For the first time in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given its approval to an oral contraceptive product that will be available without a prescription. We expect that Opill will begin to appear in pharmacies, grocery stores, and online in early 2024.

From the FDA press release (July 13, 2023):

“Today’s approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the United States,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “When used as directed…

One of the great privileges of our work as obstetricians is the opportunity to witness, again and again, the moment when a man becomes a father. During the pregnancy, he waits in a supporting role. He attends prenatal appointments and childbirth classes, assembles a crib, installs a car seat, and offers his partner whatever help and comfort he can. During the first minutes after the birth, he watches his partner hold their tiny infant against her skin while a nurse works to clear the baby’s nose and mouth and dry the skin. Someone calls out a few numbers (the…

As the average age of first-time mothers continues to creep upward, more women have questions about future fertility and fertility-extending technology. According to the CDC, this average age has reached 27.3 years (2021). And women sometimes delay their pregnancy plans far beyond this age for professional and personal reasons.
“Should I freeze my eggs?”
We hear this question in the office more frequently as more women become aware that the technology exists. In fact, the number of women seeking oocyte cryopreservation (freezing eggs) has increased dramatically over the last decade. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine no…

FOR COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH: THIS POST HAS BEEN REVISED TO INCLUDE NEW INFORMATION ABOUT COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING AND GENETIC TESTING.
We understand that, through a large part of her life, her gynecologist may be the only physician a woman sees every year. While our focus is your reproductive health, we want you to be well-informed about other health issues you may face now or in the future. Colorectal cancer is one of these risks.
Despite the fact that these cancers are highly preventable and very treatable in earlier stages, they are the third leading cause of cancer deaths…

Every January the news and social media recap events from the year gone by and try to forecast the headlines of the year ahead. New Year’s Resolutions are always a popular topic even though most of us seem to recycle the ones we made last year. Statistica (a leading supplier of marketing and consumer data) tells us that this year’s top three resolutions were to exercise more, eat healthier, and lose weight—no surprise there. We recognize that excess weight and its associated health risks are a serious national problem. But 2023 may bring us new possibilities for…

Happy New Year 2023! Over the years, we’ve posted many greetings in this space suggesting healthy resolutions to start the year. The typical list includes weight-loss, smoking cessation, exercise, preventive healthcare, and so on—worthwhile goals for any new year.

This year we decided to change it up a bit. We begin 2023 with resolutions to make you happy. While none of these “resolutions” can minimize the burden of life’s serious challenges, they might offer you a few more smiles, moments of fun, chances to relax, or personal satisfaction over the next twelve months. Our list got…

Today former news anchor Katie Couric revealed that she has been undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Her announcement on social media read:

“Every two minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. On June 21st, I became one of them.” You can read her full post here. Seeing this headline and realizing that Breast Cancer Awareness Month is just a few days off, Dr. Favor wanted to pass along some important facts about breast cancer risk and breast care.

Dr. Favor emphasizes that the latest strategies against breast cancer include identifying women at higher risk and…

Are you planning to become pregnant?
Will you have contact with an infant this year?
Are you attending college?
Have you reached age 60?
Are you planning foreign travel?
Most of us are very aware that children need immunizations to protect them from contagious diseases and to enroll them in school. Each summer, moms plan visits to the pediatrician to update the important blue slip, the Alabama Certificate of Immunization. But our need for vaccinations extends beyond childhood. The questions above are reminders of just some of the situations for which adult women need to consider their immunizations.
We know…

All the physicians at Sparks & Favor welcome birth plans. Whether you have a written plan or just a mental note of a few items, it helps us to know what is important to you.
A True Birth Plan Story
Many years ago, Dr. Sparks and his wife looked forward to the birth of their first child. Dr. Sparks, an army physician, had just received his new duty assignment to the 130th Station Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany. They would travel over a month before the baby’s due date, get settled, and then spend some time enjoying this beautiful city…

We understand that, through a large part of her life, her gynecologist may be the only physician a woman sees every year. While our focus is your reproductive health, we want you to be well-informed about other health issues you may face now or in the future. Colorectal cancer is one of these risks.
Despite the fact that these cancers are highly preventable and very treatable in earlier stages, they are the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. for both men and women. Factors that increase your risk of colon cancer include:

Age
Personal and…