Reproductive Health

Q: How does the new OTC birth control pill compare to prescription ones? – Lili C. A: The newly approved OTC birth control pill is a low-dose progestin-only pill that was previously prescription-only. It is very safe and highly effective. This particular pill (norgestrel 0.075 mg, now marketed as Opill) was initially approved for prescription Read more…

A: Differences in brain structure and/or function, hormone levels during different phases of development, and even genetics seem to shape our internal sense of gender identity. We all have a gender identity, or an internal sense of self as belonging somewhere on a gender spectrum. For most people, their gender identity aligns with what is Read more…

The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…

Preeclampsia and other severe pregnancy complications, especially among Black people, have thankfully been getting more attention in the media in the last couple of weeks. These individual stories are so important because they humanize what can sometimes become numbing statistics. And they are highlighting some of the significant health disparities in the U.S. that Black Read more…

Happy Pride Month, Nerds! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️⚧ Each day, we find ourselves on the receiving end of rhetoric that minimizes and even directly threatens the joy, safety, lives, and livelihoods of LGBTQIA+ folks. This, combined with the ongoing challenges to reproductive health rights, means that we could all use any emotional support we can come across. And Read more…

There are lots of different types of “pills” related to pregnancy. It’s most helpful to break them into two categories: Contraceptives PREVENT someone from becoming pregnant. Other types of pills are used when there is ALREADY an established pregnancy. It’s mifepristone, from this second group, whose FDA approval is currently being contested in the U.S. Read more…

Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…

UPDATE 4/14/2023 at 4:45pm EDT: SCOTUS has temporarily restored full access to mifepristone until next week. Read here for more info. A: Loss of FDA approval for mifepristone will result in decreased access to safe abortion care. It will also prevent patients with certain types of miscarriage from receiving one of the standard treatment options. Read more…

A: Some infection rates have dropped, and others have risen. Read the post to learn about important trends in this group of illnesses. Did you know that April is Sexually Transmitted Infection Awareness Month? Well, you do now! In honor of this month’s national health theme and its slogan *TALK, TEST, TREAT*, we wanted to Read more…

A: Mifepristone is a synthetic hormone (made outside the body) that blocks progesterone and cortisol. Progesterone and cortisol are two hormones that the body makes. Progesterone is a hormone that helps in many normal processes, including keeping the uterus from contracting during early pregnancy. As a progesterone blocker, mifepristone leads to uterine contractions and is Read more…