Articles about You're 21-35

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…

As many as one in five couples in the United States are affected by infertility, which is generally defined as the failure to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex when the gestational parent is under age 35, and after six months for those age 35 and older. For most, the chance of getting…

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…

Note: this article has been updated by Reb Huggins, CNM since originally written by Jabke Buesseler, CNM (now retired) in September, 2010. Most people know that midwives have something to do with delivering babies, but after that things get much fuzzier for many people. When I meet new people and tell them I’m a midwife,…

It is very common for women to experience food cravings while they are pregnant. Food cravings range in intensity, frequency and type. They typically occur during the first trimester, are often less severe by the fourth month and can be sudden and sometimes unusual. Sweets, salty snacks and spicy foods are among the most common…