Abortion access in America is always under attack.

Expanding abortion access

In the past year, pro-choice activists have had to do a lot of work to make certain that women’s health remains on the front burner in American politicians’ minds.

Although abortion is still legal in America, more states are adding restrictions that make getting an abortion quite difficult. Every state has different rules pertaining to abortions and some states only have one clinic providing the procedure.

Attending rallies, volunteering, and writing and calling politicians are all spectacular ways to keep the pro-choice movement alive and abortion clinics open. But one activist, Maddy Rasmussen, is taking her pro-choice work a step forward.

Meet Maddy Rasmussen

Rasmussen, 18, created The Safe Place Project, a website that lists every abortion clinic in the United States. The site also features an interactive map and a list that highlights each state’s abortion restrictions.

Rasmussen came up with the concept of the site while working with Legal Voice, an organization that advocates for marginalized groups of women, and while doing a lot of personal research on the side.

Her work—inside and outside the organization—lead her to discover that the Internet didn’t have a comprehensive list of places where women can get abortions.

The Safe Place Project

Rasmussen got to work and launched her website—a specifically non-political virtual destination where people can get facts about abortion access.

“Some clinics are very open on their websites about their views towards abortion and some places don’t even explicitly advertise that they do abortion, but if you speak with them then they will tell you that they do,” Rasmussen says.

“I wanted to find the middle ground, showing patients where to access abortion but not making them feel like they were being bombarded with political jargon and bias.”

Restrictions

One of the most important aspects of Rasmussen’s site is its list of state-by-state restrictions. She came up with the site’s section after having a meeting with both of her mentors from Legal Voice and Cedar River Clinics. “Knowing where to access abortion is only one of the challenges patients have to face,” Rasmussen says.

“It can be potentially devastating for patients to travel for hundreds of miles to a clinic, which can be a reality for some people, to learn that they have to wait a 24 hours before the procedure and then have to scramble to find housing for the night, or several nights depending on the state.”

The future of abortion access

Rasmussen plans to continue updating and adding to her website project to ensure it stays timely and factual. She wants to update it at least once a quarter while she attends college in the fall. And she’s going to add more information to the site, too. For example, Rasmussen would like to add information about the type of abortion a clinic provides—a medication abortion, or surgical abortion, or both. She’d also like to add what gestation week the procedure goes up to.

We hope that more people will get as involved as Rasmussen in the fight to keep abortion access open and safe to women in America.

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Finally. We have news about birth control that isn’t gut-turning.

Important delivery

Nurx, a new app service, is making getting a birth control prescription written and delivered to your home a breeze.

The app was created to help women in “contraceptive deserts” get prescriptions without visiting a doctor. A contraceptive desert is defined as “an area without at least 1 clinic to every 1,000 women in need of publicly funded contraception,” TechCrunch reports.

Once a doctor prescribes the pill, a pharmacy near the subscriber mails the prescription to the patient’s door. Price for pills range from $0 to $15 depending on insurance coverage. The app also allows a patient to ask their prescribing doctor questions about their prescription.

In addition to providing birth control, patients also can get Truvada for PrEP, a pill that helps treat the HIV-1 infection.

Right now, the service is only available in California, New York, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Washington, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia, and Texas.

Women in Texas, which is a well-known contraceptive desert state, could greatly benefit from this accessible service. Current statistics from Nurx show that 54 percent of women have unplanned pregnancies in Texas. That cost to tax payers comes to $2.9 billion. Gross public savings could come to $2.14 billion if unintended pregnancies are stopped.

But Texas isn’t the only state with contraceptive issues. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy reports that nearly 20 million women in the U.S. live in contraceptive deserts, Leslie Heyer, global contraception expert and founder of Cycle Technologies, says.

“Even for women who do have reasonable access, seeing a health provider can be cumbersome,” Heyer adds.

“It requires time off work, travel, costs, etc. Having the ability to have safe contraceptive options available on-demand is a huge improvement.”

