Thank you but your baby is in another uterus.

It’s August 1st, what are you doing? 1) Moving into a new apartment; 2) Pre-emptively mourning the end of summer, in which case, relax, there are still 51 days left; 3. Getting free birth control? If you answered one or two, good luck holding onto the screws for your IKEA bed. If you think No. 3 is too good to be true, it’s not.

Today marks the roll-out day for a new mandate requiring individual or employer-based insurance plans (you uninsureds are still out of luck) to offer contraceptive coverage without a co-pay. That means if you sign or renew a health insurance policy after today, your birth control is now free, along with a bunch of other things that are now free, including mammograms, screenings for cervical cancer and prenatal care. (more…)

Because everyone (even el Bloombito) rallied to support Planned Parenthood in the wake of the Susan G. Komentroversy this week, we wanted to highlight some of our favorite women’s health guides, lest you NYC would ever leave you stranded alone in a cold, heartless world if you had a health emergency. First, check our no-insurance health care guide and the list of free STD testing services available in BK (don’t forget about that free condom finder app too). We also have a roundup and price check of abortion providers in Brooklyn, and a rundown of the whys and hows of using money saving menstrual cups. And switching to a bit of a lighter side from health to beauty, a cautionary tale of what really goes on at a $10 bikini wax (ouch!).

With reproductive rights in the news this week, we decided to take a look at abortions in Brooklyn — namely where they’re offered, how much they cost, and what online reviewers have said about the borough’s providers. It’s not our usual light fare here on Brokelyn, but we hope those who need this information will find it useful if and when. The following was culled from online sources, clinic calls and, in some cases, site visits. As always, if you have more to add, such as reviews of the clinics mentioned as well as those we missed, please pipe up in the comments.  (more…)