Tag Archives: contraception

No One Is Pro-Abortion (and Few Are Fully Pro-Life) | Christian Piatt

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I do not believe that just because you’re opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed.

Source: No One Is Pro-Abortion (and Few Are Fully Pro-Life) | Christian Piatt

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I’m not the only one who is frustrated with, and even a little bit exhausted by, the “Pro life” versus “Pro Choice” debate. I’ve spent a good deal of time trying to wade through all of the issues, and why I feel how I do about it. And I’ve arrived at three reasons I find the whole dialogue – if you can call it that – terribly wanting.

1. The Debate is Inherently (and Ironically) Dehumanizing.

2. “Pro Life” and “Pro Choice” Doesn’t Represent Most People.

3. The Pro-Life Position Feels Disingenuous to Many People.

Teens: Open and Honest Conversations Help Avoid Pregnancy

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Julie Metzger has developed a great recipe for getting parents together with their children to talk about sex.

Let’s Talk (Frankly) About Sex by New York Times writer Bonnie Rochman is an excellent article on Metzger’s work, so we will just direct you right away and take the opportunity to provide a few select teasers:

Julie Metzger, has been trying for nearly three decades to turn what’s so often at best a blush-inducing experience — the “facts of life” talk — into a candid dialogue between parents and children. … Metzger, who is 56 and vigorous, with flushed cheeks and blue eyes, says she has always been comfortable talking about sexuality; her father was a urologist, her mother a nurse. “Hand me a microphone,” she says. “I get so into this topic that I can make myself cry in front of the class, and it’s real.”

Metzger tends to be asked: Why do we have pubic hair? What does it feel like to have a growth spurt? How do I know when I’m getting my period? Does having sex hurt?

LetsTalkFranklyAboutSex NYTimes

In a 2012 survey by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 87 percent of teenagers said “open, honest” conversations with their parents could help them put off sex and avoid pregnancy. Students who take part in comprehensive sex-ed programs delay having sex for the first time, have less sex and fewer partners and rely more on contraception than their peers. Conversely, abstinence-only instruction has not succeeded in extending virginity.

We can only applaud Ms. Metzger’s efforts and thank the Times’ Ms. Rochman for spreading the good word. We are happy to spread it further.

Our motto: It’s okay to talk about it.

Live Tweeting an IUD Insertion

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For some women, having an IUD inserted is an easy five-minute, painless routine. For others, it entails perhaps 30 minutes and is accompanied by some discomfort, even pain. Most women wear their IUDs without incidence; some endure months of soreness. The point is, women are not one prototype.

But the IUD is ever-gaining on popularity due to its effectiveness in planning pregnancy and the increasing comfort level of medical professionals advising women about their contraception choices. Married or unmarried, teens and not are drawn to this mind-easing contraceptive. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently named the IUD the most effective method for pregnancy prevention for teenagers. No daily pill to remember. Spontaneity rules.

For many women who have not yet experienced an IUD insertion first-hand, shared experiences provide valuable insights to take away any angst. But not all women have a been-there friend. So in the name of education and transparency, in January 2015 New York reproductive rights activist Alison Turkos shared the process – her personal experience – on Twitter.

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“I decided to live-tweet my IUD insertion process because I wanted to reduce the stigma and shrine of secrecy around reproductive and sexual health and the experiences so many people have,” Turkos explained. “Also, I rely on my feminist/reproductive health community for support in so many ways, why not this too?”‘

For many women, the IUD insertion procedure has remained a black box of anxiety. With initiatives like this from Ms. Turkos, hopefully more and more women will feel comfortable with pursuing this excellent option.

Ms. Turkos’ venture was appreciated by many, but criticized also by some. What’s your take?

 

I Love My IUD, So Why Didn’t My Doctor?

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The use of IUDs is spreading, partly through word of mouth and blogs like this one on the internet, and of course through major headway in the product itself. But it’s also related to a noticeable shift in demographics among doctors.

