With the release of Seasonale, a 12-week birth control regime created to decrease the monthly period to only 4 times a year, the idea that women must menstruate every month is becoming outdated. Since birth control became widely available in the 1960's women have used the pill to skip their period for special events and the like. And today, doctors are prescribing these forms of contraception to prevent menstruation all together.
"If you're choosing contraception, then there's not a lot of point to having periods," says Dr. Leslie Miller, a University of Washington-Seattle researcher and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology whose Web site, noperiod.com, explains the option. She points out that women on hormonal contraception don't have real periods anyway, just withdrawal bleeding during the break from the hormone progestin.
Although there are some side effects related to hormone contraception,
like increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke and blood clots. The pill should not be used by women who have had those conditions, unexplained vaginal bleeding or certain cancers, or if they are smokers over 35.
But there are benefits from taking oral contraceptives too, such as a lower risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer, osteoporosis and pelvic inflammatory disease. And forgoing periods means no premenstrual syndrome and a lower risk of anemia and migraines, says Dr. Sheldon Segal, co-author of "Is Menstruation Obsolete?" Segal has been involved in research for several contraceptives.
Most women who do skip or eliminate their monthly menstruation are very pleased (I count myself amoung them!). Besides, skipping the inconvienence, they also skip the emotional state that menstruation brings.
Dr. Patricia Sulak, who researches extended contraception at Texas A&M College of Medicine, applauds this new trend. The doses in standard pills are now so low, she said, that having seven days off them raises the risk of pregnancy.
"This redesign is way overdue," she says. "It's going to be the demise of 21-7."
(For all of you out there without knowledge about birth control 21-7 refers to the regimine of 21 days on the pill and the 7 days you take placebos to allow for menstruation.)
I say HOORAY! And hope that women can finally be liberated from the monthly hastle, emotional rollercoaster, painful cramps, and the stigma of menstruation!
http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/05/22/no.more.periods.ap/index.html
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I know about the birth control pills, but I didn't know that you can actually eliminate the menstruation! That's so cool!!!
i had no idea thats cool
So damn awesome.
"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity--and I'm not so sure about the universe"
-Albert Einstein
So this is what women have been reduced to: little weaklings who can't even handle a little pain and some emotional turbulence. Man, I sure have more respect for those women who didn't even complain when they had every right to!
I think you should hold you tongue before speaking about something that you have never experienced.
Some women (like myself) had debilitating cramps - equal to labor pains! - EVERY month. The pain was so severe that I would vomit regularly, break out into cold sweats, run fever, faint, and NOTHING aside from being knocked out until it was over made any of the symptoms decrease. At least nothing besides birth control. I tried EVERY pain reliever you could imagine! I even took blood thinners to decrease the clotting (which is what causes cramps in the first place, the uterus is trying to pass blood clots and overexerts itself). In addition to the horrible pain (which I am sure many women can attest to) you also endure uncontrollable mood swings. Have you ever sat inside your head and wondered why you were saying/doing something but had NO control to stop yourself -- that is the emotional swings that occur during menstruation.
Some women are lucky to not have to deal with these issues. I am highly jealous of them. But I must accept the uterus I have as painful -- and if I can take a daily pill that decreases these symptoms to the point of near nonexistance and it keeps me from becoming pregnant SIGN ME UP!
i agree :) i used to suffer just like you until i went on the pill.
http://www.progressiveu.org/230738-its-funny-girls-bleed
lol....are you trying to find trouble with a comment like that.
The Sky is Falling, Recreate it for a Better Day
let's see. you're obviously a guy. you have no idea what it feels like. so dont talk.
I agree. Menstruation is a natural aspect of a woman's life. We shouldn't try to stop it from ocurring.
So is developing cancer. Should we just grin and bear that as well?
Cancer will kill you earlier than you'd like. Using an average human's logic, it's therefore all right to do things to your body THEN. On the other hand, menstruation does not cause early death, and--as has been admitted--you girls want to get out of it only because you can't handle a little pain.
It's hencethus official: women in the past were stronger than the modern women no matter what the feminists would like to believe.
What about the added hormones to our food? Do you really think that the increase of hormone we take in has no effect on our bodies. For example, females my mother's age generally started menstruating around 16, today the average age is 11! That's a five year decrease during only one generation!!! These added hormones could be causing the more intense symptoms we see in today's women.
I am getting really tired of people trying to make it seem like I (and all the other women out there) are just wimps and can't handle a "little" pain. By no accounts was my pain little. Now that I am on birth control I have a little pain -- but before it was SEVERE!
A woman I used to work with had several children and was pregnant again. I asked her how she could go through labor without any drugs. She told me that giving labor was LESS painful than her monthly menstrual cramps! Hard to believe, huh? Well, if you have experienced cramps even remotely as severly as I have it isn't hard to believe at all. It's the same process even, only with menstruation your uterus is trying to push out blood clots and overexerts itself.
