Taking 'the pill' is a common practice among young women these days. But for how long? Studies show that the amount of women who take oral contraceptives is declining for one very good reason: They're afraid it will cause them to gain weight. But is this a legitimate concern, or is it just an urban myth?

Chalk this one up to idle gossip, according to this article from The Telegraph. Scottish Professor Anna Glasier said: "We need to emphasize that [oral contraceptives] don't impair fertility, and the majority of them don't affect weight." All the same, many women do report weight gain and other changes when they go on the pill, but this is more likely due to lifestyle changes, according to Dietitian Juliette Kellow.

Sorry girls, guess you can't blame that extra love handle on the pill -- time to get to the gym.

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I am not a sports fan (and that's putting it mildly), but I live with one. That can make things kind of interesting, especially during basketball season. We have a compromise: He only watches local teams, and I don't complain about it. Plus, I always get the TV on Thursday nights. It works for us. But then comes March and the event that tests our agreement to its limits -- March Madness.

Some Oregon urologists have a creative take on March Madness. If you're a man looking for a reason to watch the games all week without feeling guilty, why not use the time to recover from that vasectomy you've been meaning to get? After the procedure, men need about two to four days to recover and many never take that much time off. The doctors in Oregon are even offering a post-surgical package that includes pizza, sports magazines, and frozen peas.

Very creative, doctors, very creative. I think this is a hilarious (and possibly effective) marketing technique. What do you think?

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If you're a customer of the contraceptive skin patch Ortho Evra, listen up: the FDA issued a statement Friday that it will be requiring the product's label to contain a new warning about blot clot risks based on the findings of a new study.

Although this is not the first time blood clots have been associated with Ortha Evra, the findings from a new study will now be added to the existing label warnings. The study concluded that women aged 15-44 could have a higher probability of developing blood clots when using Ortho Evra when compared to other forms of birth control.

What kind of birth control method do you use? The loyalty many women have to birth control methods sometimes needs to be re-evaluated when new information is put forth from the medical community -- and this new warning inclusion qualifies.

In Ortho Evra's case, the estrogen levels sent through the skin by the transdermal patches can be 60 percent higher than those hormone levels given off from actual birth control pills.

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In a move that would be highly controversial in the U.S., South American country Brazil has announced that it will be installing condom-dispensing machines in public schools to try and curb AIDS cases.

Students were actually invited to help design the dispenser as well, and a winner was picked this past Friday. Starting in 2008, these machines will be installed into 100 public schools, according to Brazilian authorities.

Do you agree with this stance? While preventing diseases spread by sexual contact is always a good idea, are you for or against the installation of condom vending machines in public schools? Will this curb or encourage more sexual activity in schoolchildren?

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Blood clots are an uncomfortable and potentially fatal condition. And unfortunately, in our society where we're often expected to sit for long periods of time--on planes, at our desks--they're an all-too-common occurrence. If you're planning on taking a long-haul flight this holiday season, make sure you take steps to prevent a blood clot -- you're life could depend on it. Here are some tips:

• Talk to your doctor beforehand to determine if you have any risk factors for DVT (deep vein thrombosis) or pulmonary embolisms.
  
• If you're at risk, make sure you're not taking any medications that can lead to clots. Birth control pills and patches are a common medication that have been shown to lead to blood clots.
  
• Drink lots of water before, during and after long flights.
• Avoid lying down for long stretches of time

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With teenage pregnancies in the U.S. on the media's front burner once again, a recent poll showed that a majority of parents favor schools providing students with birth control methods.

However, there were differences in the way some responded to the poll that gave insight into divisional-type thinking on this issue based on generational, income and racial groups. I can understand generational issues, but not really the other two.

67 percent of those polled supported providing students with birth control items, and 62 percent said that an effort like this would reduce teenage pregnancies.

What are your thoughts?

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A middle school in Portland, Maine has reignited a debate by deciding this week to provide prescription birth control to children without needing their parents consent. Yes, you read right ... middle school. And, in case you forgot (or don't have children,) that's kids that range in age from 11 to 13.

Without being too blunt (and trying to bite my tongue), birth control in middle school is "insane," it frightens me to think that we can't teach our children more about sex (and self-esteem) than just to offer them a pill or patch so that they won't get pregnant. And, while I understand that children 13 years old are beginning to experiment (which in itself is scary), I just can't help but worry about children 11 years old thinking about using birth control. That is just so, so very young.

Not to mention that the pill and birth control patch don't protect children (or adults for the matter) from sexually transmitted diseases ... has anyone even put any thought into the fact that the pill and patch are hormones, should children this young be taking hormones? Are there any future consequences such as cancer or stroke for these young girls? Have enough studies been done? And what 11 year old do you know that will even be responsible enough to take it daily on a regular schedule, which needs to be done for it to even be effective?

What prompted this: Evidently, an outbreak of pregnancies among the middle school girls (17 to be exact ... not including miscarriages and terminated pregnancies) is what prompted the education officials to decide to allow a school health center to make the birth control pills and patch available. I must admit that 17 pregnancies is more than a lot in one school -- so clearly something needed to be done. However, that said, I don't think offering the pill or the patch was the best solution.

The Portland School Committee voted 7-2 for the measure. Obviously, I'm only one opinion ... how would you have voted?

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According to one of the largest studies ever conducted, women who take the Pill dramatically lower their risk of developing cancer later in life.

