Dr. Sophia Yen, a Stanford University Medical School instructor, believes the following six medical facts about sex are the ones most often overlooked or reported incorrectly by medical sites on the web.
1. Emergency Contraception is available over the counter.
In most states that's for women over the age of 18, but by early May of 2009, that age will drop to 17. And in nine states, it's already available without any age restrictions.
Alaska
California
Hawaii
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Vermont
Washington
California
Hawaii
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Vermont
Washington
2. Emergency contraception doesn't cause an abortion.
It's not RU-486 — it's a way to prevent pregnancy from occurring.
3. IUDS are safe for adolescents
4. Birth control pills won't make you gain weight.
"You know, maybe one in a thousand may gain weight," says Dr. Yen, but in general the research shows people do not gain weight on birth control pills."
5. PAP smears aren't necessary until women turn 21.
Or until three years after women become sexually active. (Unless they're HIV-positive or have a suppressed immune system.)
6. Herpes can be transmitted by kissing.
Click here for our article about the study
Hi. Excellent article! Just a suggestion re this sidebar — it confused me that the title says “inaccurate sex facts” but the items are the *accurate* facts, if you see what I mean.
In other words, I would have expected the items to be the falsities:
1. Emergency Contraception *isn’t* available over the counter.
I work in this area, so if it confused me it will probably confuse those who aren’t familiar with the accurate info.
Great job, and thanks for doing it.
What Suzie said. And perhaps links to examples published on the Web?
Where are the promised inaccurate “facts?” Article seems to want to present six corrected “facts” but meaning as written is ambiguous to the point of possibly being dangerous, e.g., #6: Is is accurate or inaccurate to state that herpes can be transmitted by kissing? Impossible to answer with confidence given this headline and this one sentence paragraph.
yes, reheadline plz thx
your statement about gaining weight on birth control is only partially correct. For those were the facts back in the eightys. 8 out of 10 women gained 5 pounds. true most were able to lose them but it was a fact then.
Nice info, ONLY BECAUSE I AM ALREADY KIND OF INFORMED about this matter. Giving it a title which is the exact opposite of what is presented in the contents is stupid when it has to do with serious health issues of people who might not be well informed already. It might even be better to remove this article altogether than to confuse people regarding this matter.
Thanks, no disrespect intended.
A couple of examples are, I don’t like the sound of people coughing and my friend is creeped out by triangles lol. You know, stuff like that. So what are your top 5?
I really need the 10 most important facts from The Pigman. I just need right down to it facts, not like a paragraph for each fact. Also in order. Thanks!
thank you for this informative yet questionable facts.the title is confusing coz for me its the other way around okay all that is stated is claimed to be fact but not all facts.contraceptives for me is like abortion if it is used to prevent not getting pregnant as simple as that.IUDs are not safe for adolescent their knowledge on the product is not sufficient enough for them to use it.Majority gained weight using birth pills thats why theyre a wide news about that..Others are facts..thats in my own opinion only..