Access for all women

Access = empowerment. That fact is plain and simple.

Once women can choose from the vast variety of birth control options on the market, they can better find an option they like. And when a woman is happy with her birth control, she’s more likely to take her medication correctly and consistently, Heyer says.

“Mobile technology is giving women access to many contraceptive options and even changing the contraceptive options themselves,” Heyer adds. The Pill Club, PillPack, Pandia Health, and Planned Parenthood Care, are similar to Nurx. Other options include digital fertility apps.

Want to subscribe to Nurx? Click here to find out more.

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Tampons made easy: Meet Lola, the 100 percent cotton tampons that come through a subscription service of your (period’s) dreams.

If you’ve ever wondered what tampons are made of, you’re not alone: After Jordana Kier and Alex Friedman searched for answers and came up empty, they decided to launch Lola—a customizable subscription service that sells tampons made of 100 percent cotton. Period.

“The more we started doing research around the ingredients and what was actually in the products, the more we realized we couldn’t figure it out,” Kier told Elle. “It’s hard to know what the composition is because cotton supply changes every single year, and nobody has to say what the breakdown is.”

The company, which launched last week, has our ovaries all aflutter. Besides the tampons themselves being made of body-friendly cotton, the applicators are made of BPA-free, recyclable plastic. And you know that thing where you buy a variety pack of tampons, only to be left with too many “super” and not enough “light”? Lola puts the kibosh on that too, giving you the option to customize your order based on your flow.

Each box comes with 18 tampons in the absorbencies of your choosing (a mixture of light, regular, and super), and you can choose to receive your subscription on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. If you need to make adjustments to your order—for example, skip a month or pause your subscription entirely—you can do so and not have to worry about additional service charges.

The service only costs $10 per box or $18 for two with free shipping anywhere in the U.S. New subscribers can score a two-box order for only $9! So really, what’s not to love? You’ll be doing your body and the environment a solid, while putting your tampon shopping on auto-pilot. (Translation: no more awkward emergency outings at three in the morning.)

Best of all, Lola is relatable. Instead of the too-pink, too-floral boxes and the annoying commercials of women twirling in white dresses, Lola cuts the crap: The tampons are delivered in chic, minimalist packaging that’s classy enough to leave out in the open—because while getting your period is no biggie, it’d be nice if the packaging didn’t scream “MENSIES!” to everyone who enters your bathroom.

And if you’re not a big fan of tampons, don’t fret: Word is Lola is planning to expand into other feminine hygiene products in the future. Cha. Ching.

What’s your biggest pet peeve about tampons?

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Tampon image via Shutterstock

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Ladies: Fertility and period tracking, and obtaining fresh, fun information about women’s health just got a lot easier.

HelloFlo, an Internet shop and information resource that’s dedicated to providing protection for your lady bits, and Clue, a well-known period tracking app, have joined forces.

About a week ago, Clue broke the awesome news about the two sites partnership on its blog. Clue and HelloFlo have similar goals in the women’s health realm, but both companies are unique enough to make this partnership all the more awesome.

Clue, a Berlin-based app company, has achieved its popular status amongst women and girls because of its tip-top fertility and period tracking abilities. (As the company boasts: It’s not pink, it’s science — if only every women’s health product was that forward-thinking.)

The Clue app runs on the information a girl or woman enters — the more accurate the information, the better period and fertility predictions. The app’s mission is to empower women to better understand their bodies, while also “moving science and health research forward.”

While HelloFlo isn’t an app or a period tracker, the company is dedicated to helping women and girls of all ages manage their bodies. Along with the site’s resources for women and girls, it also provides care packages for women at all states in their life.

“Clue and HelloFlo share a common goal of breaking down cultural taboos around menstruation and fertility issues and encouraging health awareness and body literacy through accessible, easy-to-understand content,” Clue‘s blog reports.

