BellaOnline Forums News and Politics Pro-Choice Anti-contraception activists

Trish, I'm in about the same boat as you, at least where hormonal birth control is concerned. My mother had severe reactions to the pill, we share complications with pharmaceuticals in general, so the doctors never even suggested the pill for me based on her history. Now my doctor says that I should have a partial hysterectomy, but hasn't done it because the reasons aren't "severe enough" for insurance to cover it. I'd love to give those insurance adjusters my severe cramping, break-through bleeding, and hemorrhages, then see whether or not they stick with that assessment! Would also love to tell the women's groups who say I'm wrong for even wanting the hysterectomy where to put their thoughts. Now there's a pro-choice issue that rarely is heard thanks to the screaming over abortion.

Hi Trish, sorry I missed your reply/post.

"I don't want to risk hormonal contraception; I am 33, a smoker, and had a small blood clot in my leg. (near the surface, not deep, but it made me nervous) That leaves barrier methods which are only effective when you're deliberately having sex, and an IUD. I have an IUD now, and while it's nice not to have to remember anything, I have really painful cramping and spot for ~3 weeks of every cycle. Hence, sterilization."

My goodness, that all sounds dreadful. And clotting is a really serious danger. As far as the the pill is concerned it gave me dreadful morning sickness. Condoms also failed. Billings failed. And I had to hide all my contraceptive issues from the church I was in.

My daughter, who is quite a placid girl also gets morning sickness from the pill. So she had an implant put in her arm after her first child was born. It quite literally sent her off her head, and my son-in-law actually was really quite frightened for them all. The doctor had to quickly whip it out of her arm, and after a couple of weeks she settled down.

She's since had another child, and she has to either have at least 3 children or, ( I think??) be around 35 or 40 y/o before she can get her tubes tied.

They really don't want 3 children, they're very content and happy with 2 children, a boy and girl, and have plans to do things in a few years when the kids are able to travel. Hubby's not too happy about it all, but he's looking into getting the snip so they can make plans for their future. A bit of stalling going on there I think . But they've got to do something, They both work, she is also studying, and they've already got all they want, 2 small children. It's a real bother.

I think sterilization is a decision that is any person's right, so long as they're making an intelligent and informed decsion.

I hope it's okay to share a joke here that a friend sent me recently.

If men could get pregnant, abortion would not only be legal, it would be a sacrament!!

Do try to fight the insurance company for it. My sil had to do that -- she had a terrible time with fibroids, was losing work and had to cancel travel plans because her bleeding was so heavy, but the insurance company tried to say, "Well, you'll should be in menopause in 6-8 years, so no, you don't get the hysterectomy." She fought for it -- and got it.

Did you ever read Rainmaker? In that book, the (awful) insurance company had a policy of automatically turning everyone down, no matter what -- so unless someone really fought, they wouldn't get treatments.

I am not in a position to have to take birth control BUT here is my opinion on how I will certainly suggest my Daughter in Law and Grand Daughter combat the "no birth control" issue...tell the husband there will be no "fun" without it(yes even religious men love sex) and that they can just do it themselves, I honestly believe that if women all got together and stuck with this, you watch how fast there would probably be free birth control for everyone. Weather people like to admit it or not sex sells and controls alot of things. I am not a sex expert but I am pretty sure that a woman can hold out longer than a man Hopefully we will always have a choice. In my lifetime I have only had the pleasure of meeting just a few males who felt like they had to control a woman and that no wife of theirs was going to be on birth control, they are out there and on the other hand I have met a few women who did not believe in birth control until after their 4th or 5th child and by then they just had their tubes tied.

I don't believe there will come a time when birth control is outlawed here. Up until the 50's no church in the US, meaning all denominations, tolerated it. You see how relaxed that has gotten.
I do believe that any woman claiming to be educated and enlightened will know the HOW the pill works in it's entirety-which is perfectly explained in the physicians desk reference and even on most pill fliers that come with your monthly allotment. Mine always had it in there. It's just not good sense to put something into our bodies not considering how it will affect our physiology either in the present or the future.
I doubt it's anything to get up in arms about even if some folks want to go nuts over it. There are far more important issues than going around constantly shouting about this particular one, until it's time. Some people would actually be in danger if pregnant and I happen to realize that. However I come from the first batch of women that utilized the pill, and my mom nearly died while on it. So I have issues with for other reasons.