- Does body weight change the effectiveness of birth control?
Taking a patient-centered approach to talking about body weight and birth control effectiveness.
tags:shoptalk
Taking a patient-centered approach to talking about body weight and birth control effectiveness.
read the full article » - What is patient-centered contraceptive counseling?
What providers need to know about patient-centered contraceptive counseling and how to put it into practice.
What providers need to know about patient-centered contraceptive counseling and how to put into practice.
read the full article » - Trauma-informed care is respectful care
A practical guide for providers to provide trauma-informed physical examinations.
A practical guide for providers to provide trauma-informed physical examinations.
read the full article » - Managing IUD insertion pain
What providers need to know for counseling patients and managing their pain during IUD insertion.
What providers need to know for counseling patients and managing their pain during IUD insertion.
read the full article » - Screening for Intimate Partner Violence
What providers need to know about how to screen, what to look for, and what to do next.
What providers need to know about how to screen, what to look for, and what to do next.
read the full article » - Clinical minute: Effects of birth control on lactation
What providers need to know when counseling patients about their birth control options and achieving their lactation* goals
What providers need to know when counseling patients about their birth control options and achieving their lactation* goals
read the full article » - nPEP: A Provider’s Guide
A quick reference guide and resources for providers on prescribing and managing nonoccupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) for prevention of HIV.
A quick reference guide and resources for providers on prescribing and managing nonoccupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) for prevention of HIV.
read the full article » - PrEP: A Provider’s Guide
A quick reference guide and resources for providers on prescribing and managing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for prevention of HIV
A quick reference guide and resources for providers on prescribing and managing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for prevention of HIV
read the full article » - Helping Our Patients Achieve RWB
How can we as health care providers help all our patients achieve reproductive well-being?
How can we as health care providers help all our patients achieve reproductive well-being?
read the full article » - Birth control options for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases
We talked to experts and reviewed the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on birth control for people with rheumatic diseases like lupus.
We talked to experts and reviewed the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on birth control for people with rheumatic diseases like lupus.
read the full article » - Clinical minute: How long are IUDs and implants effective?
What providers need to know when talking to patients about evidence-based recommendations about IUD and implant duration of use and effectiveness.
What providers need to know when talking to patients about evidence-based recommendations about IUD and implant duration of use and effectiveness.
read the full article » - How to answer your patient’s most frequently asked questions about abortion
Honest answers—supported by facts and research—and patient resources too!
Honest answers—supported by facts and research—and patient resources too!
read the full article » - Clinical minute: Placing an IUD after unprotected sex
What providers need to know about placing a levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) after unprotected sex.
What providers need to know about placing a levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) after unprotected sex.
read the full article » - Meet Phexxi—a hormone-free, user-controlled prescription birth control gel
Used only when needed, Phexxi changes the vaginal pH in the presence of semen to prevent pregnancy.
Used only when needed, Phexxi changes the vaginal pH to prevent pregnancy.
read the full article » - Taking to patients about their sexual health
Asking about the 6th P—sexual pleasure, problems, and pride.
Asking about the 6th P—sexual pleasure, problems, and pride.
read the full article » - DMPA-SQ: A Provider’s Guide
A quick reference guide and resources for providers on prescribing and managing subcutaneous (SQ) administration of the birth control shot at home.
A quick reference guide and resources for providers on prescribing and managing subcutaneous (SQ) administration of the birth control shot at home.
read the full article » - Research roundup: November 2020 edition
Improved patient satisfaction with the implementation of One Key Question in primary care and OB/GYN care settings, increasing access to STI screening for adolescents and young adults, the need to improve contraceptive care for patients with a history of intimate partner violence, and more.
Improved patient satisfaction with the implementation of One Key Question in primary care and OB/GYN care settings, increasing access to STI screening for adolescents and young adults, the need to improve contraceptive care for patients with a history of intimate partner violence, and more.
read the full article » - Take the survey!
read the full article » - Happy Thanks, Birth Control Day!
Let’s keep the celebration going!
Here at Bedsider Providers, we are thankful for everything that birth control makes possible all year round, but this week we get to hear from all of you about why you are thankful for birth control.
read the full article » - Now Offering: One Key Question® Online!
Interested in becoming One Key Question certified? With online training, you can get certified from wherever you are.
Interested in becoming One Key Question certified? With online training, you can get certified from wherever you are.
read the full article » - How to answer FAQs about getting birth control online
Straightforward answers to the most common questions Bedsider users have about getting birth control online.
Straightforward answers to the most common questions Bedsider users have about getting birth control online.
read the full article » - Taking a transgender-inclusive sexual health history
What providers need to know about taking transgender-inclusive sexual health histories.
What providers need to know about taking transgender-inclusive sexual health histories.
read the full article » - Meet ANNOVERA—a vaginal contraceptive ring offering one year of birth control
Each ANNOVERA can be used for up to a year, no refrigeration needed.
Each ANNOVERA can be used for up to a year, no refrigeration needed.
read the full article » - Does body weight change how effective EC is?
What you need to know about the current research and how to talk to patients.
