Contraception articles of 2022

Dextromethorphan ineffective adjuvant option for medication abortion pain management

Results from a randomized controlled trial study suggest dextromethorphan may even worsen patient pain experience.

Preventing unintended pregnancies with an OTC progestin-only pill

An over-the-counter (OTC) progestin only pill (POP) could potentially reduce the overall number of unintended pregnancies in the United States, according to a modeling study published in the journal Contraception.

Health decision-making ability and modern contraceptive use

The major conclusion of a demographic and health survey of sexually active women from the sub-Saharan African country Chad is that education is key for adopting modern contraceptive methods.

Consensus statement on Rh pregnancy testing

Rhesus (Rh) immunoglobulin should be given only after 12 weeks gestation for spontaneous abortion, or for medication or uterine aspiration abortion, according to a new consensus statement from the Society of Family Planning (SFP).

Abortion-care disruptions exert disproportionate impact

Service disruptions at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic altered and exacerbated geographic disparities in access to abortion care in Louisiana, according to a study published in Contraception.

Title X clinics offer same quality of contraceptive counseling as private health care

Federal health programs that provide services to economic and racial minorities may have a reputation for providing less empathetic or patient-centered care than private health care institutions, but a new study shows that—at least in contraceptive counseling¬—that’s not the case.

Abortion restrictions during COVID-19 pandemic

A study in the journal Contraception found that, within the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, abortion clinics in states with low or medium hostility to abortion were significantly more likely to embrace innovative medication abortion practices such as changing ultrasound requirements, offering telehealth or dispensing medications without a physical exam, compared to abortion clinics in states with high or extreme hostility to abortion.

IUDs and bleeding changes

The fact that copper-containing intrauterine devices (Cu-IUDs) can increase bleeding and discontinuation rates compared to levonorgestrel-releasing IUDs (LNG-IUDs) does not mean clinicians should steer patients toward the latter, according to a review published in BMC Women’s Health. Due to high satisfaction rates with both devices, authors recommend letting patients choose based on their needs and preferences.

2019 Canadian national survey on abortion shows increase in available providers and services

The survey highlighted increased services through primary care and in rural areas, and also emphasized a need for more providers to ensure equitable access.

Levonorgestrel emergency contraception for obese women

Women with higher body mass indexes (BMI) and weights are significantly more likely to experience failure with levonorgestrel as emergency contraception than women with lower BMIs and weights.

Rural pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception

Community perspectives on pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception in rural California reveal that awareness among potential users is low, despite people being supportive and interested in the service.

Considerations for perimenopausal contraception

Lois McGuire, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC, NCMP, shared her expertise in perimenopausal contraception during the Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) 25th Annual Premier Women’s Health Conference, held in Houston, Texas from September 28 to October 2, 2022.

Virtual IUD placement training improves clinician confidence

Practicing clinicians were highly impressed with an interactive, virtual intrauterine device (IUD) training model that increased their comfort with IUD placement and removal, according to a study published in the journal Family Medicine.

Measuring the unmet need of sexual and reproductive health

A systematic review on measuring unmet need in sexual and reproductive health has concluded that the emphasis is on contraception for women in low-income countries, while unmet need for sexual health in general, especially among men, and unmet reproductive health need in high-income settings lack much evidence.

Study: COVID-19 reduced contraceptive access

In a recent study, it was found that access to contraceptive services declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Updates on emergency contraception

Nearly half (45%) of all pregnancies in the United States from 2015 to 2019 were unintended.

Improving contraceptive care for marginalized populations

Consider the needs of marginalized patients to promote equity

FDA expands approval of Mirena for up to 8 years

After a recent FDA approval, Mirena can be used to prevent pregnancy for up to 8 years.

Finding the best fit

Best practices on discussing birth control for adolescents.