creators added a week of placebos, Medicine found that use of certain
Even the FDA has scolded adver-
and the monthly, “withdrawal bleed” forms of oral and injectible contracep-
tisers of Seasonale and Yaz for over-
was born. tives can prompt accelerated bone
promising freedom from menstruation-
“The thinking was that women loss, or stunted bone growth, in teen
related problems, while underplaying
would find this more acceptable, that users. Although the data, overall, is
the risks. In February 2009, Yaz began
they would feel like they were having inconclusive, a few small studies over
running a $20 million corrective ad
their normal period,” says Susan Ernst, the years have even suggested such
campaign in response to FDA com-
a medical doctor and chief of gynecol- pills may interfere with testosterone
plaints.
ogy services for the University Health production, prompting reduced libido
On the other hand, Miller points
Service at the University of Michigan. and depression.
out, periods can be painful and incon-
Ever since, doctors have quietly advised By skipping the placebos and tak-
venient and having fewer or none can
women with a looming honeymoon ing The Pill continuously, are women
be liberating. Because Western women
or camping trip to simply toss out the further boosting these risks?
have fewer children and don’t nurse as
placebos and skip to day one in their Other questions loom. Does bleed-
long as they used to, they have nearly
next packet. ing itself rid the body of harmful elements
four times as many periods as those
In the past decade, as drug compa- such as precancerous cells in the uterine
in primitive, agricultural societies.
nies have scrambled to repackage and lining or excess iron? Researchers have
Ovulation and menstruation are
thus, renew patents on old contracep- hypothesized that the reason men and
about getting pregnant,” Miller con-
tion, the once-hushed notion of ongo- postmenopausal women have more
cludes. “If you aren’t going to get preg-
ing menstrual suppression has become strokes and heart attacks than naturally
nant, you shouldn’t have to bleed.”
an industry, propelled by a marketing cycling women is because they don’t
Medical issues aside, the idea of
machine. bleed—and thus, store excess iron.
stopping menstruation carries with
That worries Christine Hitchcock, Does a week of placebos give
it significant cultural implications;
Ph.D., a researcher with the Centre breast tissue a necessary break from
many see it as nothing short of a threat
for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation all that estrogen? For anyone, including
to womanhood.
Research, in British Columbia: “We just celibate women who opt to medicate
“I think, as a culture, we have
don’t know what the long-term risks away menstruation and its unpleasant
come a long way in trying to prepare
are,” she says. symptoms, do the benefits outweigh the
young girls for menarche and tell them
risks? For the most part, experts agree
Evaluating the Risk
this is an exciting time in their lives,”
those questions haven’t been answered.
observes Ingrid Johnston-Robledo, an
Data from the Women’s Health Initia-
Critics also point out that cycle-
associate professor of psychology and
tive, a 15-year research project funded
stopping pills are notorious for prompt-
women’s studies at The State University
by the National Institutes of Health, has
ing spotting between periods. Because
of New York at Fredonia. “Now, we
shown repeatedly that oral contracep-
they use lower hormone dosages to
are sending a message that it is ex-
tive use is linked to increased risk of
make them safer for continuous use,
tremely bothersome and debilitating.
stroke, heart attacks and blood clots in
some fear they may not be as effective
It’s really pathologizing a natural bodily
women. According to the NIH,
in preventing pregnancy.
function.”
studies also have shown that women
For example, in one Wyeth-
who take birth control pills are at
sponsored study of 2,134 women, 15
Lisa Marshall is a freelance writer
greater risk of breast cancer. A 2006
women who took the pills correctly
in Estes Park, CO. Reach her at
review in the journal Adolescent
got pregnant, anyway.
LisaAnnMarshall.com.
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