Latest news with #FHI360
CNN
21-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Is it healthy to skip your period on birth control? A medical expert weighs in
Don't like having your period? Hormonal birth control can be used for more than just preventing pregnancy — it's also a popular way to go months or even years without a period. Continuous use birth control involves taking hormonal pills without what's called a placebo week or using other methods such as an implant, ring or injections without a break. This method can end the regular bleeding associated with periods, as well as the cramps, migraines and other symptoms of menstruation. As social media becomes a hotbed for amateur medical advice and personal anecdotes, posts about getting off the pill and preventing pregnancy through nonhormonal methods rake in thousands of views daily on apps like TikTok. As influencers share their fears about infertility and the possible harms of suppressing your body's natural processes, reproductive experts say myths and misinformation about hormonal birth control are on the rise. To understand more about the risks, rewards and science behind using birth control to forego menstruation, I had a chat with reproductive health expert Dr. Kavita Nanda. As an obstetrician-gynecologist and clinical researcher for the North Carolina-based human development nonprofit FHI 360, Nanda has spent over 25 years studying continuous use birth control and other forms of contraception. This conversation has been condensed for length and clarity. CNN: How does hormonal birth control work? Dr. Kavita Nanda: Combined contraceptives use synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone together. Combination methods work to prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovaries. Other methods use synthetic progesterone only, including pills, implants, injectables and intrauterine devices, or IUDs. Both combined and progestin-only methods make the mucus in your cervix thicker, which makes it hard for sperm to enter the uterus, and the lining of your uterus also remains thin. CNN: What is continuous use? And how does it differ from other methods? Nanda: The standard way to take combined contraceptives is cyclically, every day for three weeks, and then you have a break in the hormones for a week. You either don't take a pill, or you take a placebo for a week, so you have what's called a withdrawal bleed. The lining of the uterus sheds, and that's what people call a 'period,' although it's really just a hormone-free withdrawal bleed. But when we talk about continuous use, you don't take any breaks. The uterine lining stays thin and intact, and this means that users can go weeks, months or even longer, without a 'period.' CNN: How long can you safely go without a monthly bleed? Nanda: There have been studies comparing continuous versus cyclical use, and it's just as effective and just as safe. There's no medical reason to have a period or withdrawal bleed when you're on hormonal contraceptives. As long as you don't have any contraindications (medical conditions) for the birth control pill, you don't have contraindications for the continuous use of the pill. Historically, before contraception, women didn't necessarily bleed all the time, because a lot of time was spent either being pregnant or breastfeeding. In both of those conditions, there's no monthly bleeding, often for months. Now, if you're not pregnant or breastfeeding, you're not on hormonal contraception, and you don't have a monthly period — that's something you do need to discuss with your provider, because that could signal an issue. CNN: Are there any side effects specific to continuous use? Nanda: The side effects in general are similar to those with cyclical use. For example, you might have nausea, breast tenderness and headaches (at any time). With continuous use, some people experience unexpected breakthrough bleeding or spotting, especially initially, but this usually improves over time, and many people do achieve amenorrhea or (the) cessation of menses. For some people, it may take three to four months. CNN: How does continuous use affect fertility after stopping? Nanda: There's no evidence that long-term use of hormonal contraception — whether it's combined hormonal interception, taken continuously or cyclically — causes infertility, and fertility typically returns within a month or two. Basically, once you stop, the (synthetic) hormones go away very quickly from the blood, ovulation is no longer suppressed, your normal estrogen and progesterone production resume. Assuming that you had normal menstrual cycles before, they would resume. (One exception is) if you're taking something like the Depo Provera contraceptive injection. It doesn't cause infertility, but it may take longer for fertility to return after injections. CNN: Why were placebo pills invented if there's no harm in skipping them? Nanda: When the combined oral contraceptive pill was developed in the 1950s, the now-standard 21 days of active pills followed by a seven-day hormone-free interval was not based on medical necessity, but rather on cultural and strategic reasons. At the time, there was a widely held belief that menstruating every 28 days was a sign of normal female reproductive function. To align with that expectation, the regimen was designed to mimic a natural menstrual cycle, with a monthly withdrawal bleed intended to reassure both users and physicians that they were not pregnant — important in an era before home pregnancy tests were readily available — and, at the time, to help ease religious and societal resistance to contraception. CNN: Who may consider continuous use birth control? Nanda: It's really a personal preference and a discussion between a person and their provider. Someone might not want to have a period for years, or some people prefer to bleed three times a year. Some people feel reassured by monthly bleeding. Continuous use may be especially helpful for people who have painful periods, heavy periods, endometriosis, migraines, iron-deficiency anemia, physical or intellectual disabilities, and transgender individuals. Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.
