Category: Birth Control

Navigating the Intricacies of Birth Control: Unveiling its Impact on Cardiovascular Health

Abstract:

Oral Contraceptives (OC) and Birth control pills can cause a lot of side effects in the human body. Taking birth control pills increases the risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Based on the case report, a woman entered the hospital with unknown causes of how she was having artery blocking. That woman was taking only a low dose of oral concentrative for only just a month. She was a healthy woman without any history in her family of a heart attack. Doctors, after doing different examinations and research, concluded that the OC was the reason that the arteries were starting to close. Another study that diagnosed that OC causes heart attacks and strokes in women was the research of Roach, RE. In their research paper, they included and compared different research from other people who did in the past.

Introduction:

Birth control or oral contraceptives are pills that women take daily to prevent pregnancy. In order for the pill to work in preventing pregnancy, each woman must take the pill every day and at the same time. Birth control pills, like every pill, have their side effects; some of the good side effects could be regulating the menstrual cycle and preventing pelvic inflammatory disease and other medical problems. (Swartout-Corbeil, D. M. 2011). Therefore, women don’t use birth control pills only to prevent pregnancy.

There are women and young girls taking these birth control pills to regulate their periods, limit acne, regulate hormones such as testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-sulfate), slow down hair growth, and any other menstrual disorder. Birth control pills can regulate all of that because they contain two main hormones, which are estrogen and progestin. However, there are serious side effects like increasing the risk of strokes, heart attacks, and blood clots in women with a family history of history of heart attacks. (Swartout-Corbeil, D. M. 2011). Also, women who smoke and use birth control have a high chance of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, breast or uterus cancer, and also the risk of having a myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke.

Methods or Experimental Procedures:

This research was based on a 20-year-old woman who was admitted to the hospital with hand numbness and retrosternal burning pain. (Aslan, A. N. et. al. 2016). While the woman was in the hospital, the doctors were doing different examinations to find what was the cause of this problem. The woman was a healthy woman with no history of heart attacks, a non-smoker with regular blood pressure and heart rates, and the only pills that she was using were oral contractive. (Aslan, A. N. et. al. 2016). However, there was a study that used women who used or didn’t use oral contractive, and their age was from 18 to 50. (Roach, RE. et. al. 2015). This research was done to compare the risk of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke in the users and non-users of oral concentrations. They used different methods to compare their results with other research that happened in the late 90s to prove that OC affects women’s health and can cause myocardial infarction and strokes.

Results:

The results doctors concluded in the case of the woman was that taking the birth control pills had. As a result, arteries start closing. “Since there were no other identifiable risk factors for an acute cardiovascular event, and normal biochemical and hematological investigations, acute inferior MI was ascribed to OC use.”. (Aslan, 2016). This result was concluded from another study that happened in the past. This study that they found was important for them to understand what was going on with the woman. According to the study of Roach with the women, the results of their case were that there was a fatal and nonfatal outcome on arterial thrombosis and myocardial infarction. Based on Roach’s study case, their result was that the women who were using birth control pills had a higher chance of having myocardial infarction and strokes than non-users.

Discussion:

Like every pill, the use of birth control pills has its side effects too, according to the case report “Low-dose oral contraceptive-induced acute myocardial infarction.” It was concluded in the study case of Aslan. A. N. Their investigations found that the women taking the Oral contraceptive were at higher risk of arterial thrombosis than the women who didn’t take the pill. (Swartout-Corbeil, D. M. 2011). To get to this conclusion, they had to pay close attention to the patient and do a lot of examinations and research to find out why her arteries were blocked. In the research of Roach, the mistake that they made was that they chose the groups wrong.

To get a solution that is valid, they should have many groups of women of the same age, weight, height, and years that have been taking the pills, and most importantly, these women should be healthy. The women that are used in the experimental group and the ones as a control group should not have a family history of heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, this research should be developed again to get appropriate results that will indicate the results. Both studies are not sufficient research because of their sample groups. However, both cases state that oral contraceptives have a high incensement of myocardial infarction and strokes.

