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Add to FavoritesIt seems to me that life is merely a series of choices. We each get to make these choices for ourselves. I am not a doctor. I am not a member of the FDA. But I AM a 30 year old woman. I have been having my period every month since I was 13 (at least, I've been know to go twice a month). So 17 multiplied by 12 is 204. I have had at least 204 periods in my life. I know what happens to my body. I worked at a pregnancy center for 17 months. I know what happens to a woman who finds herself pregnant unexpectedly. I have heard girls say, in all truth and honesty, "How did that happen?" I know what happens to a woman who desperately, more than anything else in the world, wants to be pregnant. I have done LOTS of research. I would consider myself a reliable expert on this particular subject.
Within the framework of our society, feminism's number one question seems to be, and to have been for quite a while now: to work or to reproduce? Now, forsaking the trend of pregnancy in Hollywood, this does seem to continue to be a HUGE question in women's lives from the time that they are really quite young.
So you might say, "let's just go with the flow" or "what woman wouldn't want to avoid the headache and hassle of a regular period?" Well lets be honest with ourselves for a moment. We are intelligent. We are allowed and able to make a choice. So let's make a wise choice.
What are the long term health affects? Does anyone know yet? I have a sneaking suspicion that my body, created to "go forth and multiply" from day one, would organize a huge revolt against my brains ability to choose if I cut off it's right to clean itself out once a month.
Okay, let's just cut to the heart of the issue. What are your long term plans? Do you have any? I know that my earliest desire was "to be a Mommy when I grew up." My plans changed at 18. I decided theatre was a much more exciting world than family and I pursued it with gusto for 11 years. Then my body scheduled it's own little revolt. I want to have children. An yes, most days I too feel that I want that one thing more than anything else in the world.
The question of reproductive choice may seem to be a mute point in the discussion of the health affects of a birth control pill. When putting this pill in our mouth we are obviously choosing to CONTROL birth. To avoid it. To prevent it.
But I want to put it to you like this, and yes, this is my FINAL answer, we have a lot less control over our bodies' creative design then we would often like to believe. So am I saying, just go with the flow? No. I'm saying know yourself, know what you want out of life and review your options. Make your choice. But I do have to say one more time; do we REALLY know the long term effects of this drug? When Jane Doe decides after 10 years of taking the seasonal pill that she is ready to reproduce, will she be able to?
Learn more about this author, Caroline Ross.
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Yes
Not only have I researched this subject on my own out good curiosity, but I've also asked numerous doctors personally and actually tried suppressing my own menstruation for nearly 8 months. Here is the information I've gathered, and the personal experiences I've acquired.
The Technicalities
Is is medically safe? Yes. Doctors, studies, and the FDA have proved it to be so. It is no different than taking regular birth control pills, because all pills stop true menstruation. This is why woman can't get pregnant while on them, there are no eggs! Menstruation is when a female's body flushes out old eggs (with the blood) and replenishes it with a set of new ones. When on birth control pills, the combination of hormones stops the production of eggs. When the week of placebo pills comes around, you bleed-for no other reason than just to bleed.
Now, is it safe to take the pill continuously, without the week long break every month? Yes! There is no reason for those placebos except for a woman to have a fake period, and that fake period is still pointless. Any new pill the suppresses menstruation for a certain amount of time is usually a lower dose too, only so a woman can stay regular.
Unless...
So doctors are telling us we can stop our periods, and with no negative side effects-and even some positive side effects?! Why aren't woman jumping on this idea? Some are scared of it; they may think it seems unnatural, and therefore must be unhealthy. This is not necessarily true though! However, here are some common reasons not to take it-that have been studied.
If a woman feels as though she needs to have a period to feel 'womanly' than she should do so. This sounds crazy, but studies have shown that some woman crave a period after awhile, even if not a real one. I started suppressing my period in January, and by the third month off I wanted to have one. My birth control pills were working great, and I was experiencing wonderful side effects like more energy, greater happiness, and a steady weight. It's a hard feeling to explain, who WANTS a period? Once you get the feeling though, it's quite obvious what your craving. Of course this mentality is nothing harmful; it's really all in your head. It's nothing like clinical depression or anxiety orders where there is some physiological alteration.
If a woman does not react well to birth control, she should not take it, especially long term. I've always reacted great to the pill, no matter which brand. However, when Planned Parenthood switched me over from Seasonique to Lutera, by body went berserk. I gained weight, spotted straight through, received extreme cases of acne all over my body and suffered from depression. Thats when I decided to get off birth control, until I could find a different and affordable solution. Know what your body can handle, and what brands are suitable.
To sum up, is suppressing menstruation healthy? Clinically yes, but there may be some complications mentally. However, anything that can happen to a woman while stopping menstruation is only temporary, and I suggest a woman try it out, just to see if her body can get away with no more periods!
Learn more about this author, Brenna Mae.
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