What you need to know about the current research and how to talk to patients.
read the full article » - Research roundup: December 2019 edition
The importance of patient-centered contraceptive counseling, expedited scheduling of interval tubal ligation as a way to improve access to sterilization, a study of barriers to IUD access for adolescent patients, and more.
The importance of patient-centered contraceptive counseling, expedited scheduling of interval tubal ligation as a way to improve access to sterilization, a study of barriers to IUD access for adolescent patients, and more.
read the full article » - No more fainting in your practice
How to prevent vasovagal syncope in your patients, your friends, your family, and yourself in one simple step.
read the full article » - Research roundup: November 2019 edition
The ACOG Committee Opinion’s support for over-the-counter hormonal contraception, efficacy of intracervical blocks for pain management during levonorgestrel IUD placement, studies on the mechanism of function of ulipristal acetate, and more.
The ACOG Committee Opinion’s support for over-the-counter hormonal contraception, efficacy of intracervical blocks for pain management during levonorgestrel IUD placement, studies on the mechanism of function of ulipristal acetate, and more.
read the full article » - Exciting News—LILETTA now approved for use up to 6 years!
The FDA has extended approval of LILETTA IUDs for up to 6 years of use, research shows they are safe and effective for up to 7 years.
read the full article » - Research roundup: October 2019 edition
The CDC’s yearly STD report, potential for a trivalent vaccine for genital herpes in the future, hormonal contraceptive use among women with opioid use disorder, improved patient bleeding patters with correct fundal placement of IUDs, and more.
The CDC’s yearly STD report, potential for a trivalent vaccine for genital herpes in the future, hormonal contraceptive use among women with opioid use disorder, improved patient bleeding patters with correct fundal placement of IUDs, and more.
read the full article » - Let’s Talk About Sex: Empowering families in sexual and reproductive health conversations
Talking with patients and their families about sexual and reproductive health conversations
read the full article » - U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable)
Talking to your patients with HIV about their transmission risk
People living with HIV often have questions about the risk of passing HIV to their negative partners. Recent research has shown HIV treatment with antiretriviral therapy (ART) antiretroviral therapy (ART) to maintain consistently undetectable levels of HIV are effectively unable to transmit HIV to their sexual partners, commonly referred to as U=U or “Undetectable = Untransmittable.
read the full article » - Why (and how) providers should get consent in the exam room
Using the principles of explicit consent to give patients better care
From the #metoo movement to reports of sexual assault being front and center on national television with the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, consent has been making the news headlines. Health care providers have an opportunity to provide a safe space to discuss enthusiastic consent in relationships and to model it in the exam room by obtaining explicit consent from our patients prior to performing intimate exams in the office. Consent is an important component of establishing a respectful and trusting relationship with your patient—one that improves satisfaction, adherence, and ultimately, outcomes.
read the full article » - Talking fertility awareness methods with your patients
You may have your doubts about FAM, but what if your patients want to use it?
In the last few years, one of the most ancient contraceptive methods has taken a modern turn. At last count, there are over 200 fertility awareness method (FAM) mobile applications (“apps”) for measuring, monitoring, and tracking women’s cycles. Before we dive into the apps, here’s an oh-so-brief overview of FAM.
read the full article » - Your patient has the answer
We can only listen when we create a space for the patient to speak. Listening can be augmented through open-ended questions. During a period of listening, consider opting for one open-ended question in lieu of a series of closed-ended questions.
read the full article » - What makes the Liletta IUD different from Mirena?
Here’s what you and your patients should know about these two (very similar) hormonal IUDs.
Many of you are likely already stocking and placing Liletta, the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (IUS, a.k.a. IUD) introduced in 2015. But you and your patients may still be trying to sort out how Liletta is different from—or very similar to—another IUD that’s been out there for years, the Mirena. Here are the details.
read the full article » - Starting birth control after using ‘ella’ for EC
Here’s what you need to know to help your patients balance risks and uncertainties related to starting hormonal birth control after ella.
In March 2015, the FDA changed the label for one brand of emergency contraception (EC)—ulipristal acetate (UPA), sold as ella. The new label warned against starting a hormonal birth control method within 5 days of taking UPA. Why the change, and what does this mean for your practice?
read the full article » - What does respect have to do with birth control counseling?
Being warm and listening to patients has a bigger impact than you might expect.
Having a good rapport with your patient is considered a pillar of high quality health care, especially when that care includes counseling around personal matters like sexual health. But what if I told you that our rapport—and the quality of the care we provide overall—actually affects our patients’ long-term birth control use?
read the full article » - Is LARC a silver bullet to end unplanned pregnancy?
Experts weigh in on how many women would use IUDs and implants in the absence of barriers.
What do experts think would really happen to national LARC use if all the barriers were removed? A team of researchers at University of California, San Francisco—including me—decided to ask.
read the full article » - Racism in family planning care
Here’s what we can all do to break the cycle.
Today in the United States we see a resurgence of the discussion around our country’s oldest problem: racism. Whether we’re talking about how communities of color are being over-policed and disproportionately imprisoned, or the continuation of economic inequality, it’s clear that institutional racism is an unyielding problem in our society. It is also our shame as a nation, and this shame prevents us from tackling the problem head on.
read the full article » - Can premedication make IUD insertion less painful?
