Contraceptive Technology Update – June 1, 2021
June 1, 2021
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Adolescents with HIV Experience High Rates of Unintended Pregnancies
Adolescents living with HIV in the United States are among the groups with the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy. The latest research shows these pregnancies are likely to be unintended. Researchers found 83.6% of pregnancies among HIV-infected adolescents were unintended. Among adult women with HIV in this study, 68.7% experienced unintended pregnancy.
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Cardiovascular Disease Risk Is Increasing Among Reproductive-Age Women
Cardiovascular disease among women of reproductive age has increased in recent years for a variety of reasons, and reproductive health providers should be aware of particular risk factors and issues involving this population. Clinicians should help this high-risk group prevent unplanned pregnancies, researchers noted.
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Positive Contraceptive Outcomes Seen in Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
A comprehensive intervention for preventing unintended pregnancies among teens led to greater use of long-acting reversible contraception, fewer incidences of unprotected sex, and a big reduction in unintended pregnancies, results of a new study revealed.
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Biden Administration Proposes New Title X Rule
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed a new Title X rule to ensure access to quality family planning services. The proposed changes would revise the Trump administration’s 2019 rules that Title X advocates say are harmful to women served by these public health services.
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FDA Makes Medication Abortion Available Via Telehealth
The FDA enabled reproductive health providers to prescribe mifepristone, the abortion medication, via telemedicine — at least through the duration of the pandemic. The FDA approved lifting the requirement of in-person dispensing of mifepristone, since the COVID-19 pandemic presents additional COVID-related risks to patients and healthcare personnel when patients visit a clinic solely to receive a prescription.
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Study: Abortions Do Not Lead to Mental Health Problems
The authors of a new paper noted the reasons why women decide to undergo an abortion include many mental health risk factors, such as poverty, lack of social supports, domestic violence, rape, incest, pre-existing mental illness, and lack of education. But post-abortion, women’s mental health status does not deteriorate, although stress levels might increase if they experience barriers in obtaining the abortion.
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Fewer Tests, Possible Increases in Sexually Transmitted Infections During Pandemic
Public health officials still do not know the full effect of the pandemic on the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted STI testing. It is unknown if people engaged in risky behavior during various regional and national shutdowns.
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Intervention Reduces Positive STI Tests and Increases Condom Use
A culturally tailored intervention for a particularly vulnerable group of Black women has reduced the odds of testing positive for a sexually transmitted infection and increased condom use in vaginal or anal intercourse, the authors of a recent study found.
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Study: STIs Can Affect State Medicaid Budgets
Screening and treatment of STIs can cost states tens of millions of dollars in Medicaid budgets, but public health activities to prevent STIs can help reduce these costs, according to a new study.