Dr. Sophia Yen, M.D., M.P.H., CEO and co-founder of Pandia Health, recently sat down with Ms. to discuss contraception access in an age of women’s health defined by the precarity of Roe v. Wade. Here are 10 pieces of crucial information Yen shared about pregnancy prevention, emergency contraception and periods.
Tag: Sexual and Reproductive Health
U.K. Makes Birth Control Pills Available Over-the-Counter; U.S. Advocates Fight to “Free the Pill”
The United Kingdom recently allowed over-the-counter sale of birth control pills for the first time since the medication’s approval in that country 60 years ago. Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) still requires Americans to go to their doctors to get a prescription and then go to a pharmacy to obtain birth control pills.
Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse Echo on for Generations
Child sexual abuse has deep and haunting effects, reverberating through family and generations.
That was the case in my family.
Texas Democrats: On Abortion Rights and Voting Rights, “I Don’t Want To Go Back”
It’s been a little over a week since Texas Democratic state legislators decamped to Washington, D.C., in protest over Gov. Greg Abbott’s uncompromising agenda during the state’s special legislative session. Republican attempts to pass extreme voter suppression legislation are taking up the bulk of media attention—understandably. But the fight isn’t just for voting rights: It’s also about reproductive rights, which are under severe attack in the Lone Star State.
Texas state Rep. Donna Howard is one of the Democrats that fled the state. As a registered nurse and current chair of the Texas Women’s Health Caucus, Howard spoke to Ms. late last week to discuss the flawed assumptions behind the Republican push to restrict abortion access in Texas and the real-life impact of these laws on everyday Texans.
Democrats Abroad Mobilize to Protect Abortion Rights as U.S. Falls Further Behind Most European Nations
The overseas voter mobilization group Democrats Abroad and NARAL Pro-Choice America are organizing to inform American Democrats living abroad about the alarming state of abortion rights in the U.S. and what they can do stop anti-abortion laws and increase abortion access for people living stateside.
Intersex People in the Past and Present: “Contemporary Advocacy in Historical Context”
Physicians still offer parents genital “repair” for intersex children with the misguided supposition that “fixing” their bodies will lead to happier lives—even though countless intersex adults have expressed the wish that medical authorities had not intervened.
“Plan B” Highlights the Struggle To Find Emergency Contraception—But Options Are Growing
“Plan B” depicts the struggle of two students to find emergency contraception, an all-too-familiar story—but groups like Emergency Contraception 4 Every Campus are working to change that. EC4EC focuses on supporting college students and activists to increase the accessibility of EC on their campuses.
Restrictive Laws Don’t Prevent Abortion
Wherever they live, whatever the laws of their countries, women will terminate unintended pregnancies, so access to a safe abortion must be included in essential health care.
With new restrictions on abortion headed to the Supreme Court, many are wondering what it will mean for women if Roe v. Wade is overturned. We looked to other countries for answers.
Feminist Sex Ed: What It Is, Why We Need It, and How It Can End the Orgasm Gap
In the United States, it often seems there are only two options when it comes to sex ed: abstinence-only or comprehensive. While comprehensive sex education is vastly better than abstinence-only, we need more—we need feminist sex ed.
Federal Court Affirms North Carolina 20-Week Abortion Ban Is Unconstitutional
Since 1973, North Carolina law has banned abortion after 20 weeks with an exception for medical emergencies. Last week, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision striking down the law.
“Abortion is a right, and throughout pregnancy, a person’s health and well-being—not political agendas or interference—should guide important medical decisions.”