The History/Evolution of Birth Control *Ladies Only*

[vintage_jayhawk]

There are times when I get frusterated by having to carry the birth control torch in my marriage. After reading over those, it makes me...grateful, I guess, that I only have to take a pill daily.
However, I've wondered what the effect of taking the pill for so many years will be on my body? Obviously there are the risks we know (blot clots, stroke, etc) but what about the long-term, yet undiscovered consequences?

 

[LizzieMaine]

There are times when I get frusterated by having to carry the birth control torch in my marriage. After reading over those, it makes me...grateful, I guess, that I only have to take a pill daily.
However, I've wondered what the effect of taking the pill for so many years will be on my body? Obviously there are the risks we know (blot clots, stroke, etc) but what about the long-term, yet undiscovered consequences?

I have a good friend who's never taken the Pill for just those reasons -- she doesn't like the idea of messing with her hormones, so other than a brief experiment with an IUD in the '70s (which she ended up turning into a Christmas tree ornament) she has used a diaphragm and jelly her entire reproductive life. And she's never been pregnant, so it does work.

Makes me wonder if fifty years down the line, members of the "Backwards Ballcap Lounge" Powder Room will be posting about all the bizarre and dangerous birth control methods those early-21st century-women used.

 

[cupcake]

Makes me wonder if fifty years down the line, members of the "Backwards Ballcap Lounge" Powder Room will be posting about all the bizarre and dangerous birth control methods those early-21st century-women used.

This made me laugh out loud in the hairdressers!

After being on the pill for the last 4 years I've decided that I'm no longer alright with the way it makes me feel, for me it isn't worth the possible future consequences.

A friend of mine has just gotten a nuvaring, I might try that option next.
Failing that, there's always the lysol...

 

[C-dot]

I have a good friend who's never taken the Pill for just those reasons -- she doesn't like the idea of messing with her hormones...

This is my problem. I need to take birth control. If I don't, I have violent cramps, month or 2 month long periods, and dangerous blood loss.

 

[kamikat]

This made me laugh out loud in the hairdressers!

After being on the pill for the last 4 years I've decided that I'm no longer alright with the way it makes me feel, for me it isn't worth the possible future consequences.

A friend of mine has just gotten a nuvaring, I might try that option next.
Failing that, there's always the lysol...

The Nuva ring is worse than the pill! It's still hormones, but because it doesn't have to go through the stomach to get into the blood stream, it made me much more sick than any brand of pill I tried. I used it for 3 months and had morning sickness the whole time! If you're looking for a non-hormonal method, ask your doctor about a diaphragm. There are also over-the-counter spermacide inserts that inserted "just before". We used that for several years without getting pregnant.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Just a side note, I have had really decent experience with the NuvaRing. I knew I could never remember a daily pill, so it was my best bet. I considered an IUD, but decided the cost was too great considering we would be having kids at some point in the near future. It bothered me for a couple of months - it made me a bit jittery I would say, but now I don't even think about it and it is so easy and it is a lower hormone dose that the pill, I believe. I have used it for two years now, no terrible side effects. Though, for a bit here we won't need it, as we are ready to think about babies!

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Just wanted to add that I have found this to be a most interesting thread, and was impressed when reading by how much information everyone could contribute.

 

[Lenore]

Throwing my two cents in.

I had a great experience with the Nuva ring and felt better on it than I did with the pill. In fact, if I weren't using a Mirena now, I would have gone back to it post baby. The only reason I got off of it was my husband and I were discussing the possibility of children once he returned from Iraq and I wanted to not have any extra hormones in my body when he came home. (I bought the book discussed earlier in the thread, Taking Charge of Your Fertility. It rocks, btw. IMO, I think it should be standard reading for ALL young girls.They actually have a teenage directed version, which I plan to get for my daughter when she's nearing puberty. I also think that heavily pregnant women should teach sex-ed, but that's a whole 'nother story!)

As far as my Mirena... What did I ever do without it? Oh yeah... She's at daycare....

 

[*martini*time*]

This is my problem. I need to take birth control. If I don't, I have violent cramps, month or 2 month long periods, and dangerous blood loss.

