Articles about You're 13-20

There are more choices for contraception now than ever before. And every option has different benefits, risks and levels of effectiveness. There are options for non-hormonal birth control, long-acting reversible birth control like IUDs and permanent birth control, too. Plus, plenty of birth control myths. Hormonal birth control methods prevent pregnancy by releasing hormones into…

Every flu season, people question whether getting the flu vaccine is truly necessary, or even safe. It’s common to think the vaccine causes side effects or the flu itself (it doesn’t!). Or assume repeated vaccination doesn’t do all that much. Some lucky few may think they’ve never had the flu before, so the vaccine isn’t…

Is it safe to use birth control to stop periods? One of the most common questions we hear from patients is whether or not it is safe to not have periods. Most people are so accustomed to having their menstrual cycle that the idea of not having a monthly period feels strange and unnatural. However,…

“Oh, I would NEVER drive a Honda. My friend’s sister drove a Honda, and the brakes didn’t work well, and she rear-ended a car on the freeway.” “I would NEVER drink coffee. My mom drank coffee, and she had a reaction and got really wired and couldn’t sleep.” These may sound like ridiculous generalizations, but…

There are few topics as taboo as sex. By extension, infections passed through sex (and yes, other non-sexual acts) often carry stigma. It’s even deeply embedded in the verbiage we use. I often hear patients say they are “clean” after negative sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing. This suggests having an STI makes you “dirty.” I…

Since the HPV vaccine hit the market in 2006, I’ve noticed a lot of young women are hesitant to get it. The common questions I hear are: “What is HPV?” “What is my actual risk of getting cervical cancer?” and “Is the vaccine safe?” I also counsel mothers who are debating whether to give the…

So far we have discussed hormonal options for birth control, which release estrogen and/or progestin to prevent pregnancy and non-hormonal methods, which physically or chemically prevent sperm from reaching a woman’s egg. Today’s topic is a category that has gained in popularity over recent years: long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). Long-acting reversible methods of birth control are available…

Last week we discussed hormonal options for birth control, which release estrogen and/or progestin to prevent pregnancy. Non-hormonal methods physically or chemically prevent sperm from reaching a woman’s egg. Some of these methods also protect against sexually transmitted infections. Male and Female Condoms Condoms are a portable method of birth control that exist for both men…