Birth Control Archive

During pregnancy it’s completely normal to experience a certain amount of anxiety about the baby, giving birth, and becoming a new parent. But for some women this worry takes over their thoughts and becomes debilitating. There are treatments available that may or may not involve medication, depending on the individual situation.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common cause of infertility in women. In many cases, women with PCOS have skin and hair issues such as acne, hair loss, or excessive hair growth in places where they normally do not have hair. Treatment options vary depending on the symptoms and each woman’s preferences.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common cause of infertility in women. In many cases, women with PCOS have skin and hair issues such as acne, hair loss, or excessive hair growth in places where they normally do not have hair. Treatment options vary depending on the symptoms and each woman’s preferences.

Research we're watching

Women who use marijuana may have more difficulty getting pregnant than women who don't, according to a study published online Jan. 11, 2021, by the journal Human Reproduction.

The study looked at 1,200 women who were trying to conceive after experiencing either one or two miscarriages. The researchers followed the women for six monthly cycles and tracked those who became pregnant for the duration of their pregnancy. Those who reported using marijuana or hashish in the past 12 months or whose urine samples showed evidence of cannabis were 40% less likely to get pregnant during each monthly cycle than those who didn't use cannabis. Only 42% of the cannabis users became pregnant during the study period, compared with 66% of non-users. There did not, however, appear to be any difference in miscarriage rate between users and non-users. The study authors said that further research is needed to confirm the results.

Doctors typically recommend that women who have high blood pressure avoid using birth control that contains estrogen to avoid raising risks for a stroke or heart attack. According to a clinical update, this recommendation may be changing for some women with high blood pressure.

Research we're watching

If a woman has gestational diabetes during her pregnancy, she has a higher risk of developing diabetes later. But a study published February 10 in Diabetes Care found that breastfeeding may help reduce that risk.

The study, which used data from the Nurses' Health Study II, found that the longer a woman nursed her infant, the lower her risk of developing diabetes later in life. The study included more than 4,000 women who had gestational diabetes. Of those women, more than 800 developed diabetes within the next 25 years. Those who breastfed for six to 12 months were 9% less likely to develop diabetes, compared with women who didn't breastfeed at all. Women who breastfed for one to two years had a 15% lower risk of developing diabetes, compared with women who didn't breastfeed. And diabetes risk was 27% lower in women who breastfed for more than two years. This provides another reason that doctors may want to encourage women with gestational diabetes to breastfeed whenever possible.