The partnership aims to expand both sites’ content and coverage, and both start-up companies hope to expand their readership and customer-base in the process. While the sites work together, they also hope to continue to break down all the nasty and silly stigmas that surround menstruation.

I’ve got to say that I sure wish these sites would have been around when I was a teen. They would have made my monthly friend so much more fun to hang with.

Do you use HelloFlo or Clue? Are you excited about their partnership?

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Image: HelloFlo Facebook page

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Chakras, meridians, and energy centers may once have ranked pretty high on the woo-woo scale. But today, chakras have gone mainstream, baby. All types, from Gwyneth Paltrow to Dr. Christiane Northrup, are touting the benefits of well aligned chakras.

We all want to be well aligned, right? But what are chakras, really? Where are chakras? And how the heck do you get them aligned?

While I am certainly no chakra expert, I have read my fair share of energy balancing info. The following is a basic introduction to chakras, a starter on getting balanced, and how to learn more.

Chakras are energy centers throughout the body. Visualize seven spinning discs of energy positioned along the spine, from tailbone to crown of head. Each chakra has its own unique color and corresponds to mental, emotional, and physical states. Say you are having throat pain or trouble voicing your opinion. This would be a throat (or fifth) chakra imbalance.

How to Balance Chakras: A Beginner’s Guide

First chakra // Also called the root chakra, it is positioned at the base of the spine, is red in color, and corresponds to the first three vertebrae, bladder, and colon. The first chakra is linked to feelings of security and basic survival needs. When balanced we feel safe and one with the earth. When out of balance we feel insecure and untethered. To balance: dance, walk outside barefoot, wear red, eat red and spicy foods, do a tree pose.

Second chakra // Also called the sacral chakra, it is positioned between pubic bone and naval, is orange in color, and associated with sexual organs, reproductive organs in women, and lower abdomen. This chakra is linked to feelings of desire and creativity. When in balance we experience feelings of pleasure, well-being, creative expression, and abundance. To balance: wear orange, eat orange fruits, hip opening poses, partake in a creative activity (painting, writing…).

Third chakra // Also called the solar plexus chakra, it is positioned between naval and breastbone, is yellow in color, and related to the digestive system, liver, gall bladder, and pancreas. The third chakra is responsible for our self-esteem and will. When in balance we feel confident and powerful. To balance: Wear yellow, eat yellow fruits and vegetables, try something outside your comfort zone, get physical exercise.

Fourth chakra // Also called the heart chakra, it is positioned in the center of the chest, is green (or pink) in color, and corresponds to lung, heart, arms, hands, and circulatory system. The heart chakra is related to feelings of love, joy, and inner peace. It is the middle chakra, linking the three lower (physical) chakras with the three upper (spiritual) chakras. To balance: honor your emotions, wear green, eat green foods, spend time in nature, do something loving, practice forgiveness.

Fifth chakra // Also called the throat chakra, it is light blue in color, and related to throat, thyroid, neck, jaw, and mouth. This chakra connects us to our self-expression, communication, and personal truth. To balance: Sing, hum, chant, drink water, wear blue, speak your truth, get a neck massage, actively listen.

Sixth chakra // Also called the third eye chakra, it is positioned at the center of the brow just above the eyes, is indigo, and related to the eyes and brain. The sixth chakra is associated with intuition. When in balance we feel imaginative, clear-headed, and decisive. To balance: Wear indigo, eat dark chocolate, dark berries, and foods high in Omega-3s, use your imagination, take a walk at night.

Seventh chakra // Also called the crown chakra, it is positioned just above the head, is purple in color, and connects us to spirit. When in balance we are enlightened and experience a strong spiritual connection. There are no physical ailments associated with the seventh chakra. To balance: Meditate, lose your ego, love, prayer.

There you have the chakras in a nutshell. As you can imagine, there is much more to each of them. For an in depth look at each chakra and diagnosing any imbalance read “Wheels of Life” by Anodea Judith, Ph.D. One of my favorites for women working with chakras is by Dr. Christiane Northrup, “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom.” And The Chopra Center holds a wealth of information on chakras and keeping them healthy.

