Family Planning

While they are quite effective at preventing unwanted pregnancies, oral contraceptives (birth control pills) have been known to cause a few different side effects. Skin rash or discoloration are...

You can be admitted to the hospital for various reasons, such as childbirth, surgeries and illnesses. Whatever the reason, you'll need to pack certain items in your hospital bag to make your stay...

If you think that you are having trouble getting pregnant, you should have a check-up with your doctor to make sure everything is in order. Before exploring other options, it's important to make...

White Marsh is a town in Baltimore County, Maryland. According to projections, population has been rising since 1970. The Maryland state government is sensitive to the needs of their growing...

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are placed inside the uterus and prevent pregnancy for a certain period of time (usually one to 10 years). All IUDs eventually have to be removed (and replaced, if...

An IUD, or intrauterine device, is placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy and can work for up to 10 years. Although the IUD is an effective birth control method, it is still possible to get...

If you've recently stopped taking birth control pills or are planning to, you may become pregnant right away. If you'd prefer to wait a bit before getting pregnant, you'll need to choose another...

Birth control pills, or oral contraceptives, are hormones taken daily to prevent pregnancy and regulate the menstrual cycle. Women may choose to discontinue the use of oral contraception when...

When couples and single individuals need help conceiving, they may turn to a sperm bank. Sperm banks accept donated sperm and store it for use as necessary, and the men are paid for their...

You may want to get away from the plastic devices and synthetic hormones of today's birth control and try something natural, based on ancient wisdom. Wild yam (dioscorea villosa) has been touted...

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 7.3 million women in the U.S. have used infertility services. Factors relating to male fertility comprise about 50% of all issues, so it is important...

After a woman has ovulated and the egg has been fertilized, the resulting cell is known as a zygote. The zygote begins immediately to divide at a fast pace and implants itself into the uterus. The...

There is no contraception that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy; however, there are multiple forms of birth control that greatly reduce chances of pregnancy. Only completely...

Peritoneal Ovum (or Oocyte) Sperm Transfer, often referred to as POST, is a fertility treatment method carried out by doctors in clinical settings. The method is used for women as an alternative...

Plan B is the brand name of emergency contraceptive pill that is produced and marketed by Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. It is available over-the-counter in the United States and can be purchased by...

When one is trying to conceive, the process of getting pregnant can become frustrating and emotional. There is no one hormone that is responsible for pregnancy, but several that release on a...

For women battling age-related infertility, the road to pregnancy can be a rough one. Due to limited ovarian reserve, patients going through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), a scientific process...

When coming off of birth control, your fertility may not be restored immediately. It can take some time for hormones to reestablish a healthy pattern. A woman's menstrual cycle is punctuated by...

When selecting a birth control option, post-pregnant women have additional factors to consider, especially if they are breast-feeding. As the most popular form of reversible birth control, the...

Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is one of the hormones necessary to maintain a pregnancy. It is produced by the cells of the corpus luteum; these cells form the basis of the placenta.

Birth control pills and depo provera shots contain hormones that suppress ovulation and prevent pregnancy. These hormones may linger in a woman's system for a while after stopping the drugs. Also,...

Couples who are looking to get pregnant often think that simply engaging often in sexual intercourse should do the trick. While this works for many, others need additional help getting pregnant....

For women who don't like or can't use hormonal birth control methods such as the pill, vaginal ring or patch, contraceptive gels are an alternative. Available over-the-counter without a...

In early history, couples have resorted to coincidence, luck, traditional practices and prayers for family planning. Many couples wanted fewer children or to put longer gaps between pregnancies,...

Egg donation is a process in which a woman decides to voluntarily donate her eggs to another woman who cannot become pregnant with her own eggs. The donated egg is fertilized through in vitro...

If you are looking for a birth control method, you have several options. However, not all hormonal birth control methods give the same types or levels of hormones. There are several differences...

Nonbarrier methods of birth control include methods that don't present a physical barrier when having sex. Male and female condoms, diaphragms and the cervical cap are all examples of barrier...

Metformin---also known by the brand names Glucophage, Fortamet, Glumetza and Riomet---is a prescription medication used to regulate type 2 diabetes. Doctors also prescribe metformin to stimulate...

The relationship between birth control pills and stroke has been studied for decades. Most women can use oral contraceptives safely, but certain conditions increase the risk of serious side...

Birth control has been used for centuries to prevent pregnancy. With different methods available, including birth control pills and condoms, the risks of unwanted pregnancies are continuing to...

Tubal ligation is elective surgery performed to sterilize a woman. The fallopian tubes are sealed so she cannot become pregnant. Reversal of this surgery is possible for some women who wish to...

Cystitis is irritation of the bladder, according to the Mayo Clinic. Sometimes the source of the irritation is a bacterial infection, called a urinary tract infection or UTI. Cystitis has many...

Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from the ovary. This is the only time a woman can get pregnant, as it is the only time an egg is able to be fertilized by male sperm.

Implanon is a type of hormonal contraceptive for women that protects against pregnancy for up to three years. It is a small implant that is inserted under the skin of the arm. Impanon carries...

The Billings Method of Ovulation is a method of natural family planning invented by the Catholic church to aid couples in better controlling the amount of children conceived. The Billings method...

When couples are having trouble conceiving, they often turn to fertility treatments like intrauterine insemination (IUI). Sperm washing, the removal of unhealthy sperm and debris from semen, is...

Natural family planning involves charting and studying the woman's fertility cycle and using this information to either avoid or achieve pregnancy. This is an effective form of birth control when...

The birds and the bees is a colloquial term referencing the talk between parents and children about human sexuality. It is also the title of a song made famous by Dean Martin.

Donating your eggs for transplant takes time and requires a very intensive background check. There are several steps you must take to be approved for donation, and you can be turned away due to...

Combining smoking with any method of birth control that uses the hormones estrogen and progesterone increases the risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke. This risk exists for younger women...

While there are many options for women who are suffering from infertility, male fertility options are considerably more limited. If a semen analysis has returned with a low sperm count, you may be...

Mini pills are a form of birth control that contain only progestin. It is commonly used by breastfeeding women, since taking a regular pill while nursing is not recommended.

Many parents want to find out the gender of their baby before it is born, so that they can prepare a room, buy clothes, choose a name, and do all the other things that need to be done before a...

Oral contraceptives are pills containing synthetic versions of estrogen and progesterone, which interfere with ovulation, thereby preventing pregnancy. Birth control advocates urged the...

As much as we would like to know exactly when to expect a new baby's birthday, it is not that easy. It can take up to three days for an egg to become fertilized and to take hold of the uterine...

An intrauterine device (IUD) offers long-term protection against pregnancy, but what happens if you decide that you want to conceive? The good news is that using an IUD should not impact your...

Foster homes take in children who are not blood relations and provide a safe place for the kids to grow up and be cared for. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry...

Excessive weight loss can have an effect on a couple's ability to conceive a child. Proper diet, weight and exercise play key roles in preparing for childbearing.

Oral contraceptives are made of two types of pills: actives, which contain pregnancy-preventing hormones, and inactives, or placebos, which contain inert ingredients. Both kinds of pills look...