I'm like you. I was put on the pill in the 9th grade. Now, before everyone freaks out and tells me I was far too young to be on the pill, it was for my acne. I had severe acne and didn't want to take the accutane (having a history of depression) I opted for the diane-35. In canada, diane-35 is so low dose they don't actually perscribe it as birth control. It levelled out my hormones and actually made me grow boobs (which isn't always a bad thing) regulate my period and ease the cramping and it made my flow lighter. When the doctor handed me the perscription and said "this isn't a license to screw Bailey" i was like..."okay. gotcha." i didn't have sex until i was old enough to make the mature decision about it. I have been on the pill for almost 9 years. I am concerned about the long term effects but i just always feel a little safer. From what my mom has told me about her fertility, she would always say that my dad would throw his pants on the bed and mom would be pregnant. I'm hoping for that.

 

[C-dot]

I'm like you. I was put on the pill in the 9th grade. Now, before everyone freaks out and tells me I was far too young to be on the pill, it was for my acne. I had severe acne and didn't want to take the accutane (having a history of depression) I opted for the diane-35. In canada, diane-35 is so low dose they don't actually perscribe it as birth control. It levelled out my hormones and actually made me grow boobs (which isn't always a bad thing) regulate my period and ease the cramping and it made my flow lighter. When the doctor handed me the perscription and said "this isn't a license to screw Bailey" i was like..."okay. gotcha." i didn't have sex until i was old enough to make the mature decision about it. I have been on the pill for almost 9 years. I am concerned about the long term effects but i just always feel a little safer. From what my mom has told me about her fertility, she would always say that my dad would throw his pants on the bed and mom would be pregnant. I'm hoping for that.

I was put on the pill in grade 9 too, because the cramping stopped me getting up and going to school, and a few times the blood loss landed me in the hospital. I'm lucky my doctor was so nice about it - he knew I didn't think of it as a ticket to ride (pardon the pun!) I had to take high dose Tricyclen because lower doses had no effect on me.
Unfortunately, I chose the wrong reasons and person to lose my virginity to in high school- But after that, I waited until I met the right person, who is the man I'm going to marry.

 

[*martini*time*]

Unfortunately, I chose the wrong reasons and person to lose my virginity to in high school- But after that, I waited until I met the right person, who is the man I'm going to marry.

Ditto. but i had to kiss alot of frogs to get my prince.

 

[Puzzicato]

Paisley mentioned this thread, so I came over to have a look. What a very interesting read! Thank you all!

I just love that in the history of birth control, there is an actual legal case called United States v One Package of Japanese Pessaries. I wonder if any innocent law students got their sex education through case law?

 

[MissHannah]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Depo-Provera injections and implants yet! I'm a little evangelical about depo so you'll have to forgive my enthusiasm! I have an injection every 11-12 weeks, I have NO periods, I can't get pregnant and I can take it until menopause with no significantly increased health risks even though I smoke. When my GP would no longer give me the pill (they are very reluctant to give it to over 35s because of the blood-clotting risks) I thought my life was over - I had terrible terrible periods before I was on the pill and I don't want children either so I was terrified frankly. Depo has changed my life.

 

[Miss sofia]

Wow thanks for that Miss Hannah, i have a titanium coil, i think it's called the myrena, which i have had for the last five years and has been great, no periods, no side effects, no babies! I'm due to have it removed soon and was thinking about changing to the injections, my GP did recommend it, i also smoke, so i have been meaning to do some research on it before i take the plunge, so i'm so glad you mentioned it. Thanks again! x

 

[KittyT]

Guh. Birth control is so complicated. At the same time, we are so lucky to have so many options to control our fertility, unlike our grandmothers or even our mothers, for that matter.

I went off the pill about 3 months ago, in an effort to lose some weight and try to get my libido back. Well I've lost some weight (though that could also be because of other factors) but the libido is still completely gone. Stupid hormones.

The more I research now, the more I'm realizing that the Pill can have serious long-term sexual effects, which is just coming to the fore now.

from http://www.epigee.org/guide/pill_sex.html

Why Does the Pill Affect Sex Drive?
It appears that the birth control pill affects sex drive because it acts directly on a woman's sexual hormones. In particular, the birth control pill inhibits the production of androgens, including testosterone, in a woman's ovaries. Androgens have a direct effect on the pleasure that you experience during sexual intercourse. Additionally, the birth control pill also appears to increase the amount of sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in the body. SHBG is a protein that binds to testosterone, preventing a woman's body from using it effectively. High levels of SHBG have been directly linked to decreased libido and sexual desire.

