A study reported in today's New England Journal of Medicine reveals that a new way of giving abortion pills to induce a medical abortion virtually eliminated the risk for a rare but dangerous infection. A medical abortion typically consists of the use of two medications: RU486 (mifepristone), which causes a fertilized egg to not remain attached to the lining of the uterus, and misoprostol, which causes uterine contractions. Originally, part of this procedure involved inserting the misoprostol pill into the vagina where the medicine was absorbed. But by the end of 2005, 4 American women and 1 Canadian had died of a rare bacterial infection afterward.

This new research, done at Planned Parenthood clinics across the country, had woman put the misoprostol pill in their mouth and let it dissolve. Medical abortions following this procedure reduced the risk of the serious infection from barely 1 in 1,000 cases to 0.06 in 1,000.

This study is important as it is the first to empirically document how safe and effective medical abortion is. The results of this study are leading many experts to predict that the percentage of medical abortions (which offer more privacy than surgical abortions) will rise even more given the improved safety of this method.

Given that 87% of U.S. counties do not have an abortion provider, hopefully the findings from this study may encourage some primary care doctors to offer medical abortions.

Current guidelines, put out by the National Abortion Federation, allow putting misoprostol in the cheek to dissolve, swallowing it, or inserting it in the vagina (which more than a third of clinics do). However, the National Abortion Federation – which represents 400 centers that provide half of the abortions in the US and Canada – will review the findings of this study in October to decide whether or not to make changes to its current guidelines.

• RU486 – The Abortion Pill
• How To Use RU486

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_{Photo Courtesy of Getty Images}

An unplanned pregnancy is always the possibility whenever there is the opportunity for a sperm and egg to meet. Although no birth control method (except abstinence) is 100% effective in preventing a pregnancy, using contraception greatly reduces your chance of being affected by one. Also, the use of birth control lessens the probability of having an abortion by 85%.

For nearly a quarter century, the division in politics concerning abortion has basically hindered meaningful discussion of family planning programs and policy in the United States. Research has demonstrated the undeniable relationship between birth control use use, unplanned pregnancy and abortion, and such research has been attributed to the growing recognition of birth control as a critical prevention strategy. An unplanned pregnancy can have far-reaching consequences for women, families and society at large.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, closely spaced births and childbearing very early or late in a woman's reproductive life can have negative health consequences for mothers and their children. Plus unplanned pregnancy, especially among teenagers, can hamper a young woman's ability to complete her education and participate successfully in the workforce.

Birth control use among American women significantly increased during the 1980s and the mid-1990s, and the unplanned pregnancy rate (as well as the abortion rate) declined. Unfortunately, newer data appears to indicate that this progress has come to a stop, and suggests that if current levels continue, nearly half of all American women will face an unintended pregnancy at some point in their lives.

The message is clear, contraception works! It may not be full-proof, but using it can greater your chances of not becoming part of this alarming statistic. The more you know about birth control, the more control you will have over deciding if and when you want to become pregnant. Accurate information is key. How much do you know about the available methods of birth control?

• Birth Control and Sex Myths
• Take my Birth Control Quiz to find out how much you know!

_{Birth Control Photo © 2007 Dawn Stacey licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Are you one of the many women out there who would just love it if your “monthly visitor” left you alone? Well, extended-cycle birth control pills, like Seasonique, may be an attractive option for you. Seasonique is taken everyday for 77 days. This means that you will only get your period about once every 3 months (basically, only 4 times a year)! Seasonique works just like a traditional birth control pill and is just as safe and effective.

• Seasonique: The Skinny on This Extended Cycle Birth Control Pill

_{Seasonique Photo © 2008 Dawn Stacey}

According to a study published in Family Planning Perspectives, 50% of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Did you know that approximately one in every three pregnancies occurred during a month that women were using contraception? A large-scale study, reported in the Guardian, and conducted by leading sexual health researchers reveals that these pregnancies often resulted from condoms breaking and because women missed taking their birth control pills.

