Beyond women?
As we have discussed in this book, an analysis of birth control encourages us to privilege the experiences and voices of women. It also, however, suggests that we need to move beyond viewing birth control as something exclusively for women. Researchers...
How does birth control work?
Most people who can become pregnant and give birth menstruate and ovulate. Menstruation is more commonly known as a “period” and refers to monthly vaginal bleeding that is a normal part of the menstrual cycle for most women. In...
Almost 65% of U.S. women of reproductive age currently use a method of contraception, whether it’s “the pill,” patch, injection, vaginal ring, implant, intrauterine device (IUD), and/or condoms. Although research demonstrates that many women are dissatisfied with the pill, they remain uncertain about other...
Hormonal contraceptive options are among the most well-studied medicines available today. Decades of research and experience show that they are safe. For more than 50 years, millions of women have taken “the pill” safely. Although hormonal birth control is safe for almost all women,...
Birth control? Family planning? Contraception? What is the difference?
Talking about family planning, birth control, and contraception can be challenging.
Often confusing, the terminology also has changed over time. Some people even today find it difficult to use clear and direct language relating to...
What attitudes and beliefs affect access to birth control in the United States?
The vast majority of the American public believes birth control is a fundamental right that all people should have access to. This consensus has persisted for years: in 1937, 61%...
Birth control is a timely topic. As we finish this book in 2019, contraception and family planning dominate news headlines across the United States. Legal challenges to the 2010 Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate continue; the Trump administration has revised decades-old Title X funding...
