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First Birth Control Pill Sold Over the Counter Hits Store Shelves Soon

The first over-the-counter birth control pill will soon be available in U.S. stores and online, the drug's maker plans to announce Monday.

Sold as Opill, the medication was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last May. Once it is officially for sale, a one-month supply will...

FDA Approval of Over-the-Counter Emergency Contraception Has Slashed ER Visits

U.S. approval of over-the-counter emergency contraception like “Plan B” has had an unintended but positive side effect for America's hospitals, a new study shows.

Emergency room visits related to “morning-after” contraception plummeted after the pills became easily available to adults in 2006, according to the report published Jan. 24 in the journal

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • January 30, 2024
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  • 'Morning After' Pill Sales Surge on Day After New Years' Eve

    Even Valentine's Day apparently doesn't trump the start of a brand new year when it comes to getting frisky.

    Sales of the morning-after pill surged across the U.S. after New Year 2022, new research shows. Nearly 41,000 extra pills were sold in the following week, a period linked to increased risks of unprotected sex.

    Sales of emergency contraception also rose after other holidays su...

    Blood Clot Risk From Contraceptive Pills Ends Soon After Women Stop Taking Them

    Women and their doctors have long known that taking birth control pills can elevate the risk for a blood clot.

    Now, some good news: That added risk will disappear within a few weeks of stopping an oral contraceptive, a new study shows.

    “It's reassuring to know that that possible harm of the pill goes away rapidly when one stops taking it," said study corresponding author

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • November 10, 2023
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  • Americans Can Expect to Spend Half Their Lives Taking a Prescription Drug

    Americans born in recent years can likely count on taking prescription drugs for about half their life, according to new research.

    For males born in 2019, it's about 48% of their lives. For women, it's 60% of their lifetime, the study found.

    “The years that people can expect to spend taking prescription drugs are now higher than they might spend in their first marriage, getti...

    California Governor Rejects Bill to Provide Free Condoms to High Schoolers

    A California bill would have made free condoms available for high schoolers, but it was vetoed Sunday by Gov. Gavin Newsom because of cost.

    California has a budget deficit of $30 billion, Newsom noted in his veto of Senate Bill 541....

    An OTC Contraceptive Pill Is Coming Soon, but Who Will Pay For It?

    The first over-the-counter birth control pill is slated to hit drug stores in early 2024, but questions about cost and insurance coverage loom.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Opill (norgestrel) for preventing pregnancy without a pre...

    Combo of Certain Birth Control Pills, Painkillers Could Raise Women's Clot Risk

    It's well known that certain forms of birth control carry a small risk of blood clots. Now a large new study suggests that some common painkillers can magnify that risk.

    The study, of 2 million Danish women, found what numerous others have before: Women who used birth control pills or other estrogen-containing contraceptives had a heightened risk of developing a blood clot in the legs or ...

    More American Men Now Opting for Vasectomy

    Vasectomies are becoming more common in the United States, with rates surging by more than one-quarter during the past decade, a recent study reveals.

    The U.S. vasectomy rate increased by 26% between 2014 and 2021, according to an analysis of commercial health claims data.

    “All areas in the United States except the Northeast showed increased vasectomy rates,” said senior researc...

    Poll Shows Who Americans Trust (and Don't Trust) for Health News

    Misinformation about health and medicine is rampant in the United States, with far too many Americans being presented false claims and left wondering what to believe, a new survey reports.

    At least 4 in 10 people say they've heard 10 specific false claims about COVID-19, reproductive health and gun violence,

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 22, 2023
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  • Some Lots of Tydemy Birth Control Pills Recalled Due to 'Reduced Effectiveness'

    Certain lots of the prescription birth control pill Tydemy may be less effective than expected, potentially resulting in an unintended pregnancy, because the pills do not contain enough of an active ingredient.

    The

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 2, 2023
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  • FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the nation's first over-the-counter birth control pill, a move that will likely pave the way for far greater access to contraception for Americans.

    Women will be able to buy the progestin-only oral contraceptive at drug stores, convenience stores and grocery stores, the FDA said. There is no age limit.

    Opill, which is made b...

    In National Survey, U.S. Ob-Gyns Say Care Has Worsened After Dobbs Decision

    The U.S. Supreme Court decision ending a nationwide right to abortion one year ago has made it harder for doctors to treat miscarriages and other pregnancy-related emergencies, a new report shows.

