You know that your birth control helps to prevent pregnancy, but did you know it may be causing painful orgasms and affecting your taste in men? If you're on the pill, it's important to know exactly how that dosage affects your body and behaviors. To stay informed, take a look at these fascinating study findings about birth control:

Women on Birth Control Prefer Feminine Guys
Feeling more attracted to less-masculine men? Your birth control may explain it. A 2013 study of college-age women in the UK showed that women on the pill were less drawn to masculine features like sharp jaws, prominent brows, and angular face shapes.

Low-Dose Pills Can Make Orgasms Painful
According to a new study conducted at NYU Langone Medical Center, low-dose birth control pills make sex more painful. Based on her research of about 1,000 women, low-dose pill users were twice as likely to report pain during or after orgasm.

Binge Drinking Increases the Pregnancy Risk For Pill Users
Those extra weekend cocktails may make your birth control less effective. According to 2012 reports, binge drinking can increase the risk of pregnancy because the unfortunate cycle of heavy drinking and vomiting often leads to unprotected sex.

Free Access to Birth Control Lowers Abortion Rates
The link between birth control and abortions has long been debated, but the findings of a 2012 study show that providing free birth control could prevent 41 to 71 percent of abortions. When researchers supplied more than 9,000 teens with free contraception methods, the program reduced the group's abortion rate by 62 percent.

Women Are Misinformed About IUDs
A recent survey showed that the majority of women have false perceptions about the safety and effectiveness of IUDs. The study participants didn't know that IUDs are more effective than the pill, which means that one of the most safe, successful methods of birth control is widely underused.

Sure, when you're trying to be part of a different family, you're bound to run into a few hiccups. But if you're truly struggling to build relationships, then follow these simple tips to find your footing. Whether you're about to get married or you're years past the in-law introductions, take a look at these five ways to improve your relationships with your other half's parents:

Get to know them personally.
To build a strong relationship with your in-laws, you need to find a connection that goes beyond their son or daughter. Do you know about their childhoods, their pastimes, their favorites books? Learning more about your in-laws' hobbies and interests will help you identify with them in a different way.

Know your boundaries.
If you're spending all day, every day with your in-laws, then there's bound to be tension in your relationships. Although you may be tempted to say yes to every invitation and request, being so agreeable may actually hurt your connections in the end. Think quality over quantity, and know that you can say no.

Don't be afraid to communicate.
You can't expect them to read your mind. If you're not open about who you are and what you're looking for, then there's no way for them to know what kind of relationship you might prefer. Speak up if there's a problem, because sweeping it under the rug will only build resentment.

Let your guy do his thing.
At the end of the day, these are his parents, and his relationship with them has plenty of layers you'll never understand. Whether he's close to his parents or has issues with them, it's best to let him deal with those relationships on his own. You should offer to help if he asks for your input, of course, but don't assume you know best. And most importantly, remember that it's really never OK to insult someone else's family — even if it's one you married into.

Remember what works.
Consider the best times you've shared with your in-laws, and do what you can to re-create those kinds of moments again and again. Had a blast bowling with his dad? Invite him to play mini golf. Loved hunting for recipes with his mom? Offer to take a cooking class. Stick with the things that bring you together to build a stronger, more comfortable connection.

If the dating scene is starting to feel stale, now's the time to switch things up and reenergize your love life. It's easy to get caught up in the same routine — especially with something that can be as daunting as dating. But if you're feeling just plain bored with romance, then take a look at these five quick tips to spice up the dating game:

• Try online dating apps. Organized dating events and Internet dating aren't for everyone, but you'll never know unless you try, right? Get together with a few girlfriends to write up your dating profiles and check out the latest dating apps. You can play around with the addictive social dating app Tinder or ask your pals to try the group-dating service Grouper. Diving in together will make it feel less like a chore — and more like an exciting, lighthearted pastime, which is how dating should feel.
• Look beyond your type. You're not doing yourself any favors by dating the same kind of guy over and over again. Sure, you know your taste, but you may surprise yourself, so try to be open-minded. Make this the Summer you lounge in a park across town, get drinks at a bar that's a little out of your way, and meet a new crowd.
• Ask a guy out. Don't feel like you have to sit back and wait for him to come to you. Asking a guy out may seem terrifying, but even if it doesn't go as planned, you'll gain a fresh perspective and hopefully feel a bit bolder next time you're approached.
• Agree to meet your friend's friend. It's easy to brush off your friends when they insist that you meet so-and-so's brother's roommate's cousin, but who knows? He might just be a great guy, so don't cut yourself off from those fun opportunities.
• Make it a double. Next time you're asked out, bring along a single friend and ask your date to do the same. Even if sparks don't fly, you're guaranteed to have fun with your girlfriend — or at least laugh about it later.

If you've ever wondered how hookups affect you, what people think of playboys, or whether "booty calls" have guidelines, then rest easy knowing science has the answers. With the help of a few studies, we're taking a look at what research says about casual sex. Most recently, the media has been following a strain of gonorrhea that was called "worse than AIDS" — a reminder that casual or not, it's still important to practice safe sex. Curious about what science has to say about sex? Take a look at these surprising findings on everything from women's sexual power to the real meaning of "friends with benefits"!