Contrary to popular belief, ibuprofen does NOT work.
From a clinician’s perspective, inserting an IUD is a relatively quick procedure. However, during that short time, some patients may experience serious pain... Is there something we can recommend that actually works to make insertion more comfortable?
read the full article » - Reproductive counseling in the age of Zika virus
Sex, contraception, pregnancy, fear… Here’s what health care providers can do for their patients.
With news of Zika virus making headlines on a daily basis, health care providers face growing questions from patients who understandably fear Zika’s potential impact on their current or future pregnancies.
read the full article » - Nobody’s perfect: Pill efficacy for the real world
Our patients shouldn’t have to be perfect to protect themselves from accidental pregnancy.
It’s no secret that many women’s health care providers use IUDs, likely because they have the highest efficacy and continuation rates. But the most common method of birth control among our patients remains the pill. The pill is advertised as having 99% efficacy, but in real life we know that about it’s closer to 90%. That means about one in 10 women will have an unplanned pregnancy while using this method. How can the advertised number and real life numbers so different? And what can we do to help our patients narrow the gap between these numbers?
read the full article » - Excellent care for LGBTQ patients
Here's how to be part of the solution when it comes to the health disparities LGBTQ people face.
We’ve known for a long time that LGBTQ people have health disparities compared to heterosexual and cis-gendered people. So what can you as a provider do to reduce these disparities?
read the full article » - What does evidence say about combined vs. progestin-only pills?
COCs or POPs? Here are some things to consider when helping a patient pick a pill.
By discussing the side effects and benefits of different kinds of pills with your patient, you can help her choose one that fits her life.
read the full article » - Changing the conversation about contraception
The most useful tool for providing contraceptive care may be to ask the right questions.
Talking to women about their pregnancy intentions is an important part of responding to their requests for contraception.
read the full article » - Extended use of the implant and LNG-IUS
New evidence shows these long-acting methods keep working for at least a year after their expiration.
Although the implant is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for only 3 years, there is new evidence suggesting that it’s safe and effective to use for at least 4 years. The same is true for the 52mg levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG-IUD)—it’s FDA-approved to last up to 5 years but safe and effective to use for at least 6.
read the full article » - Who is at increased risk of IUD expulsion?
New research holds some surprises about who’s at highest risk of expelling an IUD.
An expulsion is when an intrauterine device (IUD) comes out of the uterus on its own and it happens for about 1 in 20 IUD users. Expulsion leaves the patient vulnerable to unintended pregnancy.
read the full article » - Birth Control Without Barriers
Providers play an important role in empowering women to choose the contraceptive best for them.
Providers play an important role in empowering women to choose the contraceptive best for them.
read the full article » - What do YOU use for birth control?
Pros, cons, and alternatives when it comes to telling your patients about your own birth control method.
Self-disclosure by providers is a controversial topic in all areas of medicine. In the field of reproductive health, in which it’s common to discuss the most intimate of topics with our patients, self-disclosure is an especially important consideration. Studies by Evans and by Zapata suggest that, when appropriate, provider self-disclosure about contraception can be done without negative consequences. But how can we be certain that a situation is appropriate? And in circumstances when a clinician isn’t using birth control (e.g., she is trying to conceive; she is infertile; or, like me, she has a female partner), how should she handle the situation?
read the full article » - Misinformed: What do pharmacy staff say about emergency contraception?
Do you know what info your patients are getting about EC?
Many patients head straight to the pharmacy when they need EC. It’s convenient and may be more affordable for them, depending on their health care coverage. So what do we know about women’s ability to access EC at pharmacies?
read the full article » - Sex, Gender, and Orientation 101
But when it comes to human sexuality, words are important.
For folks who have never questioned their sex, gender, orientation, or preferred pronoun, it may be a challenge to keep up with patients who have spent years thinking about these questions themselves. But when it comes to human sexuality, words are an important tool that we as providers can use to better understand our patients.
read the full article » - Deciding on emergency contraception
How do we help our patients make the best decision they can for their emergency contraception?
How do we help our patients make the best decision they can for their emergency contraception (EC)?
read the full article » - Contraception as empowerment
Put the power in her hands by changing the birth control conversation from reactive to proactive.
Using contraception should not be reactionary. It should have nothing to do with this guy or even this relationship. I hope that my patients do not get pregnant until they are ready. Instead of the default position being I will get pregnant unless I do something to prevent it, I want my patients to be able to say "I won't get pregnant until I am ready to get pregnant." This is the power of contraception used consistently and correctly.
read the full article » - LARC Supplement from the Journal of Adolescent Health
Read ten expert reviews about LARC use and young people.
tags:shoptalk
Adolescents and young adults deserve guidance from clinicians about contraception, and clinicians deserve the latest information about how to best serve this population. I tell my adolescent and young adult patients that one very important category of options, long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), provides THE most effective birth control in a manner that is “forgettable” and easy. I had the pleasure of editing a supplement to the Journal of Adolescent Health that provides reviews from experts on LARC contraception (LARC supplement). The following reviews are available free online.
read the full article »