This begs the question – how effective is your birth control method? Not only must you know how to properly and consistently use contraception, but you should also know how effective it is. Understanding birth control effectiveness can be a little tricky for many people. It tends to become complicated because statistics and information are cited in different ways. You may read about failure rates, effectiveness rates, typical rates, perfect user rates, and the list goes on. It is easy to see how confusing this can be. So how do you get your facts straight?

• Take a look: Is your method as effective as you think?

_{Photo Courtesy of Keith Brofsky/Getty Images}

Happy 4th of July – this holiday is a day to reflect upon the birth of our nation (luckily, there wasn’t a contraceptive to prevent this from happening)! It is also a day where US citizens should stand tall and proud of their country and what it stands for. After all, America’s birthday is about independence.

Part of the responsibility that comes along with this freedom is our independence to make personal reproductive choices about sex, our bodies, and birth control. We have the amazing liberty to choose between a huge array of contraceptive choices. So, on this 4th of July holiday, I am asking you that, just as you may be sorting out which firework to light off first, you should also be sorting out which birth control method you can exercise your independence in using. I realize, though, that deciding upon a method can be a hard decision and a very personal one at that. To help you out, here are some factors and questions to consider when choosing the best birth control method for you.

Amongst the celebrating, parades, and Independence Day parties, you may find that some of the fireworks follow into the bedroom. Just as there are safety precautions that one should take when using fireworks, you, too, have a powerful arsenal at your disposal in case the sparks kept flying (and contraception was not part of the fanfare). It is not too late to take steps to reduce the chances of a potential unplanned pregnancy.

Many people may be aware of Plan B (the morning after pill) but do not use it because they think it's too late. Emergency contraception is available over the counter and can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex. So, once that the flames have cooled down, its not to late to protect yourself and take advantage of one of the personal liberties we are so lucky to have.

If, 9 months from now, you only want the 4th of July to be reminiscent of our founding fathers and the birth of our nation, and you do not want to be adding a new father or birth to the nation, then learn about the steps that can be taken to help prevent this from taking place.

_{Fireworks Photo Courtesy of Microsoft Online}

Yesterday, in Lansing, MI, State Rep. Rebekah Warren and State Sen. Gilda Jacobs introduced a series of bills that, they say, will address alarming state statistics showing that 1 in 4 teens has a STD, and the state has an unacceptable number of unplanned pregnancies.

The comprehensive set of 15 bills address sex education, dispensing of prescriptions, regulation of crisis pregnancy centers, and access to emergency contraception for victims of criminal sexual conduct or rape.

One of bills seeks to amend the state public schools code to mandate abstinence-plus education. Presently, Michigan only allows abstinence-only education (even though studies have shown these programs don't work and can even lead to more instances of STDs and unplanned pregnancies because youth don't have the tools to address these situations). According to Jacobs, the teens need good sex education.

Bill, H.B. 822, would mandate that facilities providing emergency and urgent care for rape victims make emergency contraception available as well as mandate counseling and access to antiretroviral medications for rape victims as well. Part of this legislation (H.B. 2358) would also mandate that pharmacists dispense medications prescribed by a doctor. Current federal rules allow pharmacists to refuse to participate in medical treatments they find morally or ethically offensive. This new bill specifically states that pharmacists cannot refuse to dispense or transfer prescriptions based on ethical, moral or religious beliefs. Warren states, "We don't think a pharmacist should sit in judgment on a prescription a doctor has prescribed and that is in their patient's best interests."

Finally, H.B. 2472 would create a new law to regulate crisis pregnancy centers; it mandates that such centers must provide medically accurate and objective information about the wide range of options available to women facing unintended pregnancies, including abortion services; require that such clinics post notices to clients when the organization does not employee licensed medical professionals nor provide information about abortions or birth control; and ensure distribution of specific educational literature provided by the Michigan Department of Community Health. If passed, this legislation would allow clients to sue crisis pregnancy centers for damages if a group violates the act.

