by Catherine Meads With all the talk of love drugs and sex hormones influencing how people feel and behave, or even who they love or feel that they are (for example, in cross-sex hormone trans debates), we thought it would be worthwhile re-examining the evidence on differences of sex hormones in female sexual orientation. Our systematic […]
Category: screening
The ethics of State-sponsored and clinical promotion of long-acting reversible contraception
By Dr Jeffrey Wale & Professor Sam Rowlands, Bournemouth University @rowlands999 @bournemouthuni Global responses to the Covid-19 pandemic offer a good opportunity to re-examine the role of State actors (policymakers, regulatory bodies, clinical commissioning groups, service providers) and healthcare professionals in the promotion of health-related behaviours. Just how far should healthcare professionals go in promoting, […]
Understanding the new normal: your chance to submit evidence to the Inquiry into Access to Contraception
By Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP The ‘new normal’ is a phrase we’re hearing a lot at the moment. The Cross-Party Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health in the UK needs you to help shape a ‘new normal’ for access to contraception after the pandemic. We were formerly the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual and […]
Vaginal Examinations, Consent & COVID-19
By Anna Nelson (@Anna_Nelson95) As with all aspects of the NHS, a number of changes have been enacted in the operation of maternity services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While many of these changes are important and justifiable in order to protect the safety of pregnant people, maternity staff and newborns, it is […]
Norethisterone and its acetate – what’s so special about them?
Emilia Huvinen, Elina Holopainen, Oskari Heikinheimo @e_huvinen @OHeikinheimo Synthetic progestins are commonly used for a wide spectrum of conditions along a woman’s life. They are essential in the daily work of doctors treating women of all ages – both general practitioners and gynecologists. Indications stretch from contraception and postponing menstruation to treatment of heavy uterine […]
The COVID-19 lockdown and meeting women’s reproductive health needs online
By Emma Rezel-Potts, Melissa J Palmer, Caroline Free, Paula Baraitser The lockdown measures issued by the UK government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have transformed all aspects of healthcare delivery, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Remote and online solutions, that were already developing as alternative options to some traditional, face-to-face SRH services, have […]
Ensuring personalised care for pregnant women during COVID-19
During a period of lockdown where many of our basic freedoms have been limited, the autonomy and safety of pregnant women can easily be overlooked. In a blogpost last week, Anna Nelson and Chloe Romanis discussed concerns raised about the availability of home birthing during the COVID-19 lockdown. I spoke with Sarah Noble, Head of […]
Pregnancy Planning Apps May Be Inaccurate: Expert Responses
Many popular fertility and pregnancy planning apps may be inaccurate, suggest the results of a scoping review of the available evidence, published online in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health. Period tracking apps were downloaded at least 200 million times in 2016 alone. However, the review if 18 papers reported that many apps seem to have […]
Limits on gay men’s blood donations reduced in USA
The FDA (Food and Drug Authority) issues guidance on who can donate blood. During the crisis supply has dropped so there is a need to increase donor numbers. In response, the FDA has changed the rules for men who have sex with men. Previously FDA guidance demanded a 12 month deferral period between sex (for […]
Covid-19 and Abortion Update: Approval Order for England Made
This evening the Department of Health and Social Care issued an approval order enabling women in England to have early medical abortions at home during the Covid-19 crisis. The provisions affect women seeking abortions before 10 weeks, allowing them to take both pills for early medical abortion at home. The approval also allows doctors to […]