    The nonprofit organization KFF surveyed ob...

    Injected Birth Control Could Be Game-Changer to Curb Stray Cat Populations

    Millions of stray cats roam the world over, and surgical sterilization has long been the primary method of population control.

    But a small new study shows promising results for a one-and-done contraceptive injection.

    Researchers say this first-of-its-kind approach appears safe and effective.

    “A non-surgical contraceptive that could result in lifetime sterility following...

    FDA Advisors OK Approval of First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

    In a unanimous vote, a panel of expert advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday endorsed the over-the-counter sale of a birth control pill, a recommendation that will likely pave the way for far greater access to contraception for Americans.

    Opill, as the pill is called, was first approved by the FDA in 1973. There is no precise information available on how much Opil...

    FDA Experts to Consider First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

    As a U.S. Food Drug Administration advisory panel prepares to weigh whether to recommend that a birth control pill be sold over the counter in this country, a coalition of advocates on Monday called attention to the safety and effectiveness of the medication.

    If approved, Opill, a daily progestin-only birth control pill, would become the first such drug sold over the counter in the United...

    Feds to Toughen Rules on Privacy Around Abortion, Contraceptive Services

    U.S. officials said Wednesday that they plan to strengthen existing privacy rules to prevent the sharing of private legal reproductive health care information for use in investigations and prosecutions against patients or providers.

    The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR),

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 12, 2023
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  • Birth Control Pills Tied to Slight Rise in Breast Cancer Risk, Regardless of Formulation

    Taking progestogen-only birth control pills comes with a slightly increased risk of breast cancer -- about the same degree of risk associated with taking pills that contain both progestogen and estrogen, new research finds.

    After five years' use, investigators found a 20% to 30% heightened breast cancer risk with both types of contraceptives, according to the study published March 21 in ...

    IUDs, Contraceptive Implants Tough to Access for Women on Medicaid

    People covered by Medicaid insurance may not have easy access to some of the most effective, longer-acting birth control methods, new research claims.

    Investigators found that while about 48% of physicians who treat Medicaid patients provided prescription contraception like the birth control pill, only 10% offered longer-acting methods like IUDs and implants. Birth control is considered a...

    A Short-Term Birth Control Pill for Men? Mouse Study Hints Its Possible

    A guy pops a little pill just before he expects to get frisky with his girlfriend.

    But the pill isn't Viagra, as one might expect.

    Instead, it's an on-demand contraceptive that will prevent pregnancy even if taken just before sex.

    Researchers think they've discovered a way to create such a contraceptive pill for men, by inhibiting an enzyme that's key to a sperm's ability to s...

    Poll Finds Many U.S. Women Confused About Medical Abortion

    Changes in U.S. abortion laws have prompted confusion among women about medication abortion and emergency contraception, or the “morning-after” pill.

    A new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) underscores this lack of awareness about what's legal or not from state to state, including whether a full abortion ban is in place or abortions are allowed.

    Pollsters surveyed a na...

    End of Roe v. Wade May Have More Women Opting for Permanent Contraception

    Jasmine Quezada, a Los Angeles tax accountant, says she has known since age 10 she never wanted to be a mother.

    “I never thought parenthood was for me and that was no secret to my family or my friends,” Quezada, 31, said. “When I was dating my husband, we often discussed my choice to remain child-free. I had an aversion to hormonal birth control and serious side effects when I tried...

    More States Are Allowing Pharmacists to Prescribe Birth Control

    Pharmacists can now. prescribe hormonal contraceptives in 20 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C., giving women easier access to birth control, a new report says.

    Another 10 states have legislation in the works, according to research presented Monday at a meeting of the American Society for Health-System Pharmacists, in Las Vegas.

    Having easy access to birth control has been a hot top...

    Pregnancy Is Most Dangerous for the Very Young

    When preteen children or very young teenagers become pregnant, they face higher rates of complications and a greater risk of winding up in the intensive care unit than older teens do, a new study finds.

    The question about what happens when a young girl goes through pregnancy and delivery takes on more relevance after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June and subsequent abo...

    Study Counters Myth That Contraceptive Pill Enlarges Breasts in Teen Girls

    Birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin do not contribute to growth of enlarged breasts in teens and young women, a new study finds, and may actually be associated with developing less severe breast enlargement.

