Tag Archives: birth control

How Dietary Supplements Effect Birth Control Efficacy

It’s not a discussion often had or even pondered, but perhaps it’s one that needs to be. Did you know that there are dietary supplements that can actually interfere with the effectiveness of birth control? We think it’s certainly an issue most women should be aware of. Made available in this link is a list of the best and safest diet plans made with wholesome ingredients.

Dr. Josh Umbehr, MD, a practicing physician in Wichita, Kansas, says that what can cause the interference is if the supplement and the birth control pill are both being metabolized by the liver, because it increases the liver’s ability to break down estrogen, thus decreasing estrogen levels, and thus having the risk for decreased effectiveness. And because this theory goes both ways, some birth controls may interfere with the effectiveness of dietary supplements as well.

According to Dr. Umbehr, one example of a dietary supplement that may interefere with birth controls efficacy is Forskolin, because it increases the activation of liver enzymes, putting it in the category of posing a risk for decreased effectiveness. For a comprehensive list of the safest diet plans, click the link here. (more…)

Posted on May 7, 2023 by Dana

Foods Rich in Isoflavones Are Known as Natural Birth Control

If you are frequently forgetting to taking oral contraceptives at the same time every day, you are increasing the chances of becoming pregnant. If you don’t want to switch to another form of birth control are there any foods that might help or hurt your contraceptive chances?

I spoke with our resident expert on all things food-related, Mary Hartley, RD, and this is what she told me. “Foods that are high in isoflavones have been called ‘natural contraceptives.'”

Isoflavones are plant-based estrogen-like compounds that could, in theory, create hormonal imbalances that affect ovulation and interact with birth control. Genistein, the most potent isoflavone, is found in legumes, and so soy foods, peas, peanuts, chick peas, and fava beans have been thought to influence fertility. Wild yams (not to be confused with sweet potato yams) contain the isoflavone, diosgenin, but it has a very weak effect compared to the body’s own reproductive hormones. At this point, the potential health benefits and risks of the various isoflavones are under investigation, but there is no current data to suggest that normal intakes are likely to cause hormonal imbalances. (more…)

Posted on May 6, 2023 by Sarah

Know Your Birth Control Options after Weight Loss Surgery

With the risk of blood clots and other complications following weight loss surgery, women are having to find other options than a typical estrogen-based contraceptive to prevent pregnancy. Estrogen-based contraceptives, like Ortho-Tri-Cyclen, that contain ethinyl estradiol are more likely to cause blood clots and increase blood pressure. But don’t fret, there are a lot of options available.

Estrogen-free birth controls, or progestin-only birth controls, only contain one form of hormone but are still effective in preventing pregnancy. These are a good option for those who are overweight, have high blood pressure and are at risk for blood clots. Weight loss surgery patients probably have at least two of these three issues.

Oral contraceptives include Jolivette, also known as Ortho-Micronor, which is taken daily; the Depo-provera shot, which is administered in a doctor’s office every three months; and Mirena, the intrauterine device or IUD. One concern with progestin birth controls is the increase risk of weight gain. This is usually pretty minimal and can be controlled with proper nutrition and exercise. (more…)

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Sarah

CDC Reports Unmarried Couples Having More Children Than Ever

The CDC reports that unmarried women living with partners having more babies than ever.

Between 2003 and 2024, 27 percent of births were to unmarried couples. This increase is triple from 1985, researchers from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention found.

“It’s thought that in births outside of marriage, one parent isn’t present. But our data is showing that a large proportion do have two parents, even though [they’re] not formally married,” said report author Gladys Martinez to Healthday, a demographer in the CDC’s Division of Vital Statistics.

In addition, not only are many older women giving birth, but many also are having more then one child, Martinez said.

The report showed there is actually an increase in the number of older women having more than one child. Women who tend to delay childbirth have usually received a secondary education.

Nearly 60 percent of women who did not complete high school had their first child as a teenager, according to Healthday, compared with only 4 percent of women with a college degree.

The CDC’s data was from over 22,000 interviews done between 2006 and 2024 with men and women aged 15 to 44. The data was compared with similar data from 2002.

“It’s surprising that so many unmarried couples are having children,” Dr. Christine Mullin, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at the Center for Human Reproduction at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Manhasset, N.Y., told Healthday. She also noted women typically delay giving birth for education and career reasons.

The report also included:

Forty-three percent of women aged 15 to 44 had never had a baby.
Among men aged 15 to 44, 45 percent had fathered a child.
The average age at which women had their first child was 23; for men it was 25.
Almost 40 percent of women whose first birth occurred between the ages of 35 and 44 had at least two children; it was 26 percent in 1995.
Women between the ages of 40 and 44 had an average of 2.1 children.

Also Read:
Yoga for Babies
Pregnant Women Don’t Exercise Enough
Number of Children with Eating Disorders on the Rise

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Kristina

The Doctors Dish About Babies, Conception and Contraception

The Doctors are at it again. They are promising another episode loaded with revitalizing tips. Monday’s episode is titled, “Shrink A Dress Size, Increase Your Fertility & Get Sexier Skin!”

The doctors are asking viewers to give them an hour to transform them into a new person. The cast will be giving tips about how to go down a dress size and the latest ways to better your health and body.

Much of the episode will be devoted to babies, conception, and contraception. The doctors will discuss Beyonce and Jay-Z’s parenting style of their infant, Blue Ivy. Specifically, the cast will discuss if they think the new parents are too protective.

While the topic is on babies, the topic of a controversial training method meant to give babies super strength will be covered. Hear what the docs have to say about these “super babies.”