A New Study on Birth Control and the Libido
In January 2006, a new study was released illustrating possible long-term effects of the birth control pill on the female libido. Published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, this study finds that women using the birth control pill showed markedly-decreased levels of sexual desire than those women who do not use the birth control pill. It also found that women who had discontinued use of the pill continued to suffer side effects in the long-term.

What the Study Found
The study, conducted by American endocrinologist, Claudia Panzer, included 124 premenopausal women who had experienced long-term sexual dysfunction. The women were divided into three groups: continued birth control pill users, former pill users, and women who had never used the pill before. SHBG levels for all three groups were taken on three separate occasions: at the commencement of the study, 80 days after pill discontinuation, and 120 after pill discontinuation.

The study found that levels of SHBG were much higher in the continued pill users than in those women who had never used the pill before. At the commencement of the study, continued pill users had 4 times the levels of SHBG in their system than non-users. Even 120 days after discontinuing the pill, continued pill users still had 2 times the levels of SHBG that non-users had. This suggests that perhaps the birth control pill can contribute to long-term elevated levels of SHBG. It may even mean that the birth control pill could permanently affect SHBG levels in pill users, even after they discontinue use of the contraception.

What Still Needs To Be Done
Further research is needed to examine the long-term effects of the birth control pill on a woman's SHBG levels and sexual libido. In particular, researchers need to determine whether SHBG levels will eventually decline to normal levels in previous pill users. If not, researchers need to try to find out why this is the case.

 

[HepKitty]

Depo is not a good idea either, I was on it for a year, didn't have a period for 18 months (the only good part), started to feel bits of numb in my left arm (causes blood clots!!!), and it totally killed my mojo. sure it's birth control but *how* by preventing pregnancy or making it so you never want to get laid in the first place?

I can't take the pill, they all make me gain weight. didn't even help w/ the acne. worthless!

a friend had the lining burned out of her uterus to get rid of horrible periods and of course as birth control. but then she has 4 kids already

the sponge has been back on the market in the US again for a while now, another friend always raved about them. but miss sofia do tell about that coil please...

thanks for all the info ladies!

 

[KittyT]

the sponge has been back on the market in the US again for a while now, another friend always raved about them.

Sea sponges are also an effective means of having sex while menstruating - without the mess.

but miss sofia do tell about that coil please...

The coil is nothing more than an IUD. Mirena is an IUD treated with slow-release hormones.

 

[Puzzicato]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Depo-Provera injections and implants yet! I'm a little evangelical about depo so you'll have to forgive my enthusiasm! I have an injection every 11-12 weeks, I have NO periods, I can't get pregnant and I can take it until menopause with no significantly increased health risks even though I smoke. When my GP would no longer give me the pill (they are very reluctant to give it to over 35s because of the blood-clotting risks) I thought my life was over - I had terrible terrible periods before I was on the pill and I don't want children either so I was terrified frankly. Depo has changed my life.

I was on depo for a couple of years, and got along with it very well, but I am very happy with my Mirena IUD now. Only having 1 visit to the nurse a year instead of an injection every 3 months suits me.

 

[Miss sofia]

Sea sponges are also an effective means of having sex while menstruating - without the mess.



The coil is nothing more than an IUD. Mirena is an IUD treated with slow-release hormones.

Kitty T is right, the Myrena has slow release hormones, i have had some other friends use the copper iud and most of them had terrible side effects, but all my girlfriends who have had a Myrena have had no problems with it. The only worry is perhaps if one is a little lets say vigorous in the boudoir, it can get moved out of position but that's easily remedied apparently and happens very rarely. I also had some light spotting but then my periods stopped totally. I always had terrible trouble with the pill, weight gain, depression, you name it, this has been a godsend in comparison.

Actually sea sponges are brilliant for sex during your period, i have a friend who is a sex-worker and she swears by using them, they do work really well, not that i have periods anymore!

 

[HepKitty]

Sea sponges are also an effective means of having sex while menstruating - without the mess.



The coil is nothing more than an IUD. Mirena is an IUD treated with slow-release hormones.

no mess? that is brilliant!

hormones? no thank you I'll skip. I've heard that copper IUDs cause a lot of cramping at first but you get used to them. that and no hormones, I could deal. don't have a reason to try it yet though