CNN
21-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Is it healthy to skip your period on birth control? A medical expert weighs in
Women's health Maternal healthFacebookTweetLink Follow Don't like having your period? Hormonal birth control can be used for more than just preventing pregnancy — it's also a popular way to go months or even years without a period. Continuous use birth control involves taking hormonal pills without what's called a placebo week or using other methods such as an implant, ring or injections without a break. This method can end the regular bleeding associated with periods, as well as the cramps, migraines and other symptoms of menstruation. As social media becomes a hotbed for amateur medical advice and personal anecdotes, posts about getting off the pill and preventing pregnancy through nonhormonal methods rake in thousands of views daily on apps like TikTok. As influencers share their fears about infertility and the possible harms of suppressing your body's natural processes, reproductive experts say myths and misinformation about hormonal birth control are on the rise. To understand more about the risks, rewards and science behind using birth control to forego menstruation, I had a chat with reproductive health expert Dr. Kavita Nanda. As an obstetrician-gynecologist and clinical researcher for the North Carolina-based human development nonprofit FHI 360, Nanda has spent over 25 years studying continuous use birth control and other forms of contraception. This conversation has been condensed for length and clarity. CNN: How does hormonal birth control work? Dr. Kavita Nanda: Combined contraceptives use synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone together. Combination methods work to prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovaries. Other methods use synthetic progesterone only, including pills, implants, injectables and intrauterine devices, or IUDs. Both combined and progestin-only methods make the mucus in your cervix thicker, which makes it hard for sperm to enter the uterus, and the lining of your uterus also remains thin. CNN: What is continuous use? And how does it differ from other methods? Nanda: The standard way to take combined contraceptives is cyclically, every day for three weeks, and then you have a break in the hormones for a week. You either don't take a pill, or you take a placebo for a week, so you have what's called a withdrawal bleed. The lining of the uterus sheds, and that's what people call a 'period,' although it's really just a hormone-free withdrawal bleed. But when we talk about continuous use, you don't take any breaks. The uterine lining stays thin and intact, and this means that users can go weeks, months or even longer, without a 'period.' CNN: How long can you safely go without a monthly bleed? Nanda: There have been studies comparing continuous versus cyclical use, and it's just as effective and just as safe. There's no medical reason to have a period or withdrawal bleed when you're on hormonal contraceptives. As long as you don't have any contraindications (medical conditions) for the birth control pill, you don't have contraindications for the continuous use of the pill. Historically, before contraception, women didn't necessarily bleed all the time, because a lot of time was spent either being pregnant or breastfeeding. In both of those conditions, there's no monthly bleeding, often for months. Now, if you're not pregnant or breastfeeding, you're not on hormonal contraception, and you don't have a monthly period — that's something you do need to discuss with your provider, because that could signal an issue. CNN: Are there any side effects specific to continuous use? Nanda: The side effects in general are similar to those with cyclical use. For example, you might have nausea, breast tenderness and headaches (at any time). With continuous use, some people experience unexpected breakthrough bleeding or spotting, especially initially, but this usually improves over time, and many people do achieve amenorrhea or (the) cessation of menses. For some people, it may take three to four months. CNN: How does continuous use affect fertility after stopping? Nanda: There's no evidence that long-term use of hormonal contraception — whether it's combined hormonal interception, taken continuously or cyclically — causes infertility, and fertility typically returns within a month or two. Basically, once you stop, the (synthetic) hormones go away very quickly from the blood, ovulation is no longer suppressed, your normal estrogen and progesterone production resume. Assuming that you had normal menstrual cycles before, they would resume. (One exception is) if you're taking something like the Depo Provera contraceptive injection. It doesn't cause infertility, but it may take longer for fertility to return after injections. CNN: Why were placebo pills invented if there's no harm in skipping them? Nanda: When the combined oral contraceptive pill was developed in the 1950s, the now-standard 21 days of active pills followed by a seven-day hormone-free interval was not based on medical necessity, but rather on cultural and strategic reasons. At the time, there was a widely held belief that menstruating every 28 days was a sign of normal female reproductive function. To align with that expectation, the regimen was designed to mimic a natural menstrual cycle, with a monthly withdrawal bleed intended to reassure both users and physicians that they were not pregnant — important in an era before home pregnancy tests were readily available — and, at the time, to help ease religious and societal resistance to contraception. CNN: Who may consider continuous use birth control? Nanda: It's really a personal preference and a discussion between a person and their provider. Someone might not want to have a period for years, or some people prefer to bleed three times a year. Some people feel reassured by monthly bleeding. Continuous use may be especially helpful for people who have painful periods, heavy periods, endometriosis, migraines, iron-deficiency anemia, physical or intellectual disabilities, and transgender individuals. Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.
