Initiating Hormonal Contraception.

Most patients can safely begin using hormonal contraception at any point in their menstrual cycle. An evidence-based, flexible, patient-centered approach to initiating contraception promotes health and enhances patients' reproductive autonomy. A recent Papanicolaou test is not necessary before prescribing hormonal contraception.

Preventing gaps when switching contraceptives.

Unintended pregnancy can occur when women stop one birth control method before starting another. To prevent gaps in contraception, physicians should ask women regularly about adverse effects, cost, difficulty remembering the next dose, and other issues that affect adherence. Women who want to change contraceptive methods need accurate advice about how to do so.

Initiating hormonal contraception.

Most women can safely begin taking hormonal birth control products immediately after an office visit, at any point in the menstrual cycle. Because hormonal contraceptives do not accelerate cervical neoplasia or interfere with cervical cytology, women who have not had a recent Papanicolaou smear can begin using hormonal contraceptives before the test is performed. After childbirth, most women can begin using progestin-only contraceptives immediately.

Medical abortion in family practice: a case series.

Background: We wanted to determine the outcomes of medical abortions in four family practice centers.

Methods: This study was a retrospective case series of consecutive medical abortions in four community health centers between November 2000 and April 2002. We defined a successful medical abortion as one that required no further intervention after the administration of the medications mifepristone and misoprostol.

Integrating medical abortion into a residency practice.

While changing residency services and curricula is difficult under the best of circumstances, adding something as controversial as medical abortion can provoke seemingly insurmountable resistance. This paper describes an innovative approach to adding medical abortion services. We first surveyed staff, faculty, residents, and colleagues to examine their reservations.