The label for the contraceptive patch Ortho Evra was updated yesterday as a result of a study that suggested that women using the patch were at higher risk of serious blood clots than women using birth control pills.
In 2005, the label was updated to note that women using the patch seem to be receiving higher levels of estrogen than those using the pill, and so may have increased risks.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has a good overview of deep vein thrombosis (a kind of blood clot mentioned in the updated label), including causes, risk factors, symptoms to watch out for, prevention, and other topics, as well as on pulmonary embolism, when the clot travels to the lungs.
Categories: Contraception · Devices · Health · Products · Technology · Women's Health
Via Medgadget, I learned of the Labor’Lert, which is essentially a souped up stopwatch with some features familiar to those who use treadmills. It allows the user to hit a button at the start and end of each contraction, resulting in a digital readout of the contraction spacing and duration. The device also calculates the average length of the last three contractions and average frequency of the last six contractions, It also has a due date countdown, although the display in months, days and hours is a little more precise than Mother Nature tends to be in reality. Hours? Talk about unrealistic expectations. At $30, that’s a little more gadget and precision than even this tending-toward-control-freak needs.
PS-Our friends at Medgadget summed up the device thusly: “So, for those that are feeling excited during labor (everyone) and want to press a timer button in between 1-2-3-push-push-push, this device with a mysterious purpose is for you.” Dudes. This thing is for figuring out when to go to the hospital or call the midwife or what have you – by the time you’re pushing, you don’t need this puppy.
Categories: Birth · Devices · Products · Technology · Women's Health