Noticing which areas of the body are off kilter can be very helpful in identifying unbalanced energy. Not quite sure? Take a chakra test to see which of your chakras are open and which need some work.

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Jemima Kirke, of HBO’s “Girls” recently shared her abortion story with the Center for Reproductive Rights. Kirke’s story is similar to many women’s abortion stories as it was very difficult for her to afford the procedure. As she said: It wasn’t totally unavailable, and that’s the tricky part — there are many hurdles a woman has to still go through to get this procedure.

She recorded the message to help end the stigma about getting an abortion. Watch the moving video below.

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A recent study has linked birth control pills and brain cancer. Obviously, this study is not going to damn birth control use. But it’s something all women should know about.

The study was released in late January 2015 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. The study found that women “who take the pill were twice as likely to develop a rare type of brain cancer called glioma.”

Young women between the ages of 15 and 49 were the subjects of the study. The following is the meaty part of the story:

“They then looked into how many of these women had an Rx for birth control pills, recording the type they took (either the estrogen-progestin ‘combo pill’ or the progestin-only ‘minipill’) and for how long. Finally, they compared them to a control group of glioma-free women in the same age range.

The results showed a 50 percent higher risk of glioma in women who took any pill type for any length of time. Scarily, the risk doubled among women who took progestin-only pills for at least five years.”

While on the surface that doesn’t sound too awesome, it shouldn’t concern women quite yet. More than a few doctors, including Alyssa Dweck, M.D., ob-gyn in Westchester, New York, are saying the study does show correlation, but it doesn’t show causation.

According to Women’s Health Magazine, the following are some of the things to keep in mind about the study’s results:

– “The rates may have been higher in Pill takers because women on oral contraceptives might be more likely to visit their doctor.”

– BMI may have played a role: Doctors often prescribe overweight women progestin-only pills, as they have fewer side effects, “such as blood clots.”

– Glioma is still extremely rare: around five in 100,000 women get it. If the rate is doubled, that means only 10 in 100,000 women will get it.

What do you think about this study? Do the results make you want to toss your pills?

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Seriously, what did our vaginas ever do to us?

Ever since back in the day when pubic hair became uncool, women have been doing some pretty batshit things to make their vaginas feel better, look prettier and smell like anything other than a vagina.

It turns out there are even crazier things you can do with your vagina other than give birth to a human:

1. You can steam it
Yep, vaginal steaming is a thing. You apparently pick out herbs – you know, like you do for asparagus – that help to detox and heal any vaginal imbalances. But how exactly do you know if you’re walking around with an imbalanced vagina?

2. You can knit with it
This is not a drill.

3. You can keep it cool
There’s underwear that works as central air for your vag to keep it from overheating – the technology apparently reduces your down-there temperature by three degrees. Not sure, but your boyfriend’s peen might have to wear a light jacket the next time you fool around.

4. You can buy it a hat
The Vaj-J Visor is a little hat that protects your vagina while shaving, waxing or tanning. It comes in a wide variety of colors – because if your visor clashed with your razor, that would be weird.

5. You can dye it
This might be taking the whole carpet-and-drapes thing a little too far.

6. You can whiten it
According to women who clearly spend too much time studying their vaginas, it’s better for your vagina to be as pale as a creepy china doll: Vaginal whitening is all the rage in places like Thailand and India, where you essentially bleach your lady bits and make them look so pale they practically glow in the dark.

7. You can keep it minty fresh
I wish I was joking, but unfortunately vaginal mints do exist (otherwise known as a yeast infection waiting to happen).

8. You can give it injections
Fillers aren’t just for your face anymore: Women are injecting collagen into their cooch to inflate their g-spot, making it super sensitive to sexual stimulation. You know what else inflates your g-spot? A guy who knows what he’s doing.

9. You can give it a makeover
Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation runs for between $4,000 and $20,000 and aims to make a woman’s vagina tighter than a vice-grip – you know, to make up for years of promiscuity and super-size vibrators. There’s also a more budget friendly option: “Wanna Be Tight” Vaginal Shrink Gel. I wanna be drunk.

10. You can decorate it
Like the college guy hanging out at a high school party, vajazzling is still around – especially useful if your guy is distracted by shiny things.

11. You can remodel it
If you’re looking for a new pair of drapes, a labiaplasty will give your otherwise floppy, uneven vaginal opening a more proportioned, feminine look… for $5,000 or more.

12. You can give it a facial
Vajacials (vagina facials) are a 50-minute beauty “essential” where your nether regions are plucked, cleansed, moisturized and covered in a fruit-flavored mask. Because in order to have good sex, you have to smell like a scented candle.

Annnd I’m spent.

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On 19 January 2014, the official One Billion Rising 2013 documentary short premiered at Sundance.

The campaign highlights the fact that one in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. That amounts to one billion women. So in 2013, one billion women and men danced together around the world to end violence against women and girls. The campaign is calling on men and women to rise again this year on February 14th. Watch the touching video below and for more info, visit OneBillionRising.org.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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ColumnHormonal birth control, especially the pill, has been credited for liberating women. But are products like NuvaRing safe?

While I never used NuvaRing, the product at the center of the most recent birth control controversy, like many women, I spent most of my adult (and teenage) life taking hormonal birth control.

I started taking the pill because my periods were heavy and unreliable, and continued because I knew I didn’t want children and was told that it would help with everything from PMS and mood swings to treating acne.

None of my doctors ever cautioned me against it—one even went so far as to say she believed that women are at their healthiest on the pill or pregnant.

Last summer, when Yaz, the pill I was taking a generic version of, was under fire again for causing blood clots, I decided enough was enough. Going cold turkey took some adjusting. There were a few months of irregular periods, the return of some truly teenagery hormonal acne—very insulting at age 36—and a reintroduction to the world of cramps. But I’d trade a few months of discomfort and an investment in drag-queen quality concealer not to develop a blood clot and die.

Vanity Fair recently published a terrifying article about the dangers of NuvaRing, and thousands of women are filing lawsuits against Merck, its manufacturer, after suffering blood clots or embolisms. (To be clear, the progestin used in the ring is different than what you will find in a pill, and most forms of oral contraception do also come with a warning about the risk of blood clots.)

The FDA determined a 56 percent increased risk of blood clots with NuvaRing compared with birth-control pills using earlier forms of progestin. And then after that determination, it sent the ring to market and allowed pharmaceutical reps to pepper doctor’s offices with literature about the convenience of the ring.

What?! If Viagra carried a 56 percent increased risk of death or of a man’s penis falling off (or even, say, shrinking a centimeter), would the FDA approve that? Would men buy it? I haven’t done a study, but I assume not.

The fact that Merck scored $623 million in NuvaRing sales in 2012, according to Vanity Fair, doesn’t prove that women are willing to take the risk. It proves that women don’t have all of the information.

Lots of women I know have used, and continue to use, hormonal birth control without incident. But, the numbers are scary, and there are other ways not to get pregnant—many of which we have poo-pood because they are inconvenient, ruin the mood or get in the way of spontaneous sex.

Know what else ruins the mood? Blood clots, a trip to the ER. Death.

There are tons of other lady-friendly ways to prevent pregnancy: condoms (some, like Glyde condoms, are even eco-friendly), diaphragms, vasectomy and good old abstinence (ha).

It’s about information and access for doctors and for all women, not telling us what we can and cannot do with our bodies. The danger, of course, is that additional regulations on birth control will lead to an increased effort to control women’s bodies.

We need to ensure  that efforts to keep us safe don’t lead to efforts to take away the freedom of choice we gained with the pill’s introduction.

Image: legal support group

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