Whats new in the area of womens reproductive health?
Many new hormonal birth control options are available to women today. Like the pill, these new forms prevent pregnancy by delivering estrogen and progestin to prevent ovulation. The recently approved Seasonale® pill delivers a lower dose of estrogen and progestin over 84 days than the pill’s delivery over 21 days, resulting in menstruation only four times a year. Pregnancy can also be prevented by the hormone patch placed on the skin weekly, by monthly intramuscular injection (Lunelle®), or by monthly insertion of a vaginal ring (NuvaRing®). Non-hormonal methods of birth control including intrauterine devices and barrier methods are still available. Infertility, a problem for many couples, affects men and women at approximately the same rate. The most common causes of female infertility are ovulation problems or blocked fallopian tubes. Couples younger than 35 years of age who have failed to conceive after a year of unprotected sex should consult their doctor, while couples over the ag
