TresSugar

Obama Compromises on Contraception

Annie Scudder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:20:55 PST

Despite the fact that 99 percent of women who have ever had sex - religious or not - have used contraception, the Obama administration's decision to make birth control free under all employer health insurance packages has caused a controversy. Today, the White House announced that it will make a change to its new policy to accommodate religious institutions, such as Catholic hospitals and universities, who do not want to cover prescriptions like the pill. Under the compromise, religious employers would not have to offer free birth control. Rather, insurance companies themselves would have to provide free contraception to workers at religiously sponsored institutions if the worker requests it.

The original policy, similar to laws that already exist in states like California and Oregon, would have required groups affiliated with religious institutions, like hospitals, charities, and universities, to provide insurance plans that cover birth control for free. Churches themselves would be exempt. But some religions, like the Catholic Church, oppose all forms of birth control, and leaders, especially the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, put pressure on the White House to change course, threatening to make this a major campaign issue.

So far, it looks like the compromise has pleased both sides. Planned Parenthood's President Cecile Richards said it "does not compromise a woman's ability to access this critical birth control benefits," and Sister Carol Keehan, the president of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, says she is "pleased and grateful that the religious liberty and conscience protection needs of so many ministries that serve our country were appreciated."

Are Your Birth Control Pills Safe?

Shape — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:06:17 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Last year during my annual exam, when I complained to my doctor about my terrible PMS, she was quick to pull out her pad and give me a prescription for the birth control pill Yaz. "You're going to love this," she said. "All of my patients that are on it think it's the best. It's even helped some of them lose weight!"

Less PMS and not having to worry about my weight? I was sold, even though I'd only intended to talk to her about lifestyle and/or diet modifications since my birth control needs were already taken care of. Before I stopped into the pharmacy, however, I looked up the pill online (Paging Dr. Google!). The results were anything but the lovefest I'd been promised. In fact, the information I found scared me so badly that I never filled that prescription.

Am I Normal? Your Top Six Sex Questions Answered

It quickly became evident that I wasn't the only woman concerned when Yaz and it's sister pill Yazmin, two of the most popular pills on the market, came up for review by the FDA after reports that the manufacturer may have hid and minimized critical health risks. But is the hysteria warranted?

Find out how safe birth control pills are after the break!

Can Natural Family Planning Work For You?

BabyCenter — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:36:14 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Sabrina Garibia about using natural family planning as a form of birth control.

It’s much, much worse than the secret assemblies we had in middle school about menstruation. At least we were kids and all girls that time.

I’m a sophomore in college, and the old priest who is teaching my theology of marriage class is talking about natural family planning. He uses the words sex, cervical mucus, cervix, and orgasm all in one class.

Mortifying. I turn my head to giggle with my friend about the way we should have learning about our periods in middle school, and my eye accidentally catches the cute senior.

Even more mortifying.

That section of the class stayed with me for years, and when I got married, I knew I wanted to try natural family planning (NFP), first to prevent and later to achieve pregnancy. I read the book in full, and several months into my marriage, my husband and I decided to use NFP (or actually, the fertility awareness method) to prevent pregnancy.

It worked perfectly, but we followed the rules by the book (literally). Just like any other form of birth control, it is only effective when done properly. When we were ready for a baby, we followed those rules and got pregnant fairly easily (after a miscarriage and a bit of chart obsession).

When I’m done nursing, I think we will use natural family planning or the fertility awareness method again. It is natural and effective when done right. My husband and I both believe in it (unlike Jennifer’s husband and probably Jennifer herself).

What about you? Do you think NFP works?

More great stories from BabyCenter.com:
Seven things to consider when buying a high chair
Have you ever forgotten your baby?
Day care is really good for moms
An organized playroom. Seriously?
Should you use glass baby bottles?

Group Therapy: Can I Still Get Pregnant?

Tres Community — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:05:13 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

This past Wednesday, January 4th, my boyfriend and I had unprotected sex. He pulled out every time but I still get nervous about getting pregnant - even when he uses a condom. Well right now, I'm feeling a pain in my ovaries and assume that it is because I am ovulating. Is there a chance of still getting pregnant? I'm 98 percent positive that he did not ejaculate inside me.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Forget the Pill? Facts About Nonhormonal Birth Control

TresSugar — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:57:39 PST

As women celebrate more than 50 years since the release of the birth control pill, those who feel the negative side effects of hormonal birth control have missed out on the party. Hormonal options range from the ring to the patch to the pill, but what if you want to avoid the consequences, including mood swings, weight gain, decreased sex drive, or other side effects? You're in luck - different methods of hormone-free birth control exist.

I've rounded up some basic info - including effectiveness rates and pros and cons - on several different nonhormonal options that will let you enjoy freedom from pregnancy. If one or more spark your interest, talk to your gynecologist about whether it will work for you.

