Birth Control News & Features

More than 70,000 U.S. women could be left without cost-free birth control after the Supreme Court upheld a Trump administration policy change that permits some employers to refuse to provide contraceptive coverage on religious or moral grounds.

The patch, which contains "micro-needles" absorbed into the skin, is seen as a possible alternative to current long-acting contraceptives

Many women get contraceptives through their doctor, but the issue of access to birth control has become more pressing as family planning clinics close across the United States.

Reproductive coercion is a form of abuse in which a girl or woman is pressured into pregnancy. From a male partner threatening to leave if his female partner refuses to have his baby, to poking holes in condoms before sex, the coercion can take shape in a variety of ways.

Among the men who took the birth control pill, average circulating testosterone levels dropped as low as that which occurs in a state of androgen (male hormone) deficiency.

A gene variant that breaks down hormones in birth control could be the culprit, researchers reported.

The FDA says the product could become less effective if a patient does not take a tablet because it is missing or takes a placebo instead of an active tablet. No unexpected pregnancies or other events have been reported, Apotex says.

In the study, the rate of American women seeking intrauterine devices, implants or other forms of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) shot up by nearly 22 percent during the month after the 2016 presidential election.

The patch, which can be pressed into an arm or leg, has dissolvable microneedles that implant into the skin and slowly dissolve over time, delivering a contraceptive hormone, NBC News reported.

The Trump administration's new rules on employer-provided birth control have been blocked in some parts of the country by a judge in California.

The FDA is implementing a number of steps for long-term safety monitoring of the permanent birth control device Essure, which will no longer be sold or distributed in the U.S. after Dec. 31, 2018.

The protective effect of newer birth control pills -- which contain lower doses of estrogens and different progestogens -- rise over time and persist for several years after women stopped taking them, new research finds.

Drug maker Bayer announced Friday that it would stop US sales of the birth control implant Essure by the end of 2018.

In the packages affected by the recall, the first 4 days of pills contain placebos instead of hormones. The company says the mistake may not be apparent to users.

To help curb complications tied to the permanent contraceptive implant Essure, the FDA on Monday slapped new restrictions on the sale of the device.

IUD contraceptive devices may reduce a woman's risk of cervical cancer by about a third, a new review concludes.

Expected move could affect access to contraception for millions of women

Most rely on condoms, but use of another method has doubled, study finds

New companies and agencies such as planned parenthood are offering women birth control through apps and websites.

'Mystery shopper' study found druggists refusing sales, despite FDA's removal of age limit for the contraceptive

Recall: Birth Control Pills

A drawback to one form is that it isn't effective until 3 months after placement

Injections as effective as other contraceptives, but side effects prompted early halt of trial

Study also ties hormonal patches, IUDs to greater antidepressant use, especially in teens

Expectant mothers or those trying to get pregnant should make sure they get enough of the nutrient, researchers say