Womens healthcare and ideological interference

[RedToothBrush]

www.independent.co.uk/voices/pill-women-pope-catholic-contraceptive-birth-control-doctors-health-a8740231.html?amp&utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter&__twitter_impression=true
Women were lied to about the pill because a man wanted to please the Pope – what else are we not being told?
With a medical research industry as sophisticated as ours, it’s a scandal that we know so little about women’s bodies

Voices
Women were lied to about the pill because a man wanted to please the Pope – what else are we not being told?
With a medical research industry as sophisticated as ours, it’s a scandal that we know so little about women’s bodies

Women on the contraceptive pill know how they’re meant to take it: every day for three weeks of the month with a break so we can bleed. Or, we thought we knew.

As it turns out, the reason we’ve been told to stop taking the pill for a week each month is because one of the men working on the drug when it came out 60 years ago was a Catholic and wanted the Pope’s approval. He thought he’d get the Pope on board with oral contraceptives if it could mimic a woman’s natural cycle, still making her bleed once a month. The Pope, being the Pope, did not approve and the man renounced Catholicism, but that’s another story.

Now, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) has said that there is no medical benefit to having that week off the pill. There is no reason – other than a man’s sanctimonious whim – to bleed each month.

In fact, the FSRH has confirmed that it’s safer to take the pill every day because it increases protection against pregnancy. From now on, NHS doctors will advise women on the pill to take it continuously.

Wow.

I think Malcolm Gladwell wrote about this about 15 years ago and it's been reported elsewhere. Kind of surprised people are surprised.

I usually run three packs together and then take a break, because I’ve found on the fourth consecutive pack I tend to get spotting and I’d rather be in control of it. And every time I go for a repeat prescription the nurse counts back in weeks to the last time I had one and interrogates me about how often I run packs together and tells me it isn’t safe. And then tries to push an implant onto me. Annoys the fucking hell out of me, it does.

OK - DD (15) is on the pill because she was very, very ill when she didn't have a period for 6 months, followed by a truly terrifying bleed that led to needing paramedics. So now she takes the pill and has a break every month to make sure that she bleeds.

Doesn't that mean that for some (no idea how many) women, a similar thing could happen if they tool the pill for a year then had a break? I'm sure it wouldn't be every woman, but as you don't know until you try, it could be quite scary.

That doesn't justify at all the interference of the church in women's healthcare, but I would want to know the possible long term effects of not taking a break.

Marguerita you’re not coming across well. I also feel you have a very unusual and possibly paranoid approach to suggest it would be normal to be regularly taking pregnancy tests when you were using contraception, or that women with irregular cycles should be continually checking for a pregnancy they didn’t suspect or expect, just in case, and that not doing so is somehow irresponsible. That sounds bonkers

I do think it is irresponsible. I think the attitude that "oh well , my body just tripped me up, never mind" is extremely irresponsible.

Goodness knows the amount of posts I've seen on here about how no contraception is 100% reliable - yet the idea of perhaps checking is "bonkers" ?

My periods started getting farther and farther apart at an age when most women are still fertile and are still having babies. I had no way of telling if I went 5 or 6 weeks without a period whether that was just my body playing up or I might be pregnant. I wasn't on the pill and was relying on condoms.

In your view it is "bonkers" to check that there was nothing to worry about at the stage when, if there was, I could have had a quick and easy medical abortion. No doubt in your view it would have been not bonkers to wait until I was definitely, really, 100% sure and have a surgical abortion?

I suppose you would think a friend of mine who didn't bother doing a test "because my periods are so irregular" and had a traumatic surgical abortion at 21 weeks was sensible.

Oh and I don't care whether I'm coming across well or not.

Oh and I don't care whether I'm coming across well or not.