Warren explained that these organizations have been found to be providing false information in the past, and its a problem seen elsewhere in the country. "From our perspective, we really want women to know when they're walking in that they are getting unbiased information, they're getting true information, they're getting medically accurate information," Warren said. "We wouldn't let people do fraudulent advertising in lots of other places in the state, and we just want that same courtesy when it comes to women's reproductive health."

_{Photo Courtesy of Microsoft Office}

So, to throw a bit of a curve ball out from my usual contraception information, I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to the dental dam. No, I am not implying that you are due for your latest dental check-up; however, this is a nifty little device to have around. Although it provides NO birth control protection (meaning, it won’t stop you from getting pregnant), it very well may save you from getting an STD during oral-vaginal sex or some sort of parasite if you are engaging in oral-anal sex (rimming).

The bad news (yep, there’s usually a catch): dental dams can sometimes be hard to find and can be somewhat expensive. But, there is some good news -- you can easily make dental dams at home with a condom and a pair of scissors.

• All You Need to Know About Dental Dams
• Why Use Contraception? (Sorry, I had to slip this one in)

_{Photo Courtesy of George Doyle/Getty Images}

Okay, so you want to buy some condoms… no big deal, right? Sure, until you get the store and realize that there are about a gazillion types, brands and styles to chose from! Yep, you could stumble upon rows and rows of condom types….ribbed for her pleasure, form-fitting, lubricated, textured, warming, tingling, spiral (and the list goes on and on)!

Although most condoms can help protect against sexually transmitted infections and reduce the risk of pregnancy, they are not all are made the same, and some even have different purposes. Should you just go with plain 'ole latex condoms (tried and true)? Maybe yes, maybe no. Even so, latex condoms come in a variety of types of styles.

With so many kinds of condom types to choose from, what’s a person to do? Well, for starters, there are some important factors to think about, so use the following guide to help you in buying the condoms that will best suit your needs.

• Before You Buy Condoms

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"Love Condoms" Photo © 2009 Dawn Stacey

Yesterday, the FDA approved a prescription-only generic version of the contraceptive Plan B, an emergency contraceptive (EC), for women age 17 and younger. Watson Laboratories Inc has been granted approval from the FDA for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for lthe evonorgestrel tablets. The generic product (levonorgestrel 0.75 mg) will only be available by prescription and will only be sold to women under the age of 18. Watson Laboratories plans to market and launch the product shortly under the trade name Next Choice.

This approval is the latest chapter in the long and EXTREMELY confusing history of the FDA and emergency contraception. Plan B (also known as the morning-after pill), is marketed by Duramed Pharmaceuticals, and has been available over-the-counter to women age 18 and older since 2006 and via prescription-only for those younger than 18.

• In March 2009, a Federal court ruled that the FDA based its age restriction policy on politics rather than science, and ordered the FDA allow 17-year-olds to buy Plan B without a prescription under the same conditions as Plan B was currently available to women over the age of 18 stating, "The FDA repeatedly and unreasonably delayed issuing a decision on Plan B for suspect reasons.”



• On April 22, 2009, in accordance with the court's order, the FDA announced that Plan B will be available to women 17 and older without a prescription.

HOWEVER, this ruling was very misleading...

According to the FDA press release announcing approval of generic Plan B, 17-year-olds (or younger) would need a prescription-only generic emergency contraceptive because, as of right now, they cannot purchase Plan B OTC and that insurance companies are more likely to cover prescription drugs. In fact, by announcing the approval of OTC sales of Plan B to 17-year-olds, the FDA would basically allow for Plan B’s manufacturer to submit an application for OTC Plan B sales to this age group. The FDA will not confirm or deny whether such an application has been submitted; however, the agency has said that no application for OTC sales to 17-year-olds has been approved. So, at least for the time being, the only way that a person under the age of 18 can obtain this EC (whether brand name or generic) is with a prescription.

The FDA also added that no generic, non-prescription version of Plan B for women 18 and older can be approved until August 24, 2009 – as this is when Duramed 's patents on the product expire.

• How to Use and Obtain Plan B
• EC Quiz

_{Plan B EC Photo © 2009 Dawn Stacey}