    Moreover, the combination pills don't increase the risk of regrowth after breast-reduction surgery, said researcher Dr. Brian Labow and colleagues. Labow is w...

    Minnesota Trial Focuses on Pharmacist Who Refused to Provide Morning-After Pill

    A Minnesota jury is expected to decide by the end of this week whether a woman's human rights were violated when a pharmacist denied her request to fill a prescription for emergency contraception, sometimes called the morning-after pill.

    Though the case dates back to 2019, the issue is ...

    FDA Mulling Over-the-Counter Sale of Contraceptive Pill

    For decades, birth control pills in the United States have only been available with a prescription, but an application filed Monday with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an over-the-counter pill might change all that.

    The lates...

    Some Pharmacy Chains Limit Morning-After Pill Sales to Avoid Potential Shortage

    CVS and Rite Aid are limiting purchases of morning-after pills in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

    To avoid a shortage, CVS is temporarily restricting purchases of the

  • By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 28, 2022
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  • With Abortion Access Under Threat, Doctors Focus on 'Contraceptive Counseling'

    Women are more apt to use birth control when doctors treat it like a routine preventive health service, a new research review shows.

    The analysis of 38 past studies found that women were more likely to use contraception when doctors were proactive about counseling them on the options, and in many cases providin...

    Supreme Court Set to Overturn Roe v. Wade, Leaked Draft Opinion Shows

    The U.S. Supreme Court is on the verge of striking down the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, a leaked draft opinion shows.

    In the draft opinion, a majority of the court voted to overturn the 1973 decision that granted abortion rights to all American women.

    "It is time to heed the Constituti...

    Taken Prior to Sex, New Combo Pill May Prevent Pregnancy for Days

    Imagine a birth control pill a woman can take before having sex that prevents pregnancy for the next three to five days.

    This may become a reality, according to a small, new study.

    The traditional birth control pill is taken daily, while

  • Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 26, 2022
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  • STDs May Be More Common Than Thought Among U.S. High School Kids

    Too few sexually active teens are getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to a new report by U.S. health officials.

    In all, just 20% of sexually active high school students said they were tested for an STD - now called sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - in the past year, according to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    A New Male Birth Control Pill Works - in Mice

    Science is moving closer to a male contraceptive pill, and human clinical trials of a non-hormonal version could begin later this year, researchers say.

    The experimental contraceptive works in mice, according to a preliminary study scheduled for presentation Wednesday at an American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting in San Diego.

    "Scientists have been trying for decades to develop an ...

    Florida Lawmakers Ban Most Abortions After 15 Weeks

    Florida legislators voted on Thursday to ban most abortions after 15 weeks, a move that would severely restrict access to the procedure for women in that state.

    The bill -- modeled after a similar abortion ban in Mississippi that the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on this summer...

    IUDs a Very Effective Form of Birth Control, Study Confirms

    You've just delivered your second or third child, and you're ready to close the door on any future pregnancies. Does it matter whether you choose to use an IUD or have your tubes tied?

    It turns out that IUDs are nearly as effective as having your tubes tied in preventing unwanted pregnancies and cause fewer side...

    Could Semen Hold Key to New Over-the-Counter Contraceptive?

    No contraceptive is perfect, and scientists continue searching for safer, more effective methods.

    Now, researchers have found a way to trap sperm in semen's natural gel state, and they believe their findings could point the way to a new type of birth control.

    Normally, semen liquefies after ejaculation, which enables sperm to swim through a woman's reproductive system to fertilize a...

    Better Access to Birth Control Boosts School Graduation Rates

    Access to free or low-cost birth control may be an important factor in improving young women's futures, according to new research from Colorado.

    When access to affordable birth control increased, the percentage of young women leaving high school before graduation dropped by double digits, while the rates of pregnancies and abortions also dropped. The study, led by University of Colorado a...

    An IUD Could Ward Off Endometrial Cancer in Women at Risk

    For some patients who have early endometrial cancer or a precancerous condition, a hysterectomy may not be a good option because of serious health issues or the desire to preserve fertility.

    Now, a new Australian study has found that a hormonal IUD might be an effective treatment option for these women.

    About 82% of women who had a precancerous condition and used the levonorgestrel...

    Could the Pill Reduce Asthma Attacks?

