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The FDA has approved a new version of Plan B that prevents pregnancy with one pill rather than two. Women over 17 can buy Plan B One-Step over the counter, but females younger than 17 need a prescription. [Business Wire] More »
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A new study shows that the hormone replacement pills many women take post-menopause are linked to cancer. Dr. Marcia Stefanick, a Stanford University School of Medicine professor, says that with estrogen and progestin pills, "the overall picture is clearly one of harm," as these pills have been shown to increase the risk of cancer by 24%. USA Today suggests that women who need relief from post-menopausal symptoms should "ask their doctors about alternatives to hormone pills, such as patches or topical creams." If they must use hormone pills, they should use the lowest dose for the shortest amount of time. [USA Today] More »
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According to a recent study, taking birth control could increase your risk of heart disease, even after you've stopped taking it. Dr. Jennifer Mieres, a cardiologist at NYU med school says, "What's happening is that being on oral contraceptives for 10 years seems to accelerate or hasten that buildup of plaque in the vessels. I think its doing that because these women on oral contraceptives have higher than normal blood pressure or higher than optimal blood pressure." This is the first study that has shown that even after you stop taking birth control, you are still at risk for a greater arterial plaque buildup. The scientists behind the study are saying women shouldn't panic, but they should be aware of the risk. More »
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Check out how Pfizer is pushing Viagra in China. According to this print ad running in Beijing (that's more than reminiscent of that movie Armageddon), Viagra isn't about getting boners, but getting pregnant. Oh, and it's not that men weren't able to penetrate our vaginas without Viagra because of their flaccid penises, it was that they couldn't penetrate our rock-hard meteor eggs. (Click tag for full size image.) [Copyranter] More »
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A Portland, Maine middle school is thinking about making birth control pills available to its students without parental notification. Students must have permission to seek care at Portland's King Student Health Center, but according to state law, the specifics of their doctors' visits can remain confidential. The King center has provided condoms since it opened in 2000. [Portland Press Herald] More »
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Canadians are known to be more progressive than Americans on certain issues, particularly health care, but we didn't know they could be so hilarious about it. Share Your Oops is a Canadian site created by Barr Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of morning-after pill Plan B, on which women are encouraged give a nickname to the pill, like "The I Was Too Drunk To Think Pill," or "The I Forgot To Pull Out Pull." Women can vote for the ones they relate to most. The irreverent tone is totally up our alley. Some of the best picks after the jump. More »
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