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According to AGI's study, contraceptive coverage improved dramatically between 1993 and 2002 among health plans purchased by employers for their employees.In 2001 and 2002, AGI researchers surveyed insurance companies across the nation, asking whether prescription contraceptives and other comparable drugs, devices, and services were covered in the "typical" managed care plans they wrote for their employers.
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Since the extended regimen pill Seasonale (Barr Laboratories, Pomona, NY) hit pharmacy shelves in October 2003, it has become the fourth most-prescribed oral contraceptive in the United States. What do you need to know in counseling women about this new option?
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Want to drive more men toward your family planning clinic? You may want to consider adding clinic-based vasectomies. The Womens Health Care Clinic at Harbor-University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center in Torrance has found success in steering its program in this direction.
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Get ready for wider availability of the OraQuick HIV-1/2 rapid HIV test: with a June 2004 waiver issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the test now can be used by more than 180,000 sites in the United States, including outreach clinics, community-based organizations, and physicians offices.
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The 18-year-old patient before you, scheduled for an annual exam, is sexually active and admits that condoms are not always used. What is your next move? If the patient is female, chances are she will be tested for chlamydia, but if the patient is male and asymptomatic, your practice may not include a routine screen for the sexually transmitted disease (STD). New research may have you rethink your approach.
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You are discussing contraceptive options with a patient. When you come to intrauterine devices (IUDs), she dismisses the method and says that it can lead to an ectopic pregnancy. Where did she get such misinformation?
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This month may well mark a milestone in womens health if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) follows the recommendation of two of its expert advisory committees to approve the over-the-counter (OTC) sale of Plan B, the levonorgestrel-only emergency contraceptive (EC).
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Successful pill-taking is an important component for women who use oral contraceptives (OCs). Inconsistent use and method discontinuation are estimated to account for approximately 20% of the annual 3.5 million annual unintended pregnancies in the United States.
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A quick check of your next patients file shows that she is returning for yet another round of treatment for trichomoniasis. The infection is not responding to standard metronidazole therapy. What is your next move?
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Your next patient says she has a vaginal discharge. A closer examination reveals a white, noninflammatory discharge that smoothly coats the vaginal walls. What is your next step?