The Buddy System

Today, the wonderful Scarleteen website published an article on ‘The Buddy System’, explaining the benefits behind using two forms of contraception at a time. 

After a lot of statistical scribbles, the women behind this website have found that no combination leaves you with less than a 95 percent protection rate. The most effective form of contraception is the implant with condoms. 

They are careful to admit that adding a third contraceptive method makes such a slight statistical difference that it is not worth dealing with and some pairings are not suitable, for example two hormonal forms of contraception or the nuva ring and spermacide. 

In a time when the focus of contraceptive choice is being questioned, with more and more doctors recommending long term forms of contraception and the public appearing resistant to the suggestion, then ‘The Buddy System’ seems like a sensible half-way house. 

You can find the article and Scarleteen’s calculations of the rates of protection for various combinations here.

5 of the best women’s health blogs

Our Bodies our Blogs

A harsh critic of the Bush administration’s approach to women’s health, this blog could have lost its way once Obama came into office. However, it is as fierce and clever as ever, providing refreshing and informed criticism towards government policy, the medical establishment and the media. They ask the questions every woman doesn’t realise she needs to.

Dr Petra Boyton

More’sagony aunt is increasingly becoming an important but critical commentator on women’s health in the British media. Ben Goldacre is a fan of this psychologist, so get on board. A nice bit of brain food on the side of position of the fortnight, and I think she’s going to become every thinking girl’s favourite.

The Optimum Population Trust

Yes, sometimes it talks about chickens and cows, but this scientific and political site does mainly look at the way human reproduction works…and how it affects the planet. With a wide range of sources, the news it reports on it varied and exciting.

In Rude Health

A comprehensive if naive look at women’s health in the media and brilliantly written. Its author is a professional journalist who writes books looking at the fruitier side of couple’s health, hence the ‘rude’ in the title.

Scarleteen

If anything is going to make you happy to be a woman in Europe its this blog. More of a social enterprise than a news source this, website provides information and campaigns for sex education in the United States.