CNN
21-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Is it healthy to skip your period on birth control? A medical expert weighs in
Don't like having your period? Hormonal birth control can be used for more than just preventing pregnancy — it's also a popular way to go months or even years without a period. Continuous use birth control involves taking hormonal pills without what's called a placebo week or using other methods such as an implant, ring or injections without a break. This method can end the regular bleeding associated with periods, as well as the cramps, migraines and other symptoms of menstruation. As social media becomes a hotbed for amateur medical advice and personal anecdotes, posts about getting off the pill and preventing pregnancy through nonhormonal methods rake in thousands of views daily on apps like TikTok. As influencers share their fears about infertility and the possible harms of suppressing your body's natural processes, reproductive experts say myths and misinformation about hormonal birth control are on the rise. To understand more about the risks, rewards and science behind using birth control to forego menstruation, I had a chat with reproductive health expert Dr. Kavita Nanda. As an obstetrician-gynecologist and clinical researcher for the North Carolina-based human development nonprofit FHI 360, Nanda has spent over 25 years studying continuous use birth control and other forms of contraception. This conversation has been condensed for length and clarity. CNN: How does hormonal birth control work? Dr. Kavita Nanda: Combined contraceptives use synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone together. Combination methods work to prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovaries. Other methods use synthetic progesterone only, including pills, implants, injectables and intrauterine devices, or IUDs. Both combined and progestin-only methods make the mucus in your cervix thicker, which makes it hard for sperm to enter the uterus, and the lining of your uterus also remains thin. CNN: What is continuous use? And how does it differ from other methods? Nanda: The standard way to take combined contraceptives is cyclically, every day for three weeks, and then you have a break in the hormones for a week. You either don't take a pill, or you take a placebo for a week, so you have what's called a withdrawal bleed. The lining of the uterus sheds, and that's what people call a 'period,' although it's really just a hormone-free withdrawal bleed. But when we talk about continuous use, you don't take any breaks. The uterine lining stays thin and intact, and this means that users can go weeks, months or even longer, without a 'period.' CNN: How long can you safely go without a monthly bleed? Nanda: There have been studies comparing continuous versus cyclical use, and it's just as effective and just as safe. There's no medical reason to have a period or withdrawal bleed when you're on hormonal contraceptives. As long as you don't have any contraindications (medical conditions) for the birth control pill, you don't have contraindications for the continuous use of the pill. Historically, before contraception, women didn't necessarily bleed all the time, because a lot of time was spent either being pregnant or breastfeeding. In both of those conditions, there's no monthly bleeding, often for months. Now, if you're not pregnant or breastfeeding, you're not on hormonal contraception, and you don't have a monthly period — that's something you do need to discuss with your provider, because that could signal an issue. CNN: Are there any side effects specific to continuous use? Nanda: The side effects in general are similar to those with cyclical use. For example, you might have nausea, breast tenderness and headaches (at any time). With continuous use, some people experience unexpected breakthrough bleeding or spotting, especially initially, but this usually improves over time, and many people do achieve amenorrhea or (the) cessation of menses. For some people, it may take three to four months. CNN: How does continuous use affect fertility after stopping? Nanda: There's no evidence that long-term use of hormonal contraception — whether it's combined hormonal interception, taken continuously or cyclically — causes infertility, and fertility typically returns within a month or two. Basically, once you stop, the (synthetic) hormones go away very quickly from the blood, ovulation is no longer suppressed, your normal estrogen and progesterone production resume. Assuming that you had normal menstrual cycles before, they would resume. (One exception is) if you're taking something like the Depo Provera contraceptive injection. It doesn't cause infertility, but it may take longer for fertility to return after injections. CNN: Why were placebo pills invented if there's no harm in skipping them? Nanda: When the combined oral contraceptive pill was developed in the 1950s, the now-standard 21 days of active pills followed by a seven-day hormone-free interval was not based on medical necessity, but rather on cultural and strategic reasons. At the time, there was a widely held belief that menstruating every 28 days was a sign of normal female reproductive function. To align with that expectation, the regimen was designed to mimic a natural menstrual cycle, with a monthly withdrawal bleed intended to reassure both users and physicians that they were not pregnant — important in an era before home pregnancy tests were readily available — and, at the time, to help ease religious and societal resistance to contraception. CNN: Who may consider continuous use birth control? Nanda: It's really a personal preference and a discussion between a person and their provider. Someone might not want to have a period for years, or some people prefer to bleed three times a year. Some people feel reassured by monthly bleeding. Continuous use may be especially helpful for people who have painful periods, heavy periods, endometriosis, migraines, iron-deficiency anemia, physical or intellectual disabilities, and transgender individuals. Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Experts report nationwide trend that could save tens of thousands of lives each year: 'One of the highest rates in the world'
Fifty years ago, Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, kicked off an effort to electrify its public transportation. Today, a dozen dusty and abandoned electric buses are what's left of that original effort according to The Guardian. But, the outlet reports, the electric dream may be experiencing a major resurgence in the South Asian country: "More than 70% of four-wheeled passenger vehicles — largely cars and minibuses — imported into Nepal last year were electric, one of the highest rates in the world." This surge in popularity appears at least partly to be cost-driven, as import taxes on EVs, no need for gas, and less need for maintenance all favor the cleaner-energy options. Meanwhile, the switch from gas-guzzling vehicles could offer an assist in the fight against pollution in Nepal, where the Air Quality Life Index at the University of Chicago wrote in 2024 that about 50,000 people are dying annually due to dirty air: "According to the Ministry of Health, 66 percent of deaths from chronic lung disease are caused by air pollution. Similarly, 34 percent of deaths from heart disease, 37 percent of deaths from stroke, and 22 percent of deaths from respiratory infections are caused by air pollution." The Guardian further reported that Kathmandu, located in a pollution-trapping valley, is often covered over in smog. "Our analysis shows that transport contributes to about one-fourth of the fine particle matter air pollution in the valley," David Sislen of the World Bank told the publication. "Motorists switching to EVs is an important part of getting towards cleaner skies and improved health." Beyond Nepal's borders, a massive worldwide switch to EVs could help combat rising global temperatures. EVs produce far less planet-warming pollution over their lifecycles, and one country demonstrating their utility on a mass scale has the potential to encourage more to follow suit. But challenges remain, as the EV transition hasn't yet wholly remade the public transportation system Kathmandu once sought to revolutionize. The initial costs of purchasing electric buses and a lack of charging infrastructure are among the obstacles, Bhushan Tuladhar of FHI 360's USAID Clean Air and public transport cooperative Sajha Yatayat told The Guardian. FHI 360 and USAID previously worked to get electric public transit back on track after the COVID pandemic and "created green jobs in the process" with a sustainable training program to support women from under-resourced communities in becoming licensed drivers of electric three-wheelers. The Guardian reported that there are "hundreds" of such three-wheelers in operation. And the co-op Sajha Yatayat brought 40 electric buses and 24 charging stations to Kathmandu, the local Annapurna Express reported in 2024. Nepal isn't alone in its EV surge. For instance, EV sales rose by 46% in the United States in 2023. The Oakland Unified School District in California became the first major school district in the country to convert to an all-electric school bus system, and large companies like Tootbus, which runs sightseeing buses in Europe, are going electric as well. The United Nations Environment Programme has also said "2025 could be the year of the electric vehicle in developing countries." Would you want EV-charging roads installed in your town? Sign me up Depends how much it costs No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
CBS News
24-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
USAID cuts felt far outside Washington, D.C.: "Layoff trauma hit across the country"