Those women who took the Pill for less than 8 years saw a 12 percent decrease in their cancer risk. (Though it's worth noting that for the small percentage of women that took the pill for more than 8 years, their cancer risk actually increased.)

Subsequently, even though the Pill only reduces the risk of certain types of the disease -- such as bowel, rectal, uterine and ovarian cancers -- researchers still concluded that these cancer benefits far outweigh any potential health risks of oral contraceptives.

Good news for the more than 300 million women who have used the Pill since it was first introduced in the early 1960s.

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The controversial 'morning after' pill intended for emergency birth control has done quite well on the market in the year since its release, selling an estimated $80 million in over-the-counter sales since the non-prescription drug was approved in November 2006.

Still, there are critics on moral and safety grounds who still continue to fight the ruling that made the product available to anyone with cash and local pharmacy. Does the drug have a chance of being taken off the market or being made into a prescription-only drug? In my estimation, not likely. That is, until someone gets ill or dies from side effects.

Do you think the morning-after pill should remain stocked on store shelves? Different moral points of view are sure to invite disagreement on that one even outside safety issues (if there are any).

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Many women take oral contraceptives without questioning the science behind it. But as with any medication, it's a good idea to do your own research, instead of having blind faith in your doctors. So if you're on the pill, here are some surprising facts that you should know.

For example, did you know:

• That if you're overweight, the pill might not work as well for you?
• That certain drugs, such as nyquil, can interfere with the pill's effectiveness?
• That the FDA recently approved a pill that will eliminate your period while you're on it?
• That the pill may cause you to gain a couple of pounds, but not more?
• That you can safely miss one pill, but not two?

A few of these are news to me. How about you?

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Women taking birth control pills may need to keep an eye on their calcium intake, as researchers have discovered that oral contraceptives can decrease bone density. This is especially problematic, because the time during which it's most effective for women to optimize bone mass is adolescence and young adulthood -- a time when women are most-likely to use birth control.

It's feared that a decrease in bone density during these years can lead to osteoporosis later in life.

Subsequently, it's important that women who are using birth control -- especially those under 18 -- meet or exceeding the Recommended Daily Allowance for calcium. (The RDA for women age 9-18 is 1,300 milligrams a day, and is 1,000 milligrams a day for women age 19-50.)

Some calcium-rich foods that you might try include: milk (300 mg of calcium in 1 cup), yogurt (150-200 mg in 1 cup), pinto beans (140 mg in 1 cup) and almonds (80 mg in 1 cup).

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If you've used the "Plan B" morning-after form of birth control, you're in a pretty large group right now. The morning after pill was rejected for OTC sale then approved as an OTC item recently -- and since, sales of the morning-after pill have done nothing but go up.

But it's not helping the overall pregnancy rate in the population, according to researchers. The morning after pill seems to work for individual women, though. Why aren't the numbers of pregnancies declining, then?

The researchers for this study stated that easy access to emergency contraception does not reduce unintended pregnancy rates. Are women not taking the pill as required or without counseling on how to properly use the product, then?

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Females -- are you in a birth control pill? The gamut of reasons for being on the pill run from sapping sex drives to getting rid of the monthly visitor that some women like just as much as the plague. But, there are also quite a few myths about this form of birth control, and most of the "far out" ones are quite untrue.

There is one overriding reason to have that pill -- to prevent and unwanted pregnancy. But, the multitude of other reasons some women are on the pill may not even be valid. So, with that, let's review the 10 myths of being on the pill, according to Health.com:

MYTH: It's risky to stop your period.
MYTH: The pill ups your cancer risks.
MYTH: The pill makes you fat (and frigid).
MYTH: An IUD ruins your fertility.
MYTH: The sponge is as good as the pill.
MYTH: Long-term use of the pill is a no-no.
MYTH: Pill side effects last forever.
MYTH: Taking the pill past age 40 is risky.
MYTH: It's OK to take any medicine with the pill.
MYTH: The pill makes migraines worse.

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Are you looking for a more natural method of contraception? Then this news may both surprise and please you. A recent study published in the journal Human Reproduction found that the symptothermal method is just as effective as the birth control bill in preventing pregnancy.

In the symptothermal method (STM) of birth control, women learn to recognize the natural rhythm of their monthly cycle and the cervical signs of impending ovulation. During that time, couples either abstain or use a barrier method of birth control (condom, etc.). The study showed that the method, when used correctly, had an unplanned pregnancy rate of .6 to .9 percent, equal to that of the pill.

The key phrase is when used correctly. All forms of birth control (except abstinence) carry the risk of pregnancy and that includes the symptothermal method. As with any new method of contraception, it's a good idea to do your research ahead of time!

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Between birth control pills, sponges, condoms and other forms of birth control, manufacturers are always seeking ways to enhance the convenience of preventing a pregnancy. The latest? A chewable contraceptive that is simply munched on like a self-dissolving tablet. And yes, it's tasty as well.

This new tiny, spearmint-flavored tablet that also can be swallowed without chewing and it has no hit pharmacy shelves as of this week. The new tablet -- Femcon Fe -- features the same hormones as standard oral contraceptives. Why even make this product, you may ask? Well, some women who don't like swallowing pills or are on the go are most likely the target market here.

The cost? a month's supply will sell for $44 wholesale and probably a bit higher at retail pharmacies.

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