birth control

An article about choosing methods and trusting methods

Taking charge of our own healthcare can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t know how to navigate healthcare systems or work with providers. We’re demystifying some of that for you, providing a toolbox to help you make sound decisions and get the best care possible.

He doesn’t want to engage in sex with condoms (or, I assume, anything that would reduce your risks of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections). You don’t want to engage in sex without those things. So, your limit, a limit you need to make clear to him, is that you won’t engage in sex without…

Everyone is different when it comes to hormonal/menstrual cycles, and there certainly are people who experience more intense effects of physical and psychological changes throughout their cycle than others. Experiencing changes in your mood, how your body responds to different kinds of touch, and…

The good news is our hormones don’t control us. They can’t override what choices we actually want to make, including when we’re in our teens. I know, that might stand counter to a lot of what you hear about RAGING! TEENAGE! HORMONES! Super-powered chemicals that aspire to, if not world domination…

Whenever there are strong fears about possible consequences of any given action, it’s a good idea to ask whether everyone is ready for the act or behaviour that could lead to these consequences. Reading your question, I’m left with a lot more questions. Have you and your boyfriend ever met before…

Audrey’s question continued: So I’m looking into alternatives. I followed the links on this site about contraception but it looks like my only options are barriers or hormones and that seems like such a drag for me as I’m in a long-term relationship. Please help? WHEN will there be a male…

Bravo to you for considering safer sex practices as part of the sexual choices you and your girlfriend make in your relationship! Regardless of the history of the partners involved, thinking and talking about safety is really important. Unfortunately, I’ve seen a lot of people, including some…

If by “normal” intercourse you mean vaginal intercourse, and both of these kinds of sex were unprotected, then yes, this is an easy way to potentially develop a vaginal bacterial infection. That’s why it’s advised that for couple who want to engage in both kinds of intercourse, they use condoms…

It’s fine to start on day two. Really, it’s okay to start at any time in your cycle. It’s just that the pill will become fully effective more quickly if you start at certain times rather than others. If you start within the first six days of a period, your withdrawal bleed (the “period” that happens…