If you're a teen or an adult woman whose skin has just started to break out in acne, you probably feel pretty discouraged. However, acne represents an extremely common problem in women, affecting most teenagers and up to half of all adult women at...
If you want to know what to do to become pregnant, you should understand how your body works. Pregnancy requires a series of events to occur just right. Your body releases an egg, which is fertilized by sperm--the fertilized egg must attach to...
The National Institute of Child Health and Development estimates that 500,000 American men have a vasectomy each year. Vasectomy is a birth control method that prevents the sperm developed in the testicles from exiting the urethra. To block the...
Choosing to stop using birth control methods to get pregnant is something a woman should discuss with her doctor. This will ensure that she and her baby will be healthy. If you are trying to conceive, you will have better success getting pregnant...
Birth control pills can be obtained easily without insurance, but the cost may be high. Having health insurance can reduce the cost of the cervical exam that is performed once per year before a prescription for birth control is provided. Health...
Changing from one oral contraceptives to another is not uncommon. Some women find they gain weight with one pill and hope to reduce this risk by changing brands or formulations and others with bleeding between periods or heavy menstrual periods...
The time it takes to become pregnant after discontinuing birth control pills varies. According to "Taking Charge of Your Fertility," women may begin trying to conceive immediately after birth control is stopped, but to become pregnant your...
If you'd like to see a baby in your future, you can increase your chances of becoming pregnant. Most women who calculate their ovulation date do so to get pregnant. An overwhelming majority (85%) of couples are able to conceive within one year of...
Women can experience a variety of symptoms in the years leading up to menopause and while they are going through menopause. As your hormone levels fluctuate, you may experience physical symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness and emotional...
If you use hormonal methods of contraception, you should learn how to recognize the signs of birth control related heart disease. Oral contraceptives and other hormonal birth control methods are popular because of their convenience, but they do...
Spotting before a menstrual period can confuse any woman, but particularly those with menstrual cycles that are typically precise and regular. Although most spotting is not cause for alarm, there are some situations where it may indicate a serious...
Birth control comes in several different forms, including hormonal, sterilization and barrier methods. Some people also choose abstinence to prevent a pregnancy. Birth control allows a woman and a man the option to control when they decide they...
Oral contraceptives, also called birth control pills, provide an effective method of preventing unwanted pregnancy. Fewer than 1 in 100 women will get pregnant each year if taking a birth control pill daily as directed, Planned Parenthood reports....
Irregular menstrual bleeding occurs when the time in between periods is longer or shorter than usual, when bleeding occurs that is not a part of the regular cycle or when there is an absence of periods. While the causes of irregular menstrual...
Mirena is the commercial name for the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system of birth control. Mirena is a device implanted in your body that releases small amounts of the progestogen levonorgestrel directly to your uterus. This system...
Overview Infertility affects 10 to 15 percent of American couples who are trying to conceive a child. Reasons for infertility vary, and men and women can have physical problems that lead to reproductive difficulties. After a thorough physical...
Family planning allows women to make informed choices regarding when and if they decide to have children. Ultimately, it's your choice to figure out which method, if any, you'd like to use to control reproduction. Knowing both the advantages and...
Other than PMS, irregular periods are one of the most common complaints about menstrual cycles. Although they are not necessarily a cause for worry, they can sometimes be a symptom of other health problems. While doctors will often recommend birth...
The Norplant System is not considered appropriate for teens, but you should know about it. (This product was taken off the market in July 2002.) What is it? The Norplant System is a reversible, 5-year, low-dose, progestin-only contraceptive....
Infertility is the inability to become pregnant after one year of trying to conceive without the use of birth control, according to FamilyDoctor.org. The site adds that approximately 15 percent of couples experience this problem, with almost...
Lunelle is a monthly birth control shot that is 99 percent effective when given as prescribed. The monthly shot eliminates the hassle (for some people) of remembering a pill every day and is equally effective. Lunelle is given as an injection...
Depo-Provera (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate) is an injectable prescription hormone used to prevent pregnancy in women. This medication mimics the action of the naturally-occurring hormone progesterone and acts by preventing the release of eggs...
The Depo-Provera injection can be an effective way to prevent pregnancy, but some women may experience side effects. Luckily, most of these side effects may be temporary and only last until the body gets used to the new hormone levels created by...
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that over 80 percent of women in the United States have used a form of hormonal birth control, such as pills, intrauterine devices (IUDs), patches, vaginal rings, implants and...
From hormonal methods such as the pill to barrier methods such as condoms and diaphragms, there is a form of contraception that's right for almost every couple. Discuss birth control with your partner before becoming sexually active.
Overview Contraception is a very important key to sexual health and well-being. Did you know that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 25 percent of women who have intercourse without a form of birth control will...
The contraceptive injection, otherwise known as the Depo Provera shot, is a method of birth control that lasts for up to three months. Depo Provera is currently the only injectable contraceptive available on the market in the United States, and it...
If you can't or don't want to use hormonal birth control methods such as the birth control pill, you can still reduce your risk of becoming pregnant before you're ready by using the calendar method for preventing pregnancy. If you and your partner...
