Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2023
March 1, 2023
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Texas Abortion Ban Is a Warning About the Future
Abortion access was hit hard by the Texas six-week abortion ban bill and by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022. But abortion demand remained high, and women increasingly sought telehealth and out-of-state abortion care.
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FDA’s Decision to Allow Pharmacy Sales of Mifepristone Faces Challenges
The decision by the FDA to permit retail pharmacies to dispense medication abortion pills could remove barriers related to time, distance, and costs for patients in states with laws legalizing abortion care. One possible risk is a lawsuit filed by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, an anti-abortion group that claims the FDA did not approve mifepristone with sufficient scientific evidence.
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Telemedicine Abortion Services Benefit Rural Women
Telemedicine for medication abortion could greatly improve accessibility to rural women and expand abortion accessibility to an additional 3.5 million reproductive-aged women, according to recent research.
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OTC Birth Control Must Be Accessible to Disadvantaged Groups
In this Q&A, Contraceptive Technology Update asked Sarah E. Baum, MPH, a senior research scientist at Ibis Reproductive Health in Oakland, CA, about her new study on interest among Black, Indigenous, and people of color in an over-the-counter birth control pill.
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Telecontraception Apps Can Reduce Some Barriers to Reproductive Care
Telecontraception apps are well received by users and appear to eliminate some barriers to contraception care, according to the results of a new study. More action is needed to eliminate barriers to access.
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Hormonal Contraception Affects People with Adverse Childhood Experiences
Symptoms from hormonal contraceptives are common, but researchers found that people with adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are more likely to report decreased sexual desire because of using contraception.
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Family Planning Improved When Patients Obtained Preferred Contraceptives
The negative consequences of unintended pregnancies are well documented in the literature. Research also has shown it is possible to improve women’s lives through easier and more affordable contraception access. This leaves the question: Why are half of pregnancies in the United States unplanned and/or undesired?
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Older Adults Also at Risk of STIs, Suggesting Screening Needed
Clinicians and researchers pay less attention to the sexual health needs of older adult than other ages groups. Evidence suggests this population’s risk of sexually transmitted infections is climbing.
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Adolescents Benefit from Dual Protection Messaging
Young people need multiple and diverse messaging about dual method use of contraception, according to a recent study. As researchers spent a decade working on an over-the-counter hormonal contraceptive pill, they also worked to address all the different aspects of this reality — including messaging for youths
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Home-Based STI Kits Can Help with Anal Cancer Screening
Anal cancer incidence has increased in recent years, and there are no consensus screening guidelines. Researchers found the use of home-based anal self-sampling kits improved screening.