References:

1. Aslan, A. N., Süygün, H., Sivri, S., Keleş, T., Süygün, H., & Keleş, T. (2016). Low-dose oral contraceptive-induced acute myocardial infarction. European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 21(6), 499–501. https://doiorg.rpa.laguardia.edu/10.1080/13625187.2016.1225715
2. Roach RE, Helmerhorst FM, Lijfering WM, Stijnen T, Algra A, Dekkers OM. Combined oral contraceptives: the risk of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2015, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD011054. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011054.pub2.
3. Swartout–Corbeil, D. M. (2011). Oral Contraceptives. In J. L. Longe (Ed.), The Gale Encyclopedia of Children’s Health: Infancy through Adolescence (2nd ed., Vol. 3, pp. 1634-1638). Detroit, MI: Gale. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX1918500555/GVRL?u=cuny_laguardia&sid=GVRL&xid=c1d64dc9

OTC Birth Control: Revolutionizing Access for Women’s Health

Executive Summary

Contraception is effective in improving health and well-being in women while reducing health care costs from unintended pregnancies and abortion. Women’s access to birth control is inadequate, and oral contraception should be available over the counter in Kentucky.

Introduction

Contraception is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century (Committee on Health Care, 2015). It has helped to improve health, well-being, and economic self-sufficiency among women and has helped to reduce maternal mortality. According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “US births from unintended pregnancies resulted in approximately $12.5 billion in government expenditures in 2008” (Committee on Health Care, 2015). Making contraceptives affordable and easily accessible in Kentucky would improve health while reducing healthcare costs, unintended pregnancy, and abortion rates.

Obtaining Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills contain hormones that prevent pregnancy and work by stopping fertilization and ovulation. According to Planned Parenthood, “there are many brands of pills,” and “the pill is safe, affordable, and effective” (Parenthood, 2018). Most states in the United States (US) require a prescription to obtain the pill. Typically, women must make an appointment with a gynecologist in order to get a prescription for the birth control pill. While most people can make time to visit their doctor and get a prescription, it can be much harder for others. For example, women may not have the availability in their schedule or may have difficulty getting transportation to a doctor’s office. As beneficial as the pill is, access isn’t currently as available as it should be.

The pie chart above shows common contraceptive methods used by women in the US. The gray shades indicate approximately one-third of US women using sterilization as their method of birth control. About one-quarter use oral contraceptives, as shown by the area shaded orange. In the area shaded blue, one-fifth rely on their male partner to withdraw before ejaculation or to wear a condom. A tenth of women use long-acting reversible contraceptives such as IUDs, as shown in the green shaded area.

Source: Guttmacher 2015

California Law in Kentucky

Many argue a doctor’s visit is an unnecessary barrier to obtaining oral contraception. California law is now allowing pharmacists to provide hormonal birth control after administering a questionnaire and completing a short training (Karlamangla, 2017). Already, pharmacies are shifting from places where one solely picks up medicine to places where patients seek medical care, such as getting shots and checkups. Allowing pharmacists to prescribe oral birth control would be fairly easy to implement in Kentucky. With a short training and questionnaire, pharmacists could be able to prescribe oral contraceptives. They wouldn’t be over the counter, but women would have easier access as they wouldn’t have to go through their doctor or gynecologist to get an initial prescription and could instead go straight to their pharmacy.

Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a mandate that requires employer healthcare plans to provide sterilization procedures, patient education, and counseling for women with reproductive capacity, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved contraceptive methods which is a big step towards allowing women to control their reproductive health (Sobel et al., 2018). However, since it was issued, the mandate has been controversial, and two major cases about it have been brought to the Supreme Court by companies who did not wish to provide FDA-approved contraceptive methods. Now, there are developed accommodations to give coverage to women even if an employer has obligations to provide it. If a company is providing a healthcare plan, then contraceptive methods should be included. While this policy does help to provide contraceptives to women, this policy is not always implemented. The mandate is lacking as companies can opt out of this coverage, and accommodations are already being made.

Recommendation and Conclusion

Women’s reproductive health has been a topic of discussion in the political world. Critics point out that an over-the-counter pill could increase economic disparities among women, and there is no guarantee that over-the-counter birth control would be covered by insurance. Some also argue that an over-the-counter option would be a less effective form of birth control, and women would have less variety. However, an over-the-counter prescription in Kentucky allows women to control their sexual reproduction, protects women from unintended pregnancy, and has the potential to be cost-saving ((Kennedy et al., 2016). Multiple barriers currently prevent women from obtaining and using contraceptives effectively and consistently. Removing the prescription barrier to the birth control pill could increase the use of contraception and reduce healthcare costs. This policy should be enacted at the federal level so women can have access to affordable, FDