Contraceptive Technology Update – July 1, 2014
July 1, 2014
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The menopausal transition: Counsel on changes in bleeding patterns
Results of a national study indicate it is not uncommon for women to have prolonged bleeding of 10 or more days, spotting for six or more days, and/or heavy bleeding for three or more days during the transition to menopause. -
HPV test approved as first-line screening
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has for the first time approved a human papillomavirus (HPV) test that can be used alone instead of the Pap test to screen for cervical cancer. -
Contraceptive injection offers effective option
Injectable contraception in the form of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) provides birth control for women who desire convenience, but are unable to use or do not want to commit to a long-acting reversible contraceptive. -
Teen births decline, but more work left to be done
While progress has been made in reducing teen pregnancy rates, many adolescents still are having babies, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While births to younger teens ages 15-17 have declined, they still represent over one-quarter of births to teens ages 15-19, which is nearly 1,700 births a week. -
Use retest reminders on chlamydia and gonorrhea
Bedsider (www.bedsider.org), an online birth control support network operated by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, has collaborated with the California Department of Public Health STD Control Branch and the California Family Health Council to expand the InTOUCH reminder system that was successfully piloted in California to a national scale. -
Marketplace plans hazy on abortion coverage
Insurance coverage of abortion was one of the final sticking points during enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and it has continued to be a rallying cry for ACA opponents in the years since. -
Antiretroviral treatment guidance updated: Revise your practice now
For clinicians who are involved in care of HIV-infected patients, the newly revised Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents In HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents contains key treatment updates, as well as a new section on costs, including discussion of cost-sharing, prior authorizations, and use of generic drugs. -
Get up to speed on genital herpes
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has just issued updated resources for genital herpes clinical training. At least one in six adolescents and adults in the United States are infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), with an estimated 776,000 new cases occurring each year.