I'm sure most of us know someone who should read this.

http://www.wellnesstimes.com/articles/real-risks-birth-control-pills?_mid=42212&_rid=42212.24709.271000

THE REAL RISKS OF BIRTH CONTROL PILLS

Recently on the Dr. Oz Show, Carolyn Westhoff, MD, from Columbia University Medical Center and Judith Wolf, MD, from Banner MD Anderson Center actually recommended the birth control pill to women of all ages, and especially women over 40, claiming it could reduce cancer risk by as much as 50 percent. They focused especially on ovarian and endometrial cancers but also said it could reduce colon cancer risk by 20 percent. Westhoff recommended taking it for at least five years, saying that taking it longer would be of even greater benefit.

As a physician specializing in women’s health issues I’m strongly opposed to advising women to take synthetic hormones for most of their adult menstruating years as a means to prevent cancer. While there may be some truth to claims that the pill could play a role in preventing certain types of cancer in some women, it also appears to increase risks of other cancers, and it has many undesirable potential side effects—including some that are life-threatening.

In my practice I’ve provided thousands of women with effective alternative birth control methods, and the vast majority of women I’ve seen have wanted to avoid the pill. Some have said that when they took it their sex drive largely disappeared (often along with their own natural vaginal lubrication), and many reported numerous side effects, including bloating, weight gain, headaches and fatigue. Of course, they were also concerned about potential blood clots.

And yet here was Westhoff, on national television, saying the benefits of the pill outweighed its risks, and that none of the common side effects—such as lowered libido, headaches, breast tenderness, mood swings and menstrual spotting—should cause fear because they aren’t dangerous. But what about quality of life? There are also much healthier, less radical ways of preventing the specific cancers whose risks are mitigated by the pill—and those methods don’t share the pill’s potential to increase blood clots, breast cancer risk and risk of liver tumors.

In their book, Five to Thrive: Your Cutting-Edge Cancer Prevention Plan (Celestial Arts, 2010), naturopathic oncologist Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, and Wellness Times Publisher Karolyn A. Gazella outline countless whole-health ways to reduce cancer risk, including eating an anti-inflammatory diet, making healthy lifestyle choices and using appropriate nutritional supplements. Birth control pills are decidedly not among the recommendations for cancer prevention.

Besides the uncomfortable common side effects, the pill carries with it less common but far more serious risks. You may have heard about lawsuits against the manufacturers of Yaz and Yasmin, two types of birth control pills that caused some women to develop blood clots. The type of synthetic progesterone used in these pills specifically increases blood clot risk, but birth control pills in general can increase blood clotting factors, leading to clots that can result in strokes or even fatal embolisms.  

As for the pill’s potential to increase breast cancer risk, Westhoff essentially told the audience that it doesn’t—or that there’s only a small increased risk. This is simply not the case: In 1996, researchers at the Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer analyzed 54 studies conducted over a 20-year period in 25 countries and concluded that there’s a 24 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer while on the pill. Even after discontinuing the pill, women have a 16 percent higher chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer for up to four years. In the five to 10 years after discontinuing the pill, risk is 9 percent increased. It’s only after 10 years that risk returns to normal.  

An April 2009 study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers Prevention had similar findings: Birth control use in women ages 20 to 45 for a year or more was associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk for triple-negative breast cancer—one of the most aggressive and least treatable forms of the disease.

Another rare but serious potential side effect is benign liver tumor. One of my patients developed a type of untreatable liver tumor known as benign nodular hyperplasia, as well as a rare condition called peliosis hepatis, in which multiple blood-filled sacs develop in the liver. The woman lives in constant fear that these sacs could rupture, resulting in potentially fatal internal bleeding. Her medical doctors attributed both of these conditions to her many years on the pill, and the science backs them up. In January 2011, the International Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology published a paper stating benign liver tumors classically develop in women who are taking oral contraceptives. What’s worse, these benign liver tumors have a 4 percent risk of turning into liver cancer.

With all these risks, I strongly advise women to consider all other options before filling a prescription for oral contraceptives.


