I have been wondering for awhile now, how I want to present my final opinions on birth control. One of which was to present facts and figures, the other, to share my heart. Since data can often be subjective to those doing the research, I have decided to go back to the beginning and simply share what questions I had that catapulted me into this. I have also realized that there shouldn’t be a concrete opinion on this, since technology will always be changing and I want to keep learning. For me the topic was triggered by a desire to understand my body and women’s health as well as wanting to understand anything that may be affecting relationships.
In an earlier blog I explained Margaret Sanger’s support of population control was triggered out of being a nurse who had seen children dying from hunger and neglect. Her motivation to control was out of a desire for good, unlike Hitler’s sick view on population control. (Although he would have convinced you that it was for the greater good.) What I am simply trying to question now is not ones ethical standpoint on hormonal birth control, but it’s side effects on the body, environment and relationships.
My personal opinion is that Birth Control is like smoking. People will never stop, but eventually there will be an awakening to the effect it is having on the world as a whole.
Since being interested in this topic, I have spoken and emailed with people I know and don’t know. Employees of birth control companies, doctors, and birth control users have given me a good sample. My questions still remain, and I hope it’s a discussion we engage in. Here are some of my ponderings:
2) Some negative side effects: decreased sex drive, anger, dryness, irrationality, sadness, etc. If I feel these side effects and am not aware that it could be from my dose of hormones, couldn’t these also affect my partner and even my perception of how I feel about them?
3) If we have been told to “listen to our heart” and unknowingly our “heart” is being led by synthetic hormones, wouldn’t our logical conclusion be that our feelings have changed? Possibly towards our partner?
4) I would love to test this, but I can’t. How could I ever get empirical data based on someone’s subjective opinion of their partner? Sally* could say, “Yes, Bill* is awful and makes me angry.” We could then say, “Sally, are you on birth control?” If Sally is, we could blame the birth control for her anger. But what if Bill really is awful? What if Sally has always had a problem with anger? This is why I believe it’s necessary for women to know their body. Awareness allows us to sense a change in our bodies, changes which may result in an inaccurate perception of our partner.
5) There are women who love birth control. It clears up skin, ignites weight loss, and the feeling of steadier hormones. If I was hormonally off balance, then by all means, balance me out. However, if hormones make me feel more “steady” my guess is that the birth control is working more as an anti-depressant. Anti-depressants can (not always) make people feel “better” when in actuality they are simply less affected by life, or “numb.” If my feelings towards synthetic hormones are neutral or positive, what happens when I decide to go off the hormones? For example, I wonder if this has a connection to the cases of manic depressive states that some women have experienced when going off the pill?
6) Could long-term use, be a contributor to our generation seeing an increase in Postpartum depression? Some feel that it has always been a significant problem, but women today are just more comfortable admitting it. This could be true, but I spoke with a nurse who told me that Postpartum is all hormonal. I asked her if in her opinion it had increased since birth control became more prevalent 30 years ago? She said, “Yes.”
I hesitate questioning things without giving ideas of a solution, however I would like to hear more feedback first from anyone who has an opinion or question. Question and comment away!
*awesome default names.
Love and Respect (Now) is a division of Love and Respect. Please be considerate.
From My Heart
All of the Love and Respect Now Posts…In One Place!
Emerson & Sarah Eggerichs on Marriage, Parenting, Family of Origin, Work & Death
Fighting for Love (and Other Potentially Hazardous Cliches)
Is your focus just on the emotional issues associated with birth control or would you also be interested in discussing the issues associated with abortificants. From what I have read, the pill – what I understand to be hormonal birth control – does not prevent conception but does prevent the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus and growing into a child. Is this true? If so, as an a individual against abortion in the strictest sense, this would be in conflict with my moral beliefs. If it's up for discussion, do I have my facts straight? And if I have my facts straight, what would you say to people who are against interfering with the due process of human life as it relates to birth control?