Should Plan B Be Over the Counter For Girls Under 17?

Tara Sharp — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:20:00 PST

An initiative to make Plan B available over the counter for all ages has been vetoed. The FDA recommended yesterday that based on scientific data the morning-after pill is safe, effective, and should be available to women of all ages without a prescription. But an official from the US Department of Health and Human Services nixed the decision on the basis that girls under 17 don't have the maturity to understand the use and risks of Plan B.

Those who support the FDA's recommendation believe girls will be too scared to ask their parents or doctors for a morning-after pill prescription, and that having it more easily accessible will help prevent teen pregnancies. But antiabortion groups are happy with the decision to keep the drug prescription-only for girls 16 and under, with one spokeswoman saying, "they make vulnerable women and girls even more at risk to abusers who may acquire the drugs to cover up their criminal behavior."

Even President Obama defends the Plan B decision "as the father of two daughters."

But I want to know, what do you think about the accessibility of the morning-after pill? Should young girls be able to use emergency contraception without a prescription, or do you believe they aren't mature enough to handle it on their own?

Birth Control Gets the Modern PSA Treatment

Annie Scudder — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:15:58 PST

For the first time, the Ad Council has produced a public service announcement for birth control. The council teamed up with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to make a light-hearted ad that directs women to Bedsider.com, a site that lets you explore tons of birth control options. In the spot, a sunny French tune plays as couples confront awkward situations while getting it on. There's a whipped cream moment gone wrong and a dog who just can't look away, and at the end a voiceover says, "You didn't give up on sex. Don't give up on birth control either." Watch it above, and tell me if you think it's effective. I do!

Mississippi Votes to Keep Birth Control, IVF, & Abortion Legal

Annie Scudder — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:25:22 PST

Earlier this week feminist icon Gloria Steinem told us that reproductive rights were the single biggest accomplishment for women she's witnessed. Yesterday Mississippi voters had a chance to roll back the clock by passing a ballot measure that would have defined a fertilized egg as a person. They voted against it.

Initiative 26 would have added this language to the state's constitution: "The term ‘person' or ‘persons' shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof." By giving personhood rights to a fertilized egg, the amendment would have banned abortion, even in the case of rape or incest, and would have also outlawed in vitro fertilization and IUDs.

Birth control like the pill or Plan B would have likely been banned too, since many forms of hormonal birth control prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus, should the hormones fail at preventing fertilization in the first place. Critics also warned that any miscarriage could initiate a criminal investigation if the measure passed.

The initiative sponsored by Personhood USA was put up for a vote in Mississippi because it is one of the more conservative, pro-life states. They were hoping a legal challenge would eventually make the US Supreme Court revisit Roe v. Wade and ultimately overturn it. Colorado voters have twice rejected similar measures before. Despite losing in a very conservative state yesterday, the life-at-fertilization camp says they'll continue their efforts.

More Teens Are Using Condoms Than Ever Before

Annie Scudder — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:50:53 PDT

American teens get an A+ in sex ed. According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, use of condoms is on the rise, up nine percent from 2002. Among teen boys 15 to 19, eight out of 10 said they wrapped it up when they lost their virginity. Meanwhile, the popularity of riskier methods, like withdrawal, fell.

The rate of sexual activity among America's youth remains the same; 43 percent of teen girls and 42 percent of teen boys say they are sexually active. But in addition to a rise in condom use, more teens rely on two forms of contraception when they have sex by using condoms in addition to the pill or other hormonal birth control like the patch or injectables. Despite what you see on 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, the CDC says the increase in condom usage is consistent with a decline in teen pregnancy across the US.

Should You Go Off the Pill to Make Sure He's the One?

Tara Sharp — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:50:36 PDT

There's a new study out that gets more specific on how the pill impacts who you're attracted to - and it's bad news for your sex drive. According to the study, women on the pill choose uglier men who are worse at sex but better at long-term relationships.

The birth control pill evens out hormones and causes women to choose men who are more similar to them, a safer choice, and more "father" material. But while the relationships last longer, the women involved in the study were willing to put up with worse sex. Those who aren't on the pill may choose men who are more different than them, leading to a guy who may be great in bed but not good for them in the long run.

The researchers even go as far as to recommend you switch to condoms before marrying to insure he's still "the one," once the hormones wear off. "Choosing a non-hormonal barrier method of contraception for a few months before getting married might be one way for a woman to check or reassure herself that she's still attracted to her partner," says Craig Roberts of Stirling University, Scotland.

Since we've heard a lot about how the pill affects a woman's sex drive, it seems to me that it may be more about a woman perceiving the sex as bad than the mate actually being bad at sex. But it's really interesting (and a little scary) to see how your choice of birth control could dictate your relationship choices. Would you experiment with going off the pill to test your relationship chemistry?