Almost 20 years ago the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Viagra, or the “little blue pill that could,” as CNN called it. Men suffering from erectile dysfunction could take it to treat impotence, and in the years that followed, their choices swelled to include Levitra, Stendra, and several other performance-enhancing drugs. So how is it that pharmaceutical companies have only managed to put forth a single drug for female sexual dysfunction?
Author: ASRM News and Research
Unintended Pregnancy Rate in U.S. is High, But Falling
The high rate of unintended pregnancies in the United States could be on the decline for the first time in decades, according to a new study.
WHI Results Often Misinterpreted
Systemic hormone therapy reduces vasomotor symptoms for menopausal women, but its use among all U.S. women has decreased by as much as 80%. Instead, women have been seeking out other less regulated treatments for their symptoms, such as compounded hormone products.
The Genetic Technology Revolution- Editorial
One of the most exciting and promising developments in the history of medical science may bypass the U.S. if Congress fails to act. It needs to lift the ban on federal spending on research involving human embryos.
Supreme Court’s Female Justices Lead Attack on Texas Law that Would Shut Abortion Clinics
The three female Supreme Court justices led an attack Wednesday on a Texas law that would shut down about three-fourths of the state’s abortion clinics, clashing with their conservative colleagues over what could be the court’s most important abortion case in decades.
In First Hearing, GOP Panel Casts Doubt on Fetal Tissue Research
Republicans on the special House panel investigating fetal tissue procurement and research practices aggressively questioned the morality and necessity of that research in the panel’s first hearing Wednesday, while Democrats sought to portray the probe as a politically motivated witchhunt.
Court Orders Costa Rica to Allow In-Vitro Fertilizations
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is ordering Costa Rica to comply with a four-year-old ruling overturning its ban on in-vitro fertilization.
FDA to Require “Black Box” Warning, But Leaves Controversial Essure Implant on Market
The Food and Drug Administration said Monday that it will require German drug maker Bayer AG to undertake new safety studies on its permanent birth-control device Essure, after thousands of women complained about suffering complications from the controversial implant. The agency also plans to require a “black box” label warning about the device’s potentially serious side effects, plus a checklist for doctors to discuss potential risks with patients.
The One Thing Nobody Tells You About The Copper IUD
The copper intrauterine device, or IUD, is one of the most effective methods of contraception. Have a doctor shove a T-shaped copper wire into your uterus and watch as you suddenly prove completely invulnerable to pregnancy! But when it comes to how the copper IUD actually works, without any hormones in it preventing pregnancy, most of us might not have a clue. It turns out that the mechanism that makes copper IUDs so effective is still kind of mysterious; but we do know it has to do with copper ions and how they interact with sperm as it enters the body.
Female Sterilization: Why Are So Many Women Getting Their Tubes Tied, And Why Aren’t Men Doing The Same?
Many women across the globe struggle with fertility: Some try to become pregnant but can’t, others are persistently unsuccessful at in vitro fertilization, and many experience the heartbreak of miscarriage. While these women strive for motherhood, others inhabit the opposite end of the fertility spectrum, hoping to avoid pregnancy at any cost — even if it means permanently closing the door to birthing children. Becoming sterile, though stigmatized throughout history, is no longer viewed as the loss of a woman’s femininity, purpose, or worth in most places. Rather, it’s a conscious choice many women make to gain absolute control over their reproductive systems.