Contraceptive Pearl: Non-Prescription Birth Control Methods

Cost is one of the biggest barriers to effective contraception. About 18% of American women are uninsured, and many more are under-insured. This Contraceptive Pearl explores low-cost, non-hormonal methods of contraception.

Contraceptive Pearl: Do You Quick Start?

When a patient wants to start hormonal contraception, many clinicians use the Sunday start method – but Sunday start isn’t the only way. Quickstart means initiating contraception on the day of an office visit, at any point in the patient’s menstrual cycle. Learn about Quickstart in this Contraceptive Pearl.

Contraceptive Pearl: Do You Under Use IUDs?

In most developed countries, 10-25% of women of reproductive age use intrauterine devices (IUDs) – yet in the United States, only 2% of reproductive-age women use IUDs. This Contraceptive Pearl explores the benefits of IUDs.

Expanding Access to the Self-Administered Contraceptive Injection

Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), often referred to by the brand name, Depo Provera, or “the depo shot,” is birth control that is administered as an injection every three months to prevent pregnancy. The most common form is an intramuscular injection, which usually involves going to a health care provider — like a doctor, nurse, or…

Hormonal Contraception, Breast Cancer, and Communicating Risk to Patients

This Contraceptive Pearl clarifies how to communicate risk to address questions regarding cancer risk for users of hormonal contraception.

Insights: RHAP Clinical Update: Management of Pregnancy of Unknown Location

Written by Tulsi Patel, MD There is a consensus among the Society of Family Planning (SFP), National Abortion Federation (NAF), and Planned Parenthood that immediate treatment of pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) decreases the time to diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy and allows for earlier pregnancy resolution.1-2 Immediate treatment (or active management) refers to pursuing medication…

Insights: Anemia Considerations in Procedural and Medication Abortion Care

Written by Jessica Mitter Pardo, DO, M.Sc. Anemia is a common condition among people seeking abortion care and can influence clinical decision-making, monitoring, and management strategies. While neither procedural nor medication abortion has an absolute contraindication based solely on anemia, understanding how hemoglobin levels intersect with bleeding risk and recovery is essential for high-quality care…

Insights: Post-Abortion Follow-Up: What Is Essential vs Optional

Written by Carolina I. Burgos-Pagan, MD Post-abortion follow-up care is an important component of high-quality abortion services; however, routine in-person follow-up is not medically required for most patients after uncomplicated medication or procedural abortion. Guidance from ACOG, AAFP, WHO, the National Abortion Federation (NAF), and the Society of Family Planning (SFP) emphasizes that follow-up should…

Insights: Acetaminophen and Autism Risk in Pregnancy

Written by Alissa Akselrod PharmD Candidate 2025 and Regina Ginzburg Pharm.D., CDCES, BC-ADM In September 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about the potential link between the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and the development of autism.1 However, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of…

Insights: Pain Control for Uterine Aspiration

Written by Julia Ellis-Kahana, MD and Mollie Nisen, MD Effective management of pain during uterine aspiration is critical for patient autonomy, satisfaction and safety.1 A patient’s experience of pain is influenced by a combination of distinct physical, emotional, and social factors. Therefore, a multimodal approach, guided by shared-decision making, and incorporating both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic…