Welcome to Bedsider!

As Chair of Bedsider’s Medical Advisory Committee, I’m so pleased to welcome you to Bedsider Providers. For those who don't already know, Bedsider is a birth control support network operated by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Bedsider was designed specifically for 18-29-year-old women as a response to high rates of unplanned pregnancy.*

Bedsider.org aims to make birth control part of a healthy sex life. It presents information about every birth control method using simple language and visuals, as well as interviews with real people who are using each method. Bedsider features myth-busting animated “fact or fiction” videos, articles about birth control and sexual health, and a weekly Frisky Friday newsletter. The website also features a reward system to motivate users to view and share content and become experts in their own sexual health.

Bedsider goes beyond the website to reach its audience through various types of media and on-the-ground outreach. Local and college outreach efforts are expanding from the pilot phase this year and we look forward to seeing these efforts continue to grow

Why a separate website for providers?

Bedsider seeks to make it easier for young people to use birth control consistently and effectively, and I don’t think I need to tell you that health care providers play an invaluable role in achieving that goal. This site is a resource for doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, and anyone else who provides health care and sexual health information to young adults.

Since we know you’re busy and contraceptive counseling can be time consuming, our goal with Bedsider Providers is to help you help your patients find the best birth control for their body and lifestyle. This site was designed to give you the tools to do just that. The site is still a work in progress, but initial offerings include:

• A “for patients” section, which gives you a “tour” of Bedsider to familiarize you with the resources and services we offer through Bedsider.org so you can easily share them with your patients.
• A "for providers" section, where we tell you about Bedsider resources you can use in your practice. The "interactive tools" section will give you step-by-step instructions for setting up birth control and appointment reminders for your patients. The reminders can be customized to include information about your office or clinic. If you want to incorporate some of our birth control methods information or photography into your own website, we're happy to share. Learn how to get your hands on that stuff in the "shareable content" section of the site.
• A "features" section, where you can stay up to date on the latest news about Bedsider and topics related to young women’s sexual health. The features section includes “success stories” where you can learn how Bedsider has already been put to use in a variety of clinical settings. In the "provider to provider" section, articles written by your provider peers will keep you informed about the latest developments in birth control and healthcare for young women. Finally, "bedsider research" shares findings from the various studies – conducted both internally and externally – that have evaluated how Bedsider works for both young women and providers.
• An "order materials" section, where you can get all of the postcards, catalogs, DVDs, posters, and other Bedsider materials that you need for your clinic.

Bedsider Providers is meant to help you make birth control easier for your patients. So sign up, take it for a spin, let us know if you found it useful, and whether there are areas we can improve upon. You can contact us at providers@bedsider.org if you have feedback or questions!

Yours,

Eve Espey, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Dean, Associate Professor OB-GYN
University of New Mexico School of Medicine

*Wondering what those rates are? Seven in 10 pregnancies among unmarried women ages 18-29 are unplanned.