Fifty years later this story is still relevant to young people seeking financial stability during these economic hard times.  As the Pill turns 50, what better time to talk about the impact it has made on our society?

The Food and Drug Administration announced that it would approve the oral contraceptive in 1960. At the time, promoters of the pill hoped that it would be an end to poverty, a cure for divorce, and the elimination of unwed pregnancy.  Few of it’s promoters imagined how it would become a tool for transforming women’s lives writes New York Times Op-Ed contributor Elaine Tyler May.

The pill is one of the most transformative medical breakthroughs of the past 100 years.  In 1999 the Economist named it one of the most important scientific advances of the 20^th century. The pill enables women to plan their own futures by giving them the ability to make decisions about the type of education, employment, economics and lifestyles they envision for themselves and their children.

Advocates of the pill have long fought for all women to have access to the pill.  When it first debuted in 1960 it was only available to married women in a few states until a court decision in 1965 made it available to married women in all states. It wasn’t even available to single women in all states until another court decision in 1972.

“By the 1970s the true impact of the Pill could begin to be measured, and it was not on the sexual behavior of American women; it was on how they envisioned their lives, their choices and their obligations. In 1970 the median age at which college graduates married was about 23; by 1975, as use of the Pill among single women became more common, that age had jumped 2.5 years. The fashion for large families went the way of the girdle. In 1963, 80 percent of non-Catholic college women said they wanted three or more children; that plunged to 29 percent by 1973. More women were able to imagine a life that included both a family and a job, which changed their childbearing calculations,” writes Time Magazine reporter Nancy Gibbs.

Very quickly, the availability of the pill in America also resulted in huge advancements in women’s and infant health, and a decline in unwanted pregnancies- particularly in married women. The pill has played a key role in women’s ability to plan and space pregnancies, which has contributed to improved maternal, infant and family health.

• From 1965 to 2005, the rate of maternal death declined by 52 percent (to 15.1 per 100,000 live births).
• Unwanted pregnancies among married women have been cut by more than half, from one in five births in 1960-61 to just nine percent in 2002.
• Births that occurred sooner than married women wanted declined from 45 percent in 1965 to 14 percent in 2002.

Today, 19 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 44 use the pill and more than 60 percent of women between 15 and 44 use birth control.  In 2010, too many pregnancies are still unintended. It is essential that the pill finally be available to all women in the United States, regardless of what kind of insurance they have or their ability to pay.

How easy is it to talk about the three letter word S-E-X? I think a few of us find it quite challenging. The awkwardness associated with discussing sex hangs over young people regardless of whether the word pops up amongst friends or family. I have always wondered why that is when sex causes some of the most common diseases in today’s society. (http://www.cdcnpin.org/stdawareness/gyt_campaign.htm)

We need to bring a change to this problem, to get more people comfortable about discussing sexual health concerns and issues. I believe we’d all be surprised what a small conversation could lead to, so I am going to provide a few talking tips all of us could use revolving around that three letter word “S-E-X.”

When talking to your parents:

• Sit down in a room where you can speak to them without any interruptions.
• Let them know you want to discuss something concerning your health.
• Be honest and upfront. You can say something like, “I want to make an important decision about sex and I want talk to you about getting tested for STI’s.”

Visit Planned Parenthood for more resources and tips at www.plannedparenthood.org/teen-talk

When talking to your friends:

• Try to keep the mood light and friendly.
• Refer to something you may have seen on a popular television network regarding sex.
• Be honest and encourage one another to get tested together.

When talking to your partner:

• Have an idea why you want to discuss STI testing with them.
• Be prepared for questions.
• Honesty is important in all relationships. You may want to start your conversation like this, “I’m not sure how you may feel about STI testing, however I think it’s important for the two of us to consider getting tested.”

For more tips on how to get the S-E-X conversation going and staying calm and relaxed, please visit the websites provided below.

Planned Parenthood offers plenty of information regarding talking about sexual health with parents and teens.

• www.plannedparenthood.org/talk-teen
• www.plannedparenthood.org/parents

Scarleteen, a website that can guide you towards topics for a conversation you may want to carry with your friends, parents, or health care provider.

• www.scareletteen.com

Get Yourself Talking now, it’s never too late chat.

Did you know some STI’s show no symptoms?

Wait, one more, did you know those who may be infected may not know it?

It’s scary to think about and even scarier to not to know your status. Getting tested needs to become the norm in today’s society amongst young people. I personally would think the number of STI’s would decrease if some of us took out the time to go get tested.

Some of us out there are not sure where, when or how to get tested or are too scared to go alone. However, I am going to try to simplify those problems by providing some information to help you feel at ease. Just follow these few steps to becoming closer to knowing your status:

1. Locate your local health care provider and call to set up an appointment to be tested. Setting up an appointment for testing will prepare doctors for your visit and they will know what you’re there for.
2. Most health care providers suggest sexually active teens to be tested by the age 18. This is a good time to get tested because you are considered an adult. However, I think it may be a good idea to go earlier just to protect yourself and others. The sooner the better when you want to know if you’re infected with an STI.
3. Testing for STI’s does not come in one form. Testing different STI’s can require different types of testing. This is why it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your health care provider.
4. I’d say, take someone with you. Going with someone can help you relax and put you in good spirits. Ask a parent, friend, or your partner to join you. This way you have more support in taking a huge step towards knowing about your sexual health.

Okay, if I haven’t made your decision easier and you feel like you want or need more information you can check the following websites that I have provided.

MTV’s GYT FAQs page outlines several topics about getting tested.

• http://www.itsyoursexlife.com/gyt/articles/testing-faqs

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide more information regarding STI testing and the importance of being tested.

• http://www.cdcnpin.org/stdawareness/gyt_campaign.htm

If you don’t have a regular health care provider, please visit Planned Parenthoods website to find a local health center near you for testing.

• http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/where-we-work/health-center-directory-23127.htm

Get yourself tested, because you owe it to yourself. It’s better to know than to be left in the dark.

GYT?

• Get Yourself Tested

MTV (Music Television) and Planned Parenthood are teaming up to encourage youth to go and get tested for STI’s. During the month of April, National STD Awareness is recognized through GYT and there are several ways to get involved.

1. Go online and visit www.gytnow.org/. This is a link to one of MTV’s pages that has a lot of information pertaining to GYT. Including facts about why you should get tested, tool kits to promote GYT, and a fun interactive sweepstakes that you could possibly win.
2. Visit www.plannedparenthood to help you find the nearest health center near you. That way you can be tested ASAP.

3. Get Yourself Tested and know what your status is.

Many Americans were shocked  in 2008 when the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) announced that  at least one in four teenage girls has an STI. They have also estimated that there are approximately 19 million new cases each year amongst youth ages 15-24 (http://www.cdc.gov/Features/STDAwareness/).

GYT?

• Get Yourself Talking

Not only does GYT mean get tested, it also means to talk about getting tested. Spreading the awareness and knocking down the walls that make some people shy away from talking about their sexual status is also important. How would anyone know whether or not you want to be tested if you don’t say anything? How will your partner trust that you’ve been tested? You have to talk about it. Yes this conversation can get a little awkward at first, but it’s something that must be discussed. Talking about getting tested and knowing your status can help protect others and yourself from contracting unknown STI’s.

What’s to come next…?

• Each week in April has a message, a message you will learn.
• Fun Tweets and Facebook status updates to follow
• A challenge to GYT and help spread the word, not the STI.

Here is where you can follow GYT on Twitter:

• www.twitter.com/gytnow

The link to the GYT Facebook

• · www.facebook.com/GYTnow

Discover more facts about STD Awareness month at the CDC website:

• · http://www.cdc.gov/Features/STDAwareness/

Don’t miss out on this year’s GYT movement. Join MTV and Planned Parenthood so you can say know what GYT stands for and know how important those three words are

A Pap test is a routine exam for screening for cervical cancer.  Women should get routine screening to help them avoid getting cervical cancer, which is caused by a common sexually transmitted infection, human papilloma virus (HPV).

About 1 out of 4 women will get the types of HPV that are related to cervical cancer in her lifetime.  Routine cervical cancer screening and early detection has helped to save lives. Today, only 1 out of 1,000 women who contracts cancer-related HPV will develop full-blown cervical cancer.

When should you receive your first Pap smear?

Leading women’s health authorities suggest that routine Pap testing begin at age 21 or three years after first vaginal intercourse. Women should have a Pap test every year until they are 30.  From age 30 on, Pap tests can happen every two or three years.

Why you should have a Pap smear test performed yearly is safe in early detection of cervical cancer. If the test results come back abnormal that does not mean you have cancer, but it can indicate cancerous or abnormal cells were detected. If cervical cancer is detected during its early stage it can be cured (http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/).

How can you avoid receiving an abnormal test?

Practice safe sex. The Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common viruses in the United States and 50% of sexually active individuals contract this virus (http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/). HPV is linked to cervical cancer because if the virus remains in the body for long periods of time (years) it can cause the cancers found on the cervix.

My Advice.

If you haven’t received your first Pap smear or if it has been too long to remember your last Pap smear, I suggest you call your local health care provider and request a test at their soonest availability. The information provided on this blog is intended as a guideline. It is important to discuss your individual concerns with your health care provider. Everyone’s health history is different or unique. We encourage you to make health decisions in consultation with a trusted medical provider.

Maybe I’m just being optimistic, but lately I feel like I have been noticing more people who really want to hear and know what young people think. Not who want to assume, presume, project or decide what you think, but who actually want to ask you and hear what you have to say about yourselves for yourselves.

What I’m most interested to hear about is “what teens need to talk about themselves and their realities.”  Hope you’ll help us … and Scarleteen.

What’s important to you?  Let us know!

Each year hundreds of events occur throughout the month of March hosted by organizations, governments, and women’s groups around the world. 100 years ago the first IWD was rallied in Europe to fight for women’s right to vote. Women and men rallied joined together to fight for women to vote, work, and hold office.

If I took out the time to recap the timeline of women’s history you’d be reading a long research essay. However, I can point out that women’s rights have been fought in this country and internationally for more than 100 years (http://www.womensrightsfriends.org/).

Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) has remained true to protecting and advancing the rights of reproductive health services for women and families not only in the US, but also throughout the world. . PPFA works with other nations in the world to provide health care access and rights (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/). Advocating social change throughout the world is a way PPFA can improve the quality of life for women.

Failure to provide health care to women worldwide yearly results in:

• 500,000 women die unnecessarily from pregnancy related issues
• More than 200,000 women cannot receive contraceptives due to lack of access
• 20 million pregnancies end in unsafe abortions

You can read more interesting information from Cecile Richards: International Women’s Day. Are we There Yet? Richards, president of PPFA, blogged the importance of global health care on the Huffington Post website.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cecile-richards/international-womens-day_b_489752.html

Planned Parenthood is not the only nonprofit organization that fights for women’s rights. There are several organizations that have also made a goal to improve the lives of women worldwide. I have listed some websites that share the same core goals to advance global equality for women and young girls.

Here are a few websites you can visit to be apart of the movement

Women for Women International: this website focuses on helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives.

• http://www.womenforwomen.org/

Madre: the network encompasses thousands of women and families who are on the frontlines of our global crisis. Madre creates programs in peace building, women’s health and combating violence against women.

• http://www.madre.org/index.php?video=1

Global Fund for Women: group of women and men who provide grants to support women’s groups around the world.

• http://www.globalfundforwomen.org/cms/

It can be embarrassing when facing the thought that you may be pregnant but are unsure. Maybe you think you’ve contracted an STI. There are also simple questions about where you could seek confidential help that could become a bit awkward if you have to ask someone you know.

I asked a few friends which websites they found most useful and compelling. Some said they’ve never searched online for health related issues, while others told me they simply use Google and go to the first suggested website.

The problem with Google’s suggested sites are some of the websites don’t always provide enough information, can be misleading, or confusing. Well I have taken out some time to gather a few different websites that you can quickly gain access to and know that you can trust what you are reading. There’s no reason not to be in the “know” about your health.

Check out the websites below regarding information ranging from sexual health, pregnancy, and local health centers.

To find a women’s health center near you, you can visit Planned Parenthood’s main site:

www.plannedparenthood.org

STI information:

To find general information regarding STI symptoms, causes, and cures. Visit the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention.

www.cdc.gov/std/general

· Health information for teen girls. Visit Center for Young Women’s Health covering various topics of health related concerns. Interactive website for teenage girls with quizzes and games.

www.youngwomenshealth.org

· The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation website covers information varying from current health reform policies to women’s health and STI statistics.

www.kff.org

Pregnancy:

Features about determining pregnancy, advice for alternatives if you are pregnant, and information on what to do as a young teen.

http://www.teenpregnancy.com/

You may know a thing or two about condoms. But are you aware of this.

• Decrease use of condoms by young people 15-24 years are the cause of increasing cases of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) and unintended pregnancies. This is a huge problem in America; 1.5 million people/youth were infected with chlamydia or gonorreah in 2008.
• Proper use of condoms also helps prevent HIV/AIDS which is becoming prevalent in the African American communities.
• Condom use can be 97% effective in protection again unplanned pregnancy.

But I’m sure you already knew this.

So I’m left to ask what the problem is with teens and young adult’s failure to use condoms.

One problem I see is the media only targeting males to purchase condoms. Many commercials and magazine ads only reach out the men with masculine messages like this ad, http://www.nationallampoon.com/files/2009/06/trojan-man.jpg. However, research shows young women being hit the hardest by STI’s and it’s nice to see ads targeted towards women like the Proper Attire Condoms, http://graphics.condom.com/Images/400JPG/CNP-ASTL-24H_400.jpg.

February also celebrates Black History and the history that black American teens are setting today may not want to be repeated in the history books. Research shows young black Americans are leading the charts in abortions, HIV, and unintended pregnancy. Contraceptive failure amongst the black community marks a problem that must be solved.

Condoms are nothing new, they come in a wide variety, and are accessible. You can find condoms at your local grocery stores, convenience stores, college campus clinics, or Planned Parenthood.

If you’re interested to know more please visit the below websites:

Everything you need to know about your health/sex- geared towards youth:

www.ppfa.org

Studies and statistics about reproductive health:

www.guttmacher.org

Specifics about STIs

www.cdc.gov/std/stats08/natoverview.htm

As we mark the start of a new year, let’s resolve to defeat cervical cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women.  Every year about 11,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and about 4,000 American women die of the disease. If we’re going to defeat cervical cancer, it’s important to know what causes it and how to protect ourselves from it.

Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV (human papilloma virus). HPV is a common virus that is spread through sexual intercourse. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections.There are many types of HPV. Certain high risk types of HPV can cause long-term infections that can lead to cervical cancer. Two types of HPV cause 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer.

Women usually don’t know they have cervical cancer because they don’t have any symptoms. Cancer cells cannot be seen with the naked eye, so women need to visit a gynecologist for routine cancer screenings. Regular screenings are the best way to identify precancerous cells and treat them before they become cancer. The most invasive cervical cancers are found in women who have not had regular Pap tests.

Cervical cancer is a preventable disease that women can protect themselves from. One of the quickest paths to eradicating this disease is through regular cervical cancer screenings and protecting yourself from HPV through consistent and correct condom use and/or the HPV vaccine.

You may find that you have more questions about cervical cancer and HPV, we recommend that you find the answers to your sexual health concerns by talking with your health care provider, or at a local women’s health center, like Planned Parenthood.