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| No | 79% | 312 votes | Total: 395 votes | |
| Yes | 21% | 83 votes |
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Add to FavoritesI am a medical professional that has worked in women's health care for over 10 years and I can definitely say that stopping menstruation in a healthy non-pregnant female for a long period of time is not healthy. Menstrual cycles are for building up the lining of the uterus to prepare for pregnancy and shedding the lining (menstruation) when pregnancy is not achieved. Of course people that are taking contraceptives are not planning for pregnancy, but it should be noted that when the uterine lining reaches a certain point, it will shed which causes break-through bleeding. Many women love the idea of fewer or no periods at all, but are very alarmed when they have not had a period in several months and then they have one that lasts for several weeks. Contraceptives that reduce or stop periods were made for convenience and when they are working, most women are extremely satisfied, but when the body takes over and does the function that it was made to do, most women are very upset. Since each woman is different, they will respond differently to these types of contraceptives. Some women will have a large amount of break-through bleeding and some will have none at all. However, if every woman did not have any break-through bleeding at all on these types of contraceptives, I do not think that they would even be on the market, because with increased thickness of the uterine lining, there is an increased risk of uterine cancer and this is speculation, but it could also lead to fertility problems later as well. There are pros and cons to any type of contraceptive, but it is my personal opinion that contraceptives that allow the body to retain its normal functions are better than those that try to inhibit them. Women considering pregnancy later should be careful in the types of contraceptives that they use now so that they can have a solid foundation to start a pregnancy on and to avoid a delay in becoming pregnant. There are many types of contraceptives available and for those considering pregnancy, it is very important to choose one that is best for you. For those that are not considering pregnancy, it is very important to check your risk factors such as age, smoking, family history, and personal history of blood clots or certain types of cancer.
Learn more about this author, Candace White.
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Yes
As someone who has spent over 30 years suffering from acute period pain and all manner of unpleasant menstrual problems, I say what a great idea - bring it on! I wish they had invented a contraceptive pill that stops menstruation a good deal earlier than they have, and I don't see why it should not be healthy.
Yes I know all the arguments, - mainly that having a period is "natural", "normal" and healthy for a woman, but is it really natural, normal and healthy to be doubled up in pain for 10 days every month for 30 years or more? And is it right and acceptable that a woman gains at least 7lbs in weight (mostly water) each month, causing her to need a whole separate wardrobe for half her life? Or for her to lose at least 2 days a month off sick from work due to appalling cramps, excessive bleeding, anaemia, exhaustion, and all the other menstrual symptoms? For every woman who sails through her monthly cycle with ease, plenty like myself, do not.
At the end of the day, menstruation is a way pf showing a woman is fertile and is able to conceive a child. But if she has already completed her family, is not in a serious relationship, or simply does not want a child, what is the point of it? It is painful, messy, sometimes embarrassing (if you are as "heavy" as I was when I was younger), and can completely ruin holidays, travel plans, exams, job interviews, and any manner of daily life that may just happen to coincide with the aptly named "The Curse".
It is worth noting that one thing that seems to have been forgotten in this debate, is the fact that, even with the old-fashioned pill that allowed women to have a periods, it was not really a period , - it was just a placebo to fool women into thinking that their bodies were reacting "normally". Put simply, a period occurs when you ovulate, and tw weeks later, the lining of the womb is shed if that month's ovulatory cycle has not resulted in pregnancy. With any form of the contraceptive pill, you do not ovulate at all, because the cocktail of hormones contained within it stop ovulation happening. So the "period" at the end of the 3-week cycle with the old fashioned pill, was really just a false bleed , caused by withdrawing progesterone from a womans ' body, and designed to make women feel "mormal". It was never a proper period at all, so where is the problem.?
Of course, as with all medication, stirct tests and guidelines must be in place before women are advised to be put on this treatment, especially in the case of younger woman who may well want to have a family later in their lives. One would need to be very sure that the mixture of hormones in this new pill did not affect their fertitily later on. But providing that has been tested to the best of the medical profession's ability, I say this new contraceptive pill is a great idea.
Learn more about this author, Rose Conrad.
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