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Posted on April 8, 2024 by Lacy

Birth Control’s Benefits Reach Farther Than Just Preventing Pregnancy

President Obama recently asked all employers, other than houses of worship, to pay for free contraception for all their female employees. There was much opposition from religious institutions like hospitals that follow Roman Catholic beliefs and are pro-choice. I don’t want to get into a pro-choice/pro-life debate here. What I’d like these institutions to understand is that there are numerous uses for birth control other than preventing pregnancy.

Birth control can help to stabilize someone’s hormones that are out of whack. It can help make a woman more “regular” for those who have irregular or no periods due to stress, low body weight and excessive exercise. In some cases, birth control can treat endometriosis, a condition that causes severe cramps or pelvic pain. Most of these women take birth controls continuously to avoid having their periods, which has not been shown to negatively effect a woman’s health, or have a period four times a year when using contraceptions like Seasonale.

Birth control also helps to lighten heavy periods by reducing the amount of bleeding and length of time the period sticks around. Another added benefit is that women who have lighter or less frequent periods are less likely to experience anemia, or low red blood cell count. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the rest of the body.

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Posted on March 3, 2024 by Sarah

Menstrual Cycle Does not Slow Athletes Down. Period.

All women dread that certain time of the month. Many women feel like crawling into bed and not speaking to anyone for a week, let alone do any kind of physical activity. So how do female athletes play under the pain and suffering of their cycles and does it affect their performance at all?

A New York Times article discusses how or if the menstrual cycle affects the athleticism of female athletes. Because women have not been participating in athletic events for very long, the research on female athletics is still in its infancy.

A study researching female rowers in Europe found that they measured the same in strength, endurance, and overall fitness in every point of their cycles. Some of the women were on birth control, which affects the production of estrogen, and some were not. Some of the women were professional athletes and others were not. Each woman could perform the same whether she was ovulating, menstruating or somewhere in between.

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Posted on August 9, 2023 by Jamie

Your Rx for Success: Make Your Pharmacy Visit More Efficient

Stopping by the pharmacy is usually an inconvenient and time-wasting errand most people don’t look forward to. Long lines and lots of waiting, all surrounded by sick people trying not to get coughed on doesn’t make for a place you want to hang out at for long.

Unfortunately, the pharmacy gets a bad rap. As a pharmacist, I know it’s not just about sick people and picking up your pills. The pharmacy can be a great health resource for you and your family, if you know how to take advantage of it, and how to get in and get out quickly. Here are 10 ways you can make your trip to the pharmacy more efficient.

1. Use the pharmacy services that are available.

If you are sick, the best thing you can do is use the drive-thru or have someone else drop off and pick up your prescription. If you need a refill for a maintenance medication for cholesterol, blood pressure or even birth control, request a fill over the phone or online. Many pharmacies are doing automatic refill by filling prescriptions a few days before you are due for your next refill. This will keep your more compliant and you won’t have to worry about running out of medication. This will save you time and gas as it will hopefully be ready at the time you request.

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Posted on July 11, 2023 by Sarah

Study Finds Birth Control Does Not Cause Weight Gain

If you thought your birth control was to blame for recent weight gain, it may be time to reconsider. According to research conducted at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University, the commonly held belief that oral contraceptives cause weight gain appears to be more fiction than fact. And in those who are obese, the pill may actually cause weight loss.

Researchers studied a group of rhesus macaque monkeys, which were used in this study because their reproductive system is nearly identical to humans and their diet can be better controlled and measured, for eight months. At the start of the study, half of the monkeys were obese and half were at a normal weight. All of the animals received oral contraceptives while researchers tracked their weight, food intake, activity levels, body fat and lean muscle mass.

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Posted on January 27, 2024 by Jennipher

Fastest Rising Health Searches in 2024

“Based on the aggregation of billions of search queries people typed into Google this year, Zeitgeist captures the spirit of 2024,” announced Google last week.

At DietsInReview, we make it our business to keep our readers up-to-date with the latest diet, nutrition and health trends. Here’s our rundown on 2024 in health searches.

1. HGC Diet

HCG is a pregnancy hormone that recently has been incorporated into one of the hottest fad diets of the year. Our review of the dangerous and controversial diet has remained one of the most popular articles on our site for many months.

Related Article: HCG: Look Elsewhere for Weight Loss

2. Dr. Oz

Once a regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Oz has become a celebrity in his own right, with The Dr. Oz Show. He is also the author of many books, including YOU: On a Diet, YOU: Being Beautiful and You: The Smart Patient.

3. Aspergers

Asperger’s syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder that does not typically affect linguistic and cognitive abilities, but rather inhibits normal social interaction.

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Posted on December 16, 2023 by Health Buzz

Natural Family Planning: a Better Option for Obese Women?

There are several reasons why overweight and obese women may not want to take a hormonal birth-control. It may be for health reasons, like furthering the risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, or blood clots. Many decline to take birth control for religious reasons. Natural Family Planning, or NFP, has recently gained momentum, particularly among Catholics. NFP is the only form of birth control condoned by the Roman Catholic Church other than abstinence.

Further, the birth control pill is much less effective at preventing pregnancies in overweight and obese women. A study conducted in Washington state found that the risk of unwanted pregnancy among women taking the pill to be 60 percent higher among overweight women, and 70 percent higher among obese women. Other studies suggested that the same thing may also be true of hormone-based birth control, such as implants or the patch.

Religious reasons aside, some women who cannot take the pill for weight-related health reasons may consider turning to Natural Family Planning, also known as the rhythm method and fertility awareness. NFP includes knowledge of one’s menstrual cycle(calendar method), tracking one’s basal body temperature (BBT), and observing cervical mucus (Billings method). These are all indicators of when one is ovulating. However, the rhythm method is only about 75 to 87 percent effective (WebMD). That means there’s a one-in-four chance of pregnancy every time you have sex without another form of birth control.

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Posted on December 15, 2023 by Health Buzz

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