birth control

Nov 14

IUDs: The Other Side of the Speculum

I’m a single, white, sexually-active young woman with no significant medical history and I want an intrauterine device (IUD).  Yet after four months of trying to get an IUD, I still have an empty uterus.  At the end of my last visit to the doctor, I turned to my friend exasperated and exclaimed, “Why does…

May 16

Who Reads the Contraceptive Pearls?

Every month, the Reproductive Health Access Project writes and sends the Contraceptive Pearls,  an evidence-based e-publication containing clinically up-to-date contraceptive information, to thousands of clinicians across the country. These monthly emails cover a wide range of clinical topics such as Non-Prescription Birth Control Methods, IUDs for Teens, and Fertility Following IUD Use.  (Access the full…

Mar 02

Medicaid, Pharmacies and Unintended Pregnancy

This week I saw my third patient with an unintended pregnancy as a result of New York State’s new Medicaid formularies.  New York State recently gave over its widespread coverage of medications for Medicaid recipients to the managed care Medicaid plans, allowing their more restrictive formularies to decide which medications are covered, which aren’t, and…