Trust me a higher risk for liver cancer is definately worth being able to live my life without monthly debilitating pain. Being able to skip a period is just an added bonus that I use for convience. I am still skeptical about denying my flow altogether.
a little pain? try the equivilant of giving birth. for me it used to be at least, until i got put on the pill. so much better now :)
Girls, I love the idea of this, but how will we know when we are normal? My sister knew that something was wrong when her period didn't end after 2 weeks. She ended up needing surgery. I'm sure this is a one in a million case, but I don't know about completely dismissing the little friend that tells you you're not pregnant and you are healthy.
The Sky is Falling, Recreate it for a Better Day
I think that it is a very dangerous thing to play with the hormones of a person's body. We know of all the horrible side effects that these pills have on a woman but do we know the possible side effects that it will have on a child conceived by a woman who had previously taken this contraceptive. I'd rather menstruate and get emotional than die of heart attacks or possibly cause my future children to have rare diseases because of the chemical alterations I did to my body previously so that I could have promiscuous sex before I was ready to have a family. There are other ways of being safe and having sex. Birth control pills do not prevent the spread of STI's and so if someone truly wanted to be safe they would still have to use some form of a condom to protect themselves from the infections. Do the benefits of this form of contraception really outway the devastating side effects that we know and the ones that are still unknown?
i dont know why you think kids would have rare diseases. just because you only get your period four times does not mean your future kids will be unhealthy. taking 3 month pill packs are just as safe as the one month kind. besides, i thought we were talking about periods not pregnancy.
First -- women have been regularly using hormonal contraception since the 1960's. In the past 46 years, no severe side effects (other than rare occurance of blood clots).
As for birth defects...where is your information coming from? I have never heard of birth defects because of hormonal contraception. I am sure that if a case occured it would be widely publicized. So until you have proof don't manipulate your opinion into psuedo-facts.
I also stated in the blog that as of yet, there are no siginificant negative effects from skipping periods (although spotting may occur). Some physicians feel further study must be done before claiming all is well. Yet, the FDA has approved several birth control options targeted at eliminating a woman's menstruation. Why would the FDA claim it safe if it was causing birth defects and killing women?
I agree, it is very safe. I have yet to know of anyone who has developed problems.
I agree. Today people put so many drugs into their bodies, most of which have some, if not many side effects.
For menopause, they foudn that the hormone replacement therapy was causing cancer. I bet this could do the exact same thing. It's not right to mess with nature so much.
Actually using birth control decreases risk factors for most cancers and has not been linked to any causes of cancer (though it can elevate the risk for liver cancer in white women ONLY -- other races of women had no increased risk).
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/oral-contraceptives#5
Continuing research into the effects of oral contraceptives has provided reassuring data about the relationship between OCs and liver cancer, endometriosis, and benign gallbladder disease. Although case-control studies have suggested elevated risk estimates of up to 20-fold for liver cancer, the latest population-based data on mortality indicate no such effect. Incidence and mortality statistics from five developed nations show no temporal association between the widespread use of OCs and liver cancer.
http://www.contraceptiononline.org/contrareport/article01.cfm?art=34
The study that claim high cancer risks to hormonal birth control users has yet to be replicated in other simular studies.
And of course women who have regular menstrual cycle are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Or so I've heard.
heard where?
Not having a period is awesome and I am a member of the birth control club :) I take mine constant for 3 months, just like how you said about having 4 a year, and it is great. As a victim of extremely bad cramps to the point I had to have special pain meds, having it only 4 times now is great. And being on birth control makes it so that they barely even hurt. Usually i just stick a heat pack on there and all is well :)
unfortunetly i may not be able take it because of the expense and the extra estrogen really makes me sick..my body cant take it all...but nothing a period would be awesome!!!!!
Its a good idea, but what if the pill doesn't work one day and you get pregant when you don't stop taking them how will you knwo. And how can you get a possible due date when you are on sesonale. I am on birth control but after having my period for 3 months at one time i really like having it every month for about 5 days
Did you try more than one brand? or type? Not every pill will work for every woman. I have had horrible experiences when the type of hormone was changed. I can only use one specific hormone or it is a nightmare!
Yeah, I urge you to try a different pill. I've tried 4 kinds before I finally found one that keeps me from spotting, or having a period before I'm supposed to. I really think that doctor's take a shot in the dark with their first prescription and then, by trial & error, you end up with one that works.
i agree with you, though, if i didn't have a period each month, i wouldn't know how to tell if i'm pregnant.
The Sky is Falling, Recreate it for a Better Day
Women on the shot (last three months at a time and was the first widely used birth control that could eliminate periods) are told to take routine pregnancy tests. But I would consult a doctor about this to determine the frequency of testing.
That would be a good solution. I guess I'm more willing to deal with a period than spend money on a pregnancy test.
The Sky is Falling, Recreate it for a Better Day
Maybe, but spending money on tampons and pads would cost just as much, if not more than a pregnancy test.
Oh my, duh, i didn't even think of that! haha.
The Sky is Falling, Recreate it for a Better Day
Personally I like my period. She's comforting, she's regular, we have a decent working relationship. To me, she's my link to the ultimate in femininity.
Other than manipulating pills, "the shot" Depo Provera is also known to stop periods in most women. That's a side effect rather than a possibility. Something to think about.