By: Laurie Steelsmith, ND, LAc
Laurie Steelsmith, ND, LAc, is a licensed naturopathic physician, acupuncturist and author of best-selling book Natural Choices for Women’s Health (Three Rivers Press, 2005). She is the coauthor with Alex Steelsmith of Great Sex, Naturally; Every Woman’s Guide to Enhancing Her sɛҳuąƖity Through the Secrets of Natural Medicine (Hay House, 2012). Dr. Steelsmith has had a busy private practice since 1993, and the Honolulu Weekly has credited her with being the best alternative practitioner for women’s health care in Honolulu.
For more information, visit www.DrSteelsmith.com and www.AlexSteelsmith.com.

This: http://thepillkills.com/pillkillsbabies.php illustrates (short video) and explains (text) how the pill works, fails and kils.

The American Association of Pro Life OB/GYNs is a nice site to keep up on the latest developments.

http://www.aaplog.org/

Do any of you ladies ever feel mistreated by healthcare professionals because you don't use birth control?  

Maybe it is just because I am single.  I had a very rude nurse practitioner at my last appointment. She seemed shocked that I didn't want an IUD or the the pill. I'm sure she was thinking that because I already have a child I must be foolish to go without birth control.  

My regular OB doctor was Catholic and never pestered me about it.

Do any of you ladies ever feel mistreated by healthcare professionals because you don't use birth control?  

Maybe it is just because I am single.  I had a very rude nurse practitioner at my last appointment. She seemed shocked that I didn't want an IUD or the the pill. I'm sure she was thinking that because I already have a child I must be foolish to go without birth control.  

My regular OB doctor was Catholic and never pestered me about it.

used to have a best friend that is a GP, he was attacked at a MD's meeting at a hospital he used to work for and called out because he refused to prescribe birth control and abortion referrals......

society in general has accepted BC as normal, most Protestants (except the Full Quiver types) do not even know that they used to reject it, pre-1930s.....

Birth control pills and condoms are unnatural and unhealthy.

What other "medication" is prescribed for the sole purpose of making a woman sick? Fertility is a sign of health. Infertility means there's something amiss. WHO named it as a carcenogenic.

This may not be considered a medication but caffeine and aspartam can cause women to bleed.  I knew a woman that bled so much, she was scheduled removing her uterus.  I told her to go see a homeopath that I knew of.  She was told to get off caffeine and that included medications that have it, besides coffee and mountain dew.  In 2 weeks her bleeding stopped completely.  Depo Provera is very dangerous.  I was told of a 16 year old almost died.  Her mother told me about her daughter.  The daughter had what was known as "molar pregnancy".  It is not suppose to be a pregnancy, but a cluster of what looks like a cluster of grapes in the womb and can spread.  Well, she had hers removed and because the teen had never been pregnant, her womb was firm? not lax and because of that, D&C the instruments can make a puncture some times, not uncommon and she bled profusely and they were ready to give her a hysterectomy.  She made it.  Her mother said, "she is better now, she is on Birth control pills!"  I remarked, k"Why don't you just kill her!"  That is so sad!!  Depo causes the hair to fall out, at the forehead.  IUD's cause infections and can penetrate the womb muscle.  IUD's were started before pencillian was easy to obtain.  So, to many women were hurt and son IUD's were stopped.  Then brought back with penicilian.  The pap test came about because of the hormonal contraceptives.  They claimed they could watch for cervical cancer.  That is because the contraceptives change the enviroment  to lead to cancers and of course it ages the cervix every year a woman is on the pill.  IF a woman has a child, it rejuvenates the cervix!  It is the ligaments that go through the changes.  Spermicides can bring on infections and sponges were so bad and one size was to fit all and that was a lie.  The use of sponges went back to Egyptian time.  The idea of a foreign object in the uterus for birth control came from the idea of putting a stone or pebble in the camel for birth control.  

PenitentWoman:  When I was taught BOM, we were told that we would teach more on helping women get pregnant, because the infertility was growing rapidly.  Boy, were they right!  I learnt alot from the women and pregnancies did come about.  The doctors were just making money giving out clomid like M & M 's.  I am surprised that that couple had their second child.  I told them to get another doctor. NFP doctors are very hard to come by.  To keep a practise, they may have to work for the state insurance coverage and this may cause some gagging of the doctor on the job because he works under those conditions.  Once the healthcare reform is in place(I am against) I wonder how these doctors will survive.  Then if babies get micro chipped, that it may increase the need for mid wives.  No one will want the gov't to know of their births.  It is very sad for these things to happen.  With all the pressures/stresses, it can take away from the joy of having children and a family.