Talking to Your Daughter About Her First Period

A girl’s first period is an important step in her life. It can be a very exciting time, but it can also be confusing and stressful. The best way to make the process more comfortable for your daughter is to try to educate and prepare her the best you can. What Is Menstruation Menstruation, also…

How to Increase the Chances of Pregnancy

Some couples are able to get pregnant effortlessly, while others experience varying degrees of difficulty. Many couples who are trying to conceive are anxious to do so. Although having intercourse within the “fertile window” is one of the best known ways to increase the probability of fertilization, there are several other ways that couples can…

Progestin-Only Pills

The progestin-only pill, also known as the “mini-pill,” is a type of oral contraceptive or oral birth control pill. The pill contains the hormone progestin and, unlike the combination pill, does not contain estrogen. Due to the lack of estrogen, many users report feeling fewer or no side effects compared to other oral contraceptives. One…

The Benefits of Sex

Disclaimer: This article discusses the various benefits of having sex, which, for the sake of simplicity and consistency, will be defined here as both consensual and pleasurable for both partners. Additionally, many of the benefits listed in this article are associated with sex resulting in an orgasm, as opposed to sex that does not result…

Hormonal Contraceptive Methods

Hormones are chemical messengers found in the body. In the reproductive systems of people with vulvas, they regulate everything from libido to the menstrual cycle. In addition, synthetic hormones can be administered to people with vulvas who have natural hormonal imbalances, though they are primarily used as a form of contraception, or birth control.1 Hormones…

The Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is an automatic and self-regulating process during which the female body undergoes physiological and hormonal changes over the course of 24 to 42 days. This process plays an integral role in to the overall health and function of the female reproductive system and fosters the growth of fertilized ovum into developing fetuses….

The Ovaries and the Ovum

The ovaries are the female gonads, or sex glands. These glands carry out two important functions: ovulation, and the production and secretion of sex hormones. Ovulation is the process of releasing an ovum, or egg, to prepare a female for possible implantation and consequent impregnation. Sex hormones regulate the process which dictates ovulation, known as…

The Catholic Church and Contraception

Historically, the Catholic Church and contraception have had a contentious relationship. As early as the second century, the Church took the firm position that the use of contraception—as well as the act of engaging in any form of recreational sex that does not lead to procreation—was considered sinful. Evidence of this belief dates back to the Didache, a second-century document…

Biological Steps to Becoming Pregnant

There are many steps that must occur for a female to become pregnant. Understanding the process of how pregnancy occurs can be beneficial both for those who are trying to become pregnant, and those who wish to avoid pregnancy. For those that wish to avoid pregnancy, we highly recommend using both a barrier method of…