Well that’s one thing look you seem quite intense about this subject, I have no desire to add to any anxiety you have around this and we are getting quite off-topic for this thread which isn’t about how often women should take pregnancy tests ‘on spec’ but rather at the revelation that women have been misled about the reasons for standard contraception advice in order to appease patriarchy. I apologise for use of the word ‘bonkers’. However you’ve told me what my views are a lot, so I’ll just clarify simply that I don’t believe it’s usual for women to be taking pregnancy tests if they have no expectation or suspicion they could be pregnant, and I believe it is in no way irresponsible to be not taking pregnancy tests all the time ‘just in case’. Hope you have a good day

Wow. I never knew this. I started the pill at 15 to help regulate incredibly heavy and painful periods (they started at 14). I’ve taken it consistently since, with the only exception being trying to fall pregnant (both times pretty quickly) and obviously pregnancy itself and while breastfeeding (used alternate contraception). My brand has the, what I like to call sugar pills, so I “technically” stop and have a period every month. The only times I’ve skipped those have tended to be when going on holiday.

I’m still taking it but suspect I’m starting peri menopause because despite still being regular the flow and length of them have changed. To say nothing about the mood swings. I’m going to book an appointment with gynaecologist to get the Mirena coil.

If anyone is using the Mirena I’d really appreciate your feedback. So as not to derail this thread feel free to send me a message.

however you’ve told me what my views are a lot, so I’ll just clarify simply that I don’t believe it’s usual for women to be taking pregnancy tests if they have no expectation or suspicion they could be pregnant, and I believe it is in no way irresponsible to be not taking pregnancy tests all the time ‘just in case’

I consider it highly irresponsible. It had nothing to do with being "anxious" and everything to do with taking control and responsibility of my fertility; avoiding as one poster put it "being tripped up by my body"

The amount of posts I've seen on here along the lines "I never thought I could be pregnant because my periods were so irregular- never occurred to me I might be pregnant" And the number of posts about how no contraceptive is 100% reliable- yet according to you taking cognisance of this is "bonkers"

If someone is having sex and hasn't had a period for 6 weeks (assuming it is not a contraceptive which stops periods) I think it is a bit dim and foolish not to check.

If that person prefers to stick her head in the sand, miss for example, if she is in Ireland the 12 week time limit, then up to her.

the revelation that women have been misled about the reasons for standard contraception advice in order to appease patriarchy

Which at least one poster said was bunkum. I've given you an alternative suggestion for the break- it mimics the natural cycle and gives evidence the pill is working. The pill can fail- no bleeding in that off week would indicate that. I found it very reassuring to have that evidence that it was working.

Except of course I'm bonkers and anxious- the real reason must be to please the patriarchy. Silly me.

The amount of posts I've seen on here along the lines "I never thought I could be pregnant because my periods were so irregular- never occurred to me I might be pregnant" And the number of posts about how no contraceptive is 100% reliable- yet according to you taking cognisance of this is "bonkers"

But if you have irregular periods, and are taking the contraceptive pill, then you have absolutely no reason to think that a late period is because of pregnancy. Because the pill should stop that. I could understand if you were talking about women not using any contraception, but not in this scenario when a woman is taking the pill. Why would you think it hadn't worked and you might be pregnant, when you've taken all the precautions to stop that happening?

And why would you be so harsh and unsympathetic on women whose contraception has failed them?

I find your position on this absolutely baffling.

But if you have irregular periods, and are taking the contraceptive pill, then you have absolutely no reason to think that a late period is because of pregnancy

At what point should the penny drop? No period after 6 weeks? 8 weeks?

The friend I mentioned "Never thought she might be pregnant" despite having sex. When the thought finally entered her head she was way past the stage where a medical abortion was possible. She was way past the 12 week cut off which Ireland has for example.

What I find 'completely baffling" is the ostrich like attitude of "well, my periods are irregular I'll just stick my head in the sand and assume all is well despite not having a period for weeks" . Or , "I not have had a period for weeks but I've used contraception so it's all ok"

Why would you think it hadn't worked and you might be pregnant, when you've taken all the precautions to stop that happening

Contraception never fails then? You've taken the precautions so it must stop a pregnancy? Might not have had a period but -hey- I took precautions.

Due to PCOS I once didn't have a period for 18 months. They did a scan on my uterus and I had no endometrium build up at all. The doctor seemed surprised. I think they do so little research on women's bodies that they don't really know a lot about all this, but it is apparent that it doesn't always just build up indefinitely just because you aren't having a period.

Re: the not being sure about being pregnant thing - idk I just find that funny, I guess some people have no symptoms but the continual vomiting always clued me in by 2-3 weeks time. haha (ugh)