Joy, no one can write about birth control with as much wit and interesting phrases as you can, yet I do have some thoughts about your topic: I am concerned about the link you are making between correlation and causation, e.g., if more women are on birth control pills in the last 30 years and there is more postpartum depression reported in the last 30 years, then birth control pills are correlated with increased postpartum depression. That's just not borne out in the etiology of postpartum depression, which is a complex yet treatable psychological and chemical disorder. Dr. Shaila Misri is an expert in this field and doing fantastic research and treatment in her clinic in Vancouver, B.C. Similarly, major depression and bi-polar disorder have their roots in a genetic signature and environmental stresses. The genetic link in bi-polar disorder is particularly strong, as evidenced by the decades-long research of Amish and Mennonite families in the Midwest. Dr. Robert Grieco, author of "The Other Depression:Bipolar Disorder" provides a thorough description of the disorder and how it differs from other forms of depression. Aaron Beck, the father of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, conducted decades of research into the causes of depression and devised clinical interventions that have given millions of people tools to overcome their depression. Far from dulling people to their feelings or changing one's personality, antidepressants can, if deemed necessary for treatment, restore to the brain the equilibrium needed so people can have more energy and clarity to deal with their feelings, not wipe them away. There may be anecdotal evidence that for some people antidepressants produces sluggishness, but empirical evidence in general is very positive for decreasing depression. Just as with synthetic hormones, they are not for everyone and can produce undesirable side effects, but that doesn't mean the efficacy is in question. It's all about getting the right fit for the individual patient. Birth control pills are not implicated in the causation of any of these psychological disorders, though some women may have psychological symptoms to the estrogen/progesterone mix. But that doesn't mean the Pill itself is dangerous, rather it means that no medication fits the bill for every person. One should be careful taking medications over a long span of time, and the better a woman knows her own body the better decisions she will make for herself. One form of birth control doesn't claim either the moral or bio-chemical high ground over any other, it's the connection between the woman's needs, her body's response, and the product selected that matters. Then correlation and causation match up: her good health is correlated with avoiding unplanned pregnancy.
I am glad the discussion is beginning (-:
Janice, (Mrs. Z)
I agree with what you are saying. (thats not a Westmont Communication tactic, I really do–ha) I believe that many cases of depression are genetic and treatable by western medicine. I believe I have tried to communicate that in my blog. I am not against anti-depressants to restore equilibrium to someone's brain. As my friend and counselor, you know I was very open to taking anti-depressants last year. I think they could have helped me. I don't think it is a moral issue for everyone.
However, I also know that there is genetic depression and then circumstantial depression. Circumstantial depression can still call for synthetic medical treatment at times, but I knew with my particular depression that I should probably seek out natural and spiritual solutions first. I did, and it worked for me specifically. Am I still affected and have days of feeling depressed over my particular circumstance? Yes. But I am also not having to deal with figuring out an exit strategy for a synthetic medication.
I hope it is clear that I am posing questions about correlations I think could be true, but I am not dogmatic. So thank you for your insight. I know you have studied depression MUCH more than me.
So my question now to you is: (since I think we both agree that hormonal birth control is not a sin, it may be suitable for some people, and many cases of depression NEED medication (along with counseling) as a tool to heal someone.)
Could outside factors (i.e. hormonal b.c.) contribute towards a developed depression as oppose to a genetic depression?
Matt,
Good thought. It is true that one of the ways hormonal birth controls can prevent pregnancy is from making implantation difficult. I believe it is up to each person/couple to decide if they believe this is a moral issue and proceed accordingly. I would love to hear more of your thoughts or information you have.
Another issue for people to think through as a "is it moral is it not" is the implication that hormonal birth control has on our environment long term. It isn't just the female body…it's our water, it's our offspring. Right now the amount in the water is not strong enough to see a noticeable difference in humans, but it is in the animals. Again, let me say I think medication is VERY important. I thank the Lord we have the technology and ability to save lives, assist people with clinical depression, chemo treatment for cancer, etc…my question is:
Do we jump too quickly to take medication because the "doctor says so" when there could be a natural alternative to healing and preventing pregnancy?
Renea: Interesting quotes…I probably don't know as much on Sanger as I should, and I am sure like many her thoughts became more extreme as she chose to champion her cause, but for the sake of my writing here I wanted to assume the best of her intentions and not compare anyone to hitler even though they would both claim the similarity of "population control." Thanks for your additions.
Keep it coming friends–I know I have lots to learn. Thanks for letting me continue to ponder.
Thanks to you, I have been BC free for 6 months and loving it! 🙂
Glad to hear that you are loving it! Congrats~
By “birth control free” she means “off the pill”. 🙂
reneamac thinks...
Good questions about birth control, Joy.
I offer a side note, and only because you compared Sanger to Hitler.
A few quotes from our "well meaning" Margaret Sanger:
"It is a vicious cycle; ignorance breeds poverty and poverty breeds ignorance. There is only one cure for both, and that is to stop breeding these things. Stop bringing to birth children whose inheritance cannot be on of health or intelligence. Stop bringing into the world children whose parents cannot provide for them. Herein lies the key of civilization" (What Every Boy and Girl Should Know 140).
"The lower down in the scale of human development we go the less sexual control we find. It is said that the aboriginal Australian, the lowest known species of the human family, just a step higher than the chimpanzee in brain development (a direct quote from Darwin's Decent of Man, a book very important to Hitler too), has so little sexual control that police authority alone prevents him from obtaining sexual satisfaction on the streets" (What Every Girl Should Know 47).
Sure. Sanger felt the hardships of growing up in a large family and saw horrible things as a nurse. But her social Darwinism can't be ignored.
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