Freethought & Rationalism Archive

brighid · 05-30-2003, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Although I agree with Brigid that the same pill isn't right for all, I also think it might be easier for a woman to pay attention to her own response and change accordingly. That's because I had a very hard time trying to convince my doctor to change my script when I was having problems. It's not as if doctors do anything scientific like measure hormones in your body and determine what you individually need. It's totally hit-n-miss, and if you know enough to go to your doctor and complain, mightn't you also know enough to change pills yourself? I don't know. I don't have a medical understanding of the risks.

It would be nice if they actually did a hormone test to determine which one is best for a woman, and redo that test over time to insure it remains the same, or if a change is needed.

I guess I have been lucky with my gyno because I simply told her to CHANGE my scrip because I was having problems. It just sucked having to try 4 or 5 different ones over a few years, and they all sucked. I decided to simply stop taking the pill. When I am finished having children I will simply get fixed, or ask my husband if would get snipped.

I think the different pills can be rather complicated to understand for younger women. Perhaps if you are 21 and older the scrip can be OTC. I always read all the literature that comes with medication (force of habit after having a severe allergic reaction to something that aspirin in it, and I am allergic to aspirin.)

Teenage girls (who are at the highest risk for unwanted pregnancy and disease) need a little more counseling. I suppose that could be addressed through a governmental type program.

Adequate and accurate sexual education, beginning when a child is young and repeated throughout adolescence and the teenage years seems to work pretty well ... check out the Swedish system, although that system allows free abortions I believe.

Brighid

Rushianbeing · 05-30-2003, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brighid
When my son is old enough I am going to supply him with his own basket of preventatives. Boys needs to be taught equal responsibility just as girls should. It takes two to make a baby, or transmit diseases.

Brighid

RIGHT ON BRIGHID!!

Daleth · 05-30-2003, 12:29 PM

Quote:

When my son is old enough I am going to supply him with his own basket of preventatives.

My second boyfriend's mother used to leave little packages on his pillow.

He thought it was dreadfully embarassing, almost an invasion of his privacy. I thought it was fantastic of her. I swear you can be a rock star and your own kids will still think you're square.

Dal

brighid · 05-30-2003, 12:45 PM

Quote:

My second boyfriend's mother used to leave little packages on his pillow. He thought it was dreadfully embarassing, almost an invasion of his privacy. I thought it was fantastic of her. I swear you can be a rock star and your own kids will still think you're square.

Well, I am not going to leave any gifts on his pillow ... but he has his own bathroom and a big enough linen closet for a discretely placed condoms-o-plenty basket to be strategically placed so he won't have to be embarassed. He is 9 and we have already had a few conversations about sex, condom usage and his future responsibility as a man (in age appropriate terms anyway.) It is probably easier to instill these things while they are young and don't think you are totally "square" yet. I just want him to healthy and responsible ideas about sex so I feel I (we) had better inform him or else let school yard gossip fill in the blanks.

My son knows not to pull that "you are embarassing me" crap. I have informed him that I am quite capable of embarassing him if he so wishes and he should know that I am not past putting my hair in curlers, wearing a green, goopy mask, some dreadful robe, fuzzy slippers, etc. and pick him up from his friends in such a get up if he is really interested in understanding the depths to which he can be embarassed by his mother!

I know ... I am a bad, bad mother but I was a total shit as a child and I won't tolerate similar behavior from my own.

Brighid

Daleth · 05-30-2003, 01:03 PM

In my boyfriend's case, it wasn't even that anyone would have known had he not told us. He was just childish about his mother even suggesting silently that he might have a sex life.

Quote:

I know ... I am a bad, bad mother

Funny, you sound like such a good one to me.

Daleth

Loren Pechtel · 05-30-2003, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Daleth
Ditto again to what other posters have added. It's funny... In the "Is abortion moral" threads, the absolute pro-lifers can go on and on and on. Whenever they're asked for a practical solution, they don't answer, and none of them have posted to this thread.

The most practical solution is what Ab_Normal said... early and continuing education (not that hit-n-run semester of sex ed. we got in 7th grade), but even that couldn't be fully successful. Accidents would still happen because no BC is 100%. Rapes would still happen.

There's not going to be a complete solution, so women still need to have that choice. All we can do is work on reducing the number who need to make the choice at all and make the other options less difficult.

However, if the unwanted pregnancy rate was reduced to the contraceptive failure rate + rape then adoption would pick up most of the demand.

