Contraception

Does the Senate health care bill suck? Yes. But because I hate to wallow in bad news, here’s something in the world of health and bodies that is a positive development: teens are more apt to use contraception now than in the past.

We’ve been telling researchers, doctors, and anyone who will listen that we’re not satisfied with the birth control pill because of its side effects for years, but maybe this latest study from Sweden will make them actually listen.

This isn’t your old-school, gas-station-bathroom condom dispenser, either. It's called a Wellness To Go station that sells condoms, Plan B Emergency Contraception, pregnancy tests, tampons and pads, and even over-the-counter painkillers like Advil and Tylenol.

I began to see my mental health go completely downhill. This led me to seek out a psychiatrist, who raised an interesting concern: she thought my birth control was messing with my depression. It’s not like I hadn’t been aware of the link between hormonal contraception and depression before, but it never occurred to me that these two personal realities could be connected.

If you ever want to see what happens when young people aren’t given necessary information about sex, sexual activity, or contraception, look to China.

These side effects are not new to hormonal birth control; rather, hormonal birth control is new to men. Women and other folks with vaginas have been dealing with this sort of issue since... well, ever.

Students at Arkansas colleges and universities are finding some new information added to orientation materials:

While there are numerous contraceptives that fall under the umbrella of “birth control,” people in North America have many misconceptions surrounding their options in this sphere.