Despite the convenience of bypassing a period, I think there's something to be gained in a monthly cycle. Ifind it reminds me of both my power as a woman and the responsibility that power brings.
MORE BEACH TIME FOR ME! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
oh, you can't go to the beach during your menstruation? I definitely go.
Many symptoms of menstuation would inhibit beach experience --
bloating causes you to be more self critical,
heavy flow where bathrooms aren't readily available,
cramps that you must stay home to tend to with a heating pad
Just to name a few.
That's true. But many people still go to the beach during their period. The poster seemed to be saying that it was impossible to go to the beach during menstruation. To me, it's just another day of the week.
In Europe they do actually have something they can do that completely eliminates your period what-so-ever. I'm not sure if it stops you from having babies, but my guess is that the answer is yes. My Aunt went to Europe back when she was thirty something and was bleeding so bad that they had to go to the hospital. They gave her something to take and she hasn't had a period since. (That's thirty or so years.) She never went through menopause either because of it... convenient if you ask me...
awesome. i need that stuff!!
Oh, thesheep, I love you when we agree, but in this case I'm afraid we're at an impasse. Let us try and recreate the cramping situation so you can understand it.
How about I kick you in the balls a couple of times. Then when you think the pain is subsiding, I can kick you in the balls again. Then someone comes up to you and says "Hey, I can give you this little pill and you'll stop getting kicked in the balls so much. However, it has these side effects. Would you like to try it?" And you, not like being kicked in the balls, says "what the hell, it has to be better than getting kick in the nads!" Then you take it and suddenly...everything is fine. No pain, no nothing. Its ultimate nirvana.
That is exactly what I experience everytime I have horrid cramps--I want to die in so many horrific ways because I know it would be less painful than what I'm going through right then, and then I take Advil and 15 minutes later the pain suddenly lifts out of your system. You feel like it never happened, and its WONDERFUL. You want to jump up and down and scream and be happy, but then you want to cry because you have no idea why--wait, now you remember. Mood swings. Crap. ::crying commences::.
But you can't take Advil all the damn time, because its usually that you have to go THROUGH the pain before you take it, and after a while it gets annoying. You take a little pill and poof! it never starts. Life is good, insert smile here.
However, when I got put on the patch (I can't be on the pill--very forgetful), for several days I was nauseated (sp?), rapid change in appetite, I wanted to throw up every 5 minutes, headaches were rampant, and all I wanted to do was sleep. So I am left to Advil, but hey, w/e. Some girls can do it, some can't. I say that if your monthly crappy week comes and its horrible, then you have the right to subside that pain.
If you still have no idea how it feels, let me kick you in the balls again.
"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity--and I'm not so sure about the universe"
-Albert Einstein
"How about I kick you in the balls a couple of times."
-For the majority of women, cramps don't hurt nearly that much. Getting kicked in the balls is a falling down kinds of pain. FEw women who are menstruating can't stand up.
Well you have now officially met one - me! That is why I am on birth control and honestly scared to stop using it.
If those are safe and affordable, they are a godsend.
~CallieV
If women were made this way, even if it is only for pregnancy, it is there for a reason.
-Kristen
And if you have no desire to become pregnant? What is the reason then?
What statistics are you basing your findings off of peppermintfrost? This is ridiculous. If you have a migraine, are you just going to sit there and "let it play itself out" or are you going to take some medication? If you are in pain, it hinders your ability to do so many things like work, focus, be friendly, etc. etc. To subside pain means you've subsided the side effects that usually came with it. 'cept for the mood swings. Still get those. Jacqulyn, ever watch like a commercial and suddenly just want to cry? Annoying as hell isn't it. I couldn't ask any other one of you that question, because if you've ever experienced that sort of thing, you wouldn't be speaking against it like you are now.
"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity--and I'm not so sure about the universe"
-Albert Einstein
As ridiculous as it sounds -- YES! I have on occasion during the unhappy cycle that "make me a woman" cried at a lame commercial. Then you begin to second guess yourself and down yourself for your weakness -- then you cry for that -- IT NEVER ENDS! And for that, I take a special little pill that cures me of all these emotions and pain, the uncomfortableness, the inconsistancies in myself, and prevents me from conceiving! How great is that!
Its wonderful, if it didn't give me all the side effects. Unfortunately I'm stuck with no cramps, but all the rest of it. How about almost crying all first half of the Wizard of Oz? Man did I feel pathetic.
"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity--and I'm not so sure about the universe"
-Albert Einstein
I think it would be GREAT not to have a period every month. But, it seems too good to be true. I, for one, would worry about those possible side affects. Besides it's unnatural and I wonder about the long term affects it could cause.
I'd take it but I would have to find out the risks; if they're are any. Saying that one shouldn't try to avoid their period because it's natural is like saying humans shouldn't evolve because our primitive state is natural.
Granted I do consider it sort of (a little "sort of") sacred; especially when you read the way it was considered spiritual in some societies(not even kidding). Although in others it was considered unclean.
I fear no man(Nazgul)...i'm no man(Eowyn) -LoTR