About a generation ago, men dominated the ob-gyn field.  But now, according to the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists fellows, some 80% of ob-gyns under 40 are women! And of these women, about 40% who use contraception choose the IUD. This compare to just 6 percent of the general population of women – though they are hard at work changing that.

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We enjoyed this story on the blogspot oxjane so much that we’d like to share it with you here.

Stop Rushing To Put On Your Condoms

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StopRushing CONDOMS-via Getty Images

Stop Rushing To Put On Your Condoms.

A worthwhile read and great advice.
What’s the hurry?

with thanks to HuffPost – and Getty Images.

Birth Control Effectiveness Over 10 Years – Typical vs. Perfect

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Experts at Princeton University and the Brookings Institute demonstrate with this new data how the human element plays a major role in the effectiveness of different birth control methods. Here as presented by The New York Times in their article: How Likely Is It That Birth Control Could Let You Down? – thank you!

NYT on BirthControlEffectiveness

For popular methods like the condom, it is clearly the users who destroy the effectiveness. Coming out on top again, as usual, the IUD as the best method for reversible protection.

US Teens Births Highest in S/SW, Lowest in NE; International Comparison Dismal

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USA Today reported on teen births this week, noting the 2012 US average at 29.4 births per 1000 women aged 15-19.  The lowest rates fell in the Northeast with New Hampshire leading at 13.8. The highest rates fell in the South and Southwest, with New Mexico and Oklahoma sharing the honors at 47.5 and 47.3 respectively. The ethnic tallies showed Asians lowest at 9.7 and Hispanics highest at 46.3.
Overall, the average age of new mothers has risen while the incidence of teen pregnancy, though still troublesome, has dropped, and the state variances prove striking differences among youth behavior across the country.

While on the topic, we had a look at the US teen numbers in an international comparison from last year of 16 countries.

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Despite improvements overall to the US data, in this group of western nations, only Romania comes in with higher teenage pregnancy rates than the US. It is also interesting to note the similarity in the birth/abortion option quotas between the two nations and how dramatically opposite these run from countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

Switzerland posts an astounding low rate of only 7 pregnancies per 1000 teens, only 15% of the US rate, while the Netherlands, Germany and Italy run second lowest with 12 and 13 pregnancies per 1000.

Why is it these countries have relatively rare incidence of teenage pregnancy? What can we do to markedly change that?

L. Condoms: Discrete 24/7 Delivery in San Francisco & New York City

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What to do when you are not prepared?
L. Condoms suggests you mix up another round of your favorite drinks and extend the flirting.

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Give them up to an hour to be at your doorstep. They are now underway in San Francisco and New York City delivering specially-made, high-quality protection for city-dwellers and visitors alike. Not even the messenger knows what’s in the bag.

And for every condom you purchase from them, one is donated to a developing country in need.
Great concept. Responsibility in intimacy with a conscience for world betterment.
We wish them well and invite readers to comment on their products and services.

College Students: Contraception Use, Even Double Dutch, on the Rise

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Good News: The findings of a 20 year study on The Sex Lives of College Students shows birth control usage up.

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About 5,000 students were surveyed by Dr. Sandra Caron, Professor of Family Relations and Human Sexuality at the University of Maine. 85% of college women are on the pill, up from 75%. Condoms are used 55% of the time, up from 45%. And about 40% of students report going Double Dutch, i.e. using both the pill to prevent unwanted pregnancy and condoms against STDs. Great news.

Have a read of the full findings for many insights on the sexual attitudes, behaviors, and influences of college students. Thanks to Dr. Caron for her work over many years to compile this important information!

Think you know what college students think? Test your knowledge with this nifty quiz compiled by HuffPost Labs. How did you do?

Contraception Concerns: Docs vs. Patients

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Knowledge is power, but also an invitation for miscommunication.

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So doctors know what they know about contraception – and know the important pitfalls, namely incorrect usage.

The docs’ concern about proper contraceptive usage is important as failed contraception rates are much higher than their real rates should be, and then user frustration sets in and situations become very complicated.

Yet patients are concerned about other issues. And this gap of knowledge and focus needs closing. Let’s keep talking. It’s okay to talk about it.