Written by Innes Tounkel, MD As concerns about climate change continue to grow, the importance of accessible contraception and reproductive health services has become increasingly evident. Climate change refers to long-term shifts in weather patterns and their deleterious consequences, including rising sea levels, melting glaciers, ecological disruptions, and the spread of vector-borne diseases.1,2 Extreme weather…
Written by Leila Jade Levi Leila Jade Levi is a Senior Counsel for Reproductive Rights and Health at the National Women’s Law Center. This article is for educational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship and shall not be construed as legal advice. Even before the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to…
Written by Meghna Nandi, MD Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA) is a commonly used, highly efficacious, progestin-only injectable contraceptive method. Many contraceptive users are drawn to DMPA for the privacy it affords and the convenience of its three-month (11-15 week) dosing schedule.1 Although DMPA has many advantages, there are concerns over the method’s impact on bone…
This Insight is an update to a previous Contraceptive Pearl article published in May 2021. After an abortion, patients may want to start or change contraception. Depending on a patient’s medical eligibility, the following contraceptive methods are safe and effective post-abortion: Estrogen/progestin pill, patch, ring Progestin-only pill, injection, implant, IUD Copper IUD Barrier methods Sterilization…
Written by Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, MD, MS and Kelly M. Treder, MD, MPH Since the Dobbs decision, as access to abortion services has become more challenging in many parts of the country, the possibility of contraceptive failure has become more distressing. Unintended pregnancy is relatively common, even among patients who use contraception.1 Because many patients…
Written by Rory Tito, MPH Early pregnancy loss (EPL), also known as miscarriage or spontaneous abortion, is the loss of a pregnancy in the first trimester (12 6/7 weeks) of pregnancy. EPL happens in 10% of clinically recognized pregnancies, and 1 in 4 people with the ability to get pregnant will experience EPL in their…
This patient fact sheet compares how emergency contraception pills/Copper IUD, ella, and Plan B work, common side effects, and how and where to purchase EC.
Birth control pills, emergency contraceptive pills, and abortion pills are three different types of medications that are used in reproductive health care. One main difference between them is that birth control pills and emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy, while abortion pills end a pregnancy. Learn more about how these medications are different from one another…
