7 things to always keep in your medicine cabinet
When was the last time you cleaned out your medicine cabinet? Like really, truly took everything out, checked expiration dates, and cleared out the things you no longer use? If you’re anything like us, it’s been a while.
Upgrade your medicine cabinet with our quick guide to must-have essentials for your reproductive and sexual health.
Pregnancy tests
Pregnancy tests are a great thing to keep around for anyone who’s sexually active — regardless if you’re actively trying to conceive or not.
With so many women having irregular periods, relying on your menstrual cycle to confirm whether you’re pregnant or not may not be helpful. So, rather than going into a full spiral when you think you could be pregnant, having a test handy can put your mind at ease.
For those trying to get pregnant, stocking up on pregnancy tests will save you time-consuming trips to the drug store and provide the ability to test at your own convenience.
If you’re not trying to get pregnant but are having sex on the regular, always having the option to test for pregnancy can provide peace of mind. Think of it this way: no form of birth control is 100% effective. Condoms can break or you might forget to take birth control on time, and it’s helpful to be prepared.
The morning-after pill (emergency contraception)
For those who want extra protection from unprotected sex, keeping morning-after pill around can help when you're in a pinch.
By delaying ovulation (the release of an egg from your ovary), the morning-after pill reduces your chances of getting pregnant when taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex (or if your birth control fails). Available without a prescription, the morning-after pill is an easy way to help prevent pregnancy.
Vaginal pH tests and yeast infection treatment
There’s nothing quite like a yeast infection to throw a wrench into your plans. Since nearly 75% of women will get a yeast infection during their lifetime, so why not always be prepared? Stocking up on vaginal pH tests and yeast infection treatment will save you from hours of uncertainty and discomfort that yeast infections can cause.
The symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection are usually itching, burning, and a change in the consistency of your discharge. To find out whether you have a yeast infection, you can use an at-home vaginal pH test to confirm your symptoms in as fast as 2 minutes!
With proper yeast infection treatment, the infection can heal in as little as 3 days. However, when left untreated, the fungus can circulate throughout your body and cause more serious complications. Whether you’ve had one or not, it’s helpful to know how to recognize the signs and ways to treat it so you won’t be caught off guard.
Shop the article
UTI tests and UTI pain relief
As anyone who’s had one before knows, UTIs can certainly ruin your day. With feelings of burning when you pee, urgency, and cloudy urine, UTIs can be painful. When they strike, not having what you need to confirm your infection or provide quick relief can make a bad situation even worse.
Between 50-60% of women will experience a UTI in their lifetime, so it’s always good to be prepared. Keeping at-home UTI tests (the same ones used at your doctor’s office) and UTI fast-acting pain relief on hand can help ease any worry and discomfort until you can get antibiotics to treat it.
Whether you’ve had experience with UTIs or are one of the lucky few who haven’t, being on top of things will only help you if you develop one in the future.
Ovulation Tests
For those who’d like to learn more about their menstrual cycle, having ovulation tests around can help. Learning when you’re most fertile (aka your fertile window) and when your period is on its way can be helpful for anyone looking to get more in tune with their body.
If you are trying to get pregnant or have irregular periods, ovulation testing can make your life a little bit easier. There are only a few days in each menstrual cycle when you can get pregnant, which is why it’s important to know your most fertile days.
Since you’re most fertile in the 2-3 before ovulation, knowing when you’re going to ovulate can help increase your chances for success when you’re trying to conceive.
On the flip side, knowing when you’re most fertile is important for trying to abstain from getting pregnant, too. As we’ve said before, no birth control provides 100% protection from pregnancy, so using condoms in addition to your method of birth control (especially during ovulation) is a good idea.
The bottom line
Playing guessing games with your reproductive health is not our idea of a good time. That’s why we created easy-to-use at-home tests and treatments so that you can always be in the know when it comes to your body.
Questions? We’re here for you, every step of the way. Reach out at hello@getstix.com to get started.
Keep Reading
How do you know if you have a yeast infection?
Nov 8
We asked a Doctor all your UTI Questions
Dec 7
When to talk to your doctor about irregular periods
Nov 11