    Women with asthma may suffer fewer severe symptom attacks if they are on birth control pills, a large new study suggests.

    The study of more than 83,000 women with asthma found that those who used birth control pills for at least three years tended to have fewer severe flare-ups.

    The difference between pill users and non-users was small, and the findings do not prove a cause-and-effe...

    Birth Control Pill Won't Raise Depression Risk

    Women who struggle with mental health problems will sometimes forgo the most effective forms of birth control because of concerns about worsening those issues, but a new study delivers a reassuring finding: The pill and other forms of hormonal birth control do not raise depression risk.

    "This is a very common concern," explained senior study author Dr. Jessica Kiley, chief of general...

    Obamacare's Birth Control Coverage May Have Reduced Unplanned Pregnancies

    When Obamacare made contraception affordable, the rate of unplanned pregnancies among poor Americans declined, a new study reports.

    The Affordable Care Act's (ACA) elimination of out-of-pocket costs for birth control was tied to fewer births in all income groups, but especially among poorer women, the new research found. In fact, the lowest income group had a 22% decline in births after t...

    Most U.S. Women Under 50 Use Contraception: Report

    Most American women between 15 and 49 years of age use birth control, according to a new U.S. government report.

    Between 2017 and 2019, 65% of those women used some form of contraception, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    "This report provides this unique snapshot of all women of reproductive age at a point in time," said lead researche...

    Fewer Tiny Newborns in States With More Reproductive Rights: Study

    Greater reproductive rights for women -- such as access to sex education and birth control -- are associated with lower rates of low birth weight babies, a new study finds.

    Reproductive rights refer to a woman's right to plan motherhood. This includes use of birth control or abortion, access to reproductive health services and sex ed in the public schools.

    "Our study provi...

    Women's Reproductive Health Tied to Later Heart Disease

    Pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia and miscarriage, may be linked to an increased risk of heart disease later in life, a new study suggests.

    For the study, the researchers analyzed 32 reviews that assessed women of childbearing age and their subsequent risk of heart disease. The women in those papers were followed for an average of seven to 10 years.

    Several rep...

    Birth Control Pill Could Cut Women's Risk for Asthma

    Could birth control pills build a bulwark against asthma?

    New research suggests that hormonal contraceptives, which alter the natural ebb and flow of female hormones, may do just that.

    A study of more than half a million women in the United Kingdom found that those who used hormonal contraceptives -- be it pills or patches or shots -- had a significantly lower risk of develo...

    Antibiotics Might Lower Effectiveness of Birth Control Pill

    Doctors have long suspected it, but a comprehensive new study provides more evidence that antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills.

    That means women who are using both types of drugs at once should take extra precautions to avoid an unintended pregnancy, the study's British authors say.

    The study couldn't prove cause and effect. However, it "suggests t...

    Not a Myth -- Contraceptives Can Cause Weight Gain

    Genetics may explain why some women gain weight when using a popular method of birth control, researchers say.

    "For years, women have said that birth control causes them to gain weight but many doctors failed to take them seriously," said lead study author Dr. Aaron Lazorwitz. He's assistant professor of obstetrics/gynecology and family planning at the University of Colorado School of...

    Interventions Boost Abstinence, Condom Use Among Black Teens: Study

    Sexual health programs appear to help increase condom use and abstinence among black American teens, researchers say.

    They analyzed data from 29 studies that examined the effect of school- and community-based programs on nearly 12,000 teens.

    "We focused on black adolescents because they face greater health disparities when it comes to the risk of unplanned pregnancy and cont...

    How Does Your Choice of Birth Control Affect Sexual Desire?

    Many women use birth control pills or other hormone-based contraceptives to enjoy sex without fear of an unplanned pregnancy. But could they kill your mojo?

    There has been some concern that a woman's sex drive can drop after starting a new form of hormone-based birth control. Sex drive studies involving the pill, the patch and hormone-releasing intrauterine devices (IUDs) have been m...

    A Birth Control Pill You Take Just Once a Month?

    Scientists have developed a method that might eventually allow women to take birth control pills just once a month.

    In lab experiments, the researchers found that their tiny drug-delivery device -- contained within a gelatin-coated capsule -- worked as hoped: In pigs, it remained in the stomach, slowly releasing the birth control hormone levonorgestrel for up to one month.

    M...