College Hookups Are Good For Women
Feeling bad about your no-strings-attached relationship in college? Don't! In 2011, researchers at North Carolina State University found that casual sex allows women more sexual power than classic dinner dates. The study doesn't look down on dating or promote reckless hookups, but the data shows that in casual-sex situations, students are more open to women taking the sexual lead, while in more formal dating environments, they slip into traditional gender roles.

Guys Get the "Slut" Label Too
It looks like no one's free from sexual judgment these days. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago studied data from over 19,000 college students and found that about half the subjects lose respect for anyone who has sex with "lots of people" — regardless of gender. Findings showed that 48 percent of students judged men's and women's sexual activity equally, 12 percent judged women more harshly than men, and 13 percent judged men more harshly than women.

Casual Sex Has Rules
A researcher at the University of Ottawa found that there's a specific code to identify different sexual relationships. Looking at people ages 18 to 27, she found that the four most popular casual sex terms are "booty call," "friends with benefits," "one-night stand," and "f*ck buddy." Each term has a different meaning — for instance, a "booty call" usually involves a late-night text, while "friends with benefits" involves two people who were friends first.

Plenty has been said about how and why women orgasm, but which claims have the research to back them up? Collecting results from recent studies, we're highlighting the juiciest facts about the big "O." Take a look at these surprising finds to learn what makes for better sex, what you can do to prompt your body, and more:

Yep, Size Matters
Based on a 2012 study conducted by Stuart Brody, a psychologist at the University of the West of Scotland, it seems that size does matter when it comes to women who experience vaginal orgasms. Although the size issue has sometimes been attributed to cultural pressure and internalized stereotypes, it's a fact: women do climax more easily with men who have larger penises, preferring 5.8 inches or more.

Women Have Premature Orgasms, Too
Think it's only men who can come early? Not true — women also experience premature orgasms. A 2011 Portuguese study found that 40 percent of women came more quickly than intended during sex, and for 3 percent of women, it's a chronic issue.

Better Communication Leads to Better Sex
Looks like there's a case against "no strings attached" sex — a 2011 study at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health revealed that sex is far more enjoyable for people who listen, understand another person's emotions, and empathize with their partner.

Read on for more of what studies say about orgasms.

When you're not so into your friend's other half, it can wreak havoc on your relationship — and theirs. If you don't handle it the right way, then it can be an awkward, sticky situation, so it's important to take a step back and deal with the issue. Not a fan of your friend's guy? Learn how to deal with these five helpful tips:

• Decide whether it's just you. Think about why you have a problem with him. Is it something small, like an annoying habit? Are you just jealous of the time they spend together? Or is it an issue with how he treats your friend? If it's just you, then you need to work it out on your own, but if it's a bigger problem, then talk to another friend to figure out the next step.
• Consider their connection. Your friend is dating him for a reason, so take a step back to evaluate their relationship. What does she see in him? Which qualities does she gush about most? Think about why he's good for her, and let that be the foundation of the friendship you build with him.
• Find common ground. You have your friend in common, so chances are there's something you two can relate on. Ask your pal what he's into, learn more about his past, and when you're at the same event, strike up some small talk to see if you have any shared interests.
• Make a real effort. If he feels like you aren't a fan of his, then he definitely won't be himself when he's around you. Make a point to reach out and initiate one-on-one conversations so that he can feel more comfortable — that way, his best, most genuine self can shine through.
• Know your boundaries. Love him when it's a small group but can't stand him at major events? Recognize when and where you feel most at ease with him, and steer your friendship in that direction. If your friend is really into him, then he'll probably be around for a while, so it's important to define boundaries that work for you.

The ins and outs of being a good friend are fairly straightforward, but the "BFF" title comes with a range of responsibilities. You're kind, you're supportive, and you're empathetic, but is that enough? There are key elements of every relationship that deserve extra attention, so to help you avoid any awkward friendship slipups, we're highlighting the major blunders to avoid. To be the best BFF you can be, steer clear of these eight friendship faux pas:

1. Forget major events. Everyone forgets a birthday at some point, but do whatever you can to remember those special occasions in her life. When she tells you about a big work project or a fun date that's coming up, mark it down on your calender so you can make a point to reach out. A simple text, a card — whatever it is, she's sure to appreciate that small effort.
2. Comment on her insecurities. Whether it's "I look fat" or "my nail beds suck," don't indulge her moments of insecurity. When she says something negative about herself, skip the response and steer the conversation elsewhere. Chiming in will only feed into her issues, and whether you agree with her or not, no answer is the right one.
3. Bash other friends. A good rule of thumb: if it feels like you're gossiping, you probably are. And if you're talking about another friend behind her back, who's to say you won't do the same to her? Even if you're just opening up to her because you know she'll understand where you're coming from, it's still not a good idea — gossip doesn't look good on anyone.
4. Make fun of her family. It doesn't matter how close you are to her family — you should never, ever say something bad about one of her relatives. She may like to joke about her annoying younger brother or that crazy, reckless aunt you met over the holidays, but that doesn't mean you should feel free to join in. Cracking one-liners about her family will only upset her, so nod and laugh rather than adding to the conversation.

Read on for more friendship mistakes to avoid.