The XX Factor : birth control pills

Busted for Birth Control

Kerry Howley — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:41:00 GMT

A high school student gets caught popping a pill at the lunch table. Had she been taking an illegal drug, Fairfax County's "zero tolerance" policy would have called for a 5-day suspension. But she was taking birth control prescribed by her doctor and...(read more)

Are Shopping Sprees Related to Hormones?

Meghan O'Rourke — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:54:00 GMT

A new study conducted of 443 women in Britain found they were more likely to indulge in an "impulse buy" and to "overspend" during the days leading up to their period. As this BBC News story puts it, "Almost two-thirds of the 153 women studied who were...(read more)

More Places To Put the Pill

Kerry Howley — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:16:00 GMT

Emily , thanks for the link to that meta-analysis in cautious support of over-the-counter birth control. For what it's worth, I certainly didn't mean to imply that annual cancer screenings are a waste of time. I am arguing that doctor's visits made solely...(read more)

More on the Pill-Selling Over the Counter

Emily Bazelon — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:11:00 GMT

An answer from Slate medical columnist Amanda Schaffer to my question about why the Pill is a prescription drug. Amanda supports, with caveats, Kerry's argument that oral contraceptives should be sold over the counter: The downside risks of the pill (strokes,...(read more)

The Trouble With OTC Birth Control

Torie Bosch — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:37:00 GMT

I, too, applaud the move to make Plan B available over the counter for 17-year-olds, but, Kerry , I have to raise one problem that could accompany making hormonal birth control OTC: insurance. Many insurance plans don't cover OTC medication, unless it's...(read more)

Plan B for Teens

Kerry Howley — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:35:00 GMT

Back during the ridiculous brouhaha over access to the morning-after pill, regulators compromised by making the pill available without a prescription only to women of 18 years of age or older. A federal judge, noting that this restriction is arbitrary...(read more)

Contraception vs. Washing Machines? No Contest.

Bonnie Goldstein — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:18:00 GMT

Really, Abby ? The clothes washer? Hmmmpf. I can understand why the Vatican might eliminate my nominee from the running for, er, political reasons, but, as lovely as it was to toss the washboard in exchange for an automatic top-loading agitator, it's...(read more)