In an article in today’s Independent, Holly Grigg-Spall presents an alternative to the current celebrations of the pill. It’s an important message to add to the collective contemplation of what the pill has meant to women and to women’s lives, and interesting reading. The pill prevents pregnancy, but not everyone likes how they feel when they take it, and women’s experiences are often not heard or dismissed. In a world where proponents of the pill see it as a cure for all things menstrual, and recommend it as therapy for the painful cramping that the majority of teenagers experience, it is important to also say that there are significant side effects for some women that affect quality of life.
“Why I’ll never take the pill again”
by Chris Hitchcock | May 11, 2010 | Birth Control, Newspapers, Pharmaceutical | 2 comments
2 Comments
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There’s also a piece with critical reflection on the Pill in today’s Washington Post: Oral contraceptives have had broad impact but some seek alternatives to the pill.
Holly is quoted, and you can listen to audio clip of her talking about the pill in the interactive timeline connected to the article.
Thank you for this post. I really feel like women’s doctors should be giving women more information about their birth control options. Most doctors I’ve had have simply presented one option: the pill. While it did work for me more or less, I did find it hard to remember to take at the same time every day, and I think it lowered my libido. I’ve since found a better alternative for me, but I find it really sad that doctors don’t present the full range of options to their patients. An IUD is a great choice for many women and hardly ever talked about.