Loren Pechtel · 05-30-2003, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brighid
I am going to disagree about birth-control pills being non-prescription. I think they should be covered by insurance like Viagra is, but I have had too many complications with taking the pill (more as I got older) and know too many other women that had problems with taking it as well to feel comfortable endorsing such easy access. There are some women who shouldn�t take the pill, and different pills can have very drastic effects. I became clinically depressed and had fibroid growths in my breast while on Yasmin (which resulted in an ultrasound and mammogram to make sure I didn�t have cancer), and as soon as I stopped taking it the lump went away and eventually I overcame the depression. I think it should be readily available and I shouldn�t have to pay full price for it when all my other prescriptions are discounted or free according to my health plan.

Frankly, I think condoms and birth control pills (as well as other preventative devices) should be free for anyone who needs them. When I had no health insurance I went to the free, county clinic for my exams, pills and condoms. I became birth control central and readily gave out my extra condoms and spermicides to all my friends. I had a basket, in my bathroom cabinet that any of my friends could simply walk in and help themselves.

Brighid

Something I have seen suggested that strikes me as a reasonable compromise: Make a new class of drugs which would currently have only the birth control pill: Prescription only but a pharmacist can prescribe them.

Daleth · 05-30-2003, 01:50 PM

Quote:

However, if the unwanted pregnancy rate was reduced to the contraceptive failure rate + rape then adoption would pick up most of the demand.

That is reasonably true, but like I said, adoption would have to be made an easier option. Right now it's at the very bottom of most women's lists.

But even if we could reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies that far, there would still be women whose lives would be made impossible by having to carry to term, and no woman who has been raped should ever have to go through the emotional anguish of carrying the product of the rape for 9 months and th physical anguish having it tear her body apart in a hundred(permanent) ways. Some choose to, but none should have to.

Daleth

JerryM · 05-30-2003, 02:39 PM

All the recent evidence of which I am aware is showing that the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy is decreasing in the US. Encouraging responsible behavior and conscientious use of birth control by both men and women is obviously the best bet. I'd add two suggestions to what's already been posted:

1) More reliable, convenient, and safer methods of birth control need to be developed. Especially, birth control methods for men other than abstinence, condoms, or vasectomy are needed. Though this is another issue entirely, the product liability and malpractice climate somewhat discourages medical innovation.

2) In some instances, infertile couples desiring children have paid for the medical expenses and support of pregnant women who could not otherwise afford to have a child. In turn, the couples will adopt the newborns. Why not have a system to make this more widespread. I'm sure appropriate safeguards to protect everyone's rights could be developed. I see nothing wrong with paying a pregnant woman to adopt her baby, so long as the transaction is fully consensual and all the parties know in advance what is expected. It might decrease some abortions, and could be a win-win situation for everyone.

Loren Pechtel · 05-30-2003, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JerryM
1) More reliable, convenient, and safer methods of birth control need to be developed. Especially, birth control methods for men other than abstinence, condoms, or vasectomy are needed. Though this is another issue entirely, the product liability and malpractice climate somewhat discourages medical innovation.

Patent law is also in the way. There's a good candidate for a male birth control pill. It's safety has already been established and in some patients at least it's effective. However, it's got two strikes against it:

1) The patent has already run out. Who is going to pay for the testing?

2) It does not block sperm production. The sperm test out as normal--they just won't fertilize the egg. This makes testing far more complicated.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

05-30-2003, 02:39 PM	#29
JerryM Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 1,100	All the recent evidence of which I am aware is showing that the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy is decreasing in the US. Encouraging responsible behavior and conscientious use of birth control by both men and women is obviously the best bet. I'd add two suggestions to what's already been posted: 1) More reliable, convenient, and safer methods of birth control need to be developed. Especially, birth control methods for men other than abstinence, condoms, or vasectomy are needed. Though this is another issue entirely, the product liability and malpractice climate somewhat discourages medical innovation. 2) In some instances, infertile couples desiring children have paid for the medical expenses and support of pregnant women who could not otherwise afford to have a child. In turn, the couples will adopt the newborns. Why not have a system to make this more widespread. I'm sure appropriate safeguards to protect everyone's rights could be developed. I see nothing wrong with paying a pregnant woman to adopt her baby, so long as the transaction is fully consensual and all the parties know in advance what is expected. It might decrease some abortions, and could be a win-win situation for everyone.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.