like a spouse or partner) to do so as this could cause serious damage.

The good news, an IUD removal procedure is often easier, less painful, and quicker than the insertion of one.

What To Expect During an IUD Removal
Share Your Story: What Is Your IUD Removal or IUD Insertion Experience?

More IUD Information

Watch This Short Video: How Intrauterine Devices Work
Share Your Reason: What Led You to Choose an IUD?
Do I Need to Have My IUD Removed if I Switch Sexual Partners?

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_{IUD Photo � 2008 Dawn Stacey}

Ouch - Does it Hurt? The Scoop on IUD Removal originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 at 00:09:31.

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Halloween Condoms...Trick or Treat?

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:14:07 +0000

Well, Halloween is just around the corner. If you are looking for an extra-spooktacular Halloween treat, why not try a glow-in-the dark condom? Different condom types can add a novel twist to your Halloween lovemaking. Condoms can come in various flavors (even chocolate and vanilla) - nobody said you had to get candy for trick-or-treating fun. There are even orange and black condoms to keep with the Halloween theme. Halloween celebrations do not have to be limited to the kids - see what "treats" you can find in your local store to spice up this spooky holiday.

_{Condom Photo � 2009 Dawn Stacey}

Halloween Condoms...Trick or Treat? originally appeared on About.com Contraception on Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 08:14:07.

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