Lindsay Brown was working from home in Little Rock, Arkansas, when, during a company meeting in February, her employer said that due to the United States Agency for International Development not making payments to the organization, staff changes needed to happen. Brown, who worked in internal communications for the nonprofit FHI 360, has been furloughed since shortly after that meeting. She learned that her last day at FHI 360 will be May 2. She is one of the close to 20,000 employees — many living in states such as North Carolina, Vermont, California and Georgia — who lost their jobs as the Trump administration took steps to shutter USAID. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has authority over the agency, said on Tuesday that the government plans to make staffing cuts, eliminating every position at the agency not required by law, and consolidate domestic offices at the State Department. The impending cuts are most likely to be felt by workers outside of Washington, D.C., already reeling from the decimation of their livelihoods and fields. USAID provided federal funding to hundreds of companies, organizations and universities to help run programs and research dedicated to various aspects of foreign aid. These companies employed people around the country, many of whom have already been furloughed, and are now finding out their positions have been eliminated. USAIDstopwork, a website tracking the economic impact of the USAID funding cuts, determined that 19,187 American jobs have been lost as of Wednesday. The tracker found a total of 46 states were affected by job cuts and that, outside of Maryland and Virginia, some of the most impacted states were North Carolina, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and California. In Georgia, for example, USAID funded 18 organizations that ran 79 programs, and 44 of those programs were shuttered, leading to layoffs and an estimated loss of $257.9 million. For workers living in states outside the beltway, job loss can be particularly isolating. "I have used all my savings during this furlough while FHI 360 fights to get the government to pay what it is owed. Being in Arkansas and getting resources like unemployment has been very difficult," Brown told CBS News. She said the organization has communicated with staff about the impending cuts, but it didn't make the layoffs any easier. CEO Tessie San Martin posted on LinkedIn last week that the company terminated 480 U.S. employees, including 140 in North Carolina, where it's headquartered. "FHI 360 is not alone in experiencing this type of impact," San Martin wrote. "Foreign service nationals, USAID staff, colleagues in our sector, and technical experts worldwide are all part of what has been an important sector in the U.S. economy." Wayan Vota was working from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for the international development organization Humentum when he was laid off in February. He said employees were stunned as companies laid off people left and right. "Layoff trauma hit across the country," said Vota, adding the pain of USAID cuts extend beyond federal workers living in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia. He pointed to his newsletter Career Pivot, which he started in the aftermath of the mass cuts in February as a way to help fellow contractors and federal workers who were affected by the USAID cuts. It's already grown to an audience of more than 12,000 subscribers as more federal agencies face staffing and budget cuts, he told CBS News. He anticipates the crisis will get worse when the remaining USAID workers who are still receiving their salaries stop getting paid. The vast majority of USAID employees will lose their jobs on either July 1 or Sept. 2, according to a memorandum to staff obtained by CBS News. Vota said several job seekers living outside the Washington, D.C., corridor are searching for work in the private sector or state government. Others are exiting the formal job market, he said, because the type of work they did is limited in the state where they live. Vota said job seekers tell him, "I don't see anything I can or want to do in the formal job market, so I am going to take any job, driving Ubers, waiting tables, cause my dream is dead and I'm not sure what I'm going to do next." Kasia Hatcher, 45, moved from Virginia to Georgia after her position at EnCompass was terminated and was eventually shut down due to funding loss. Hatcher, who has worked in international development for 20 years, said watching all the job losses was heartbreaking and "all was gone in what seemed like overnight." She said she spent 20 years building up experience where people knew her work and the quality of her work – and it was daunting to have to build again. She's been searching for work in human resources in the Atlanta area and said she remains hopeful she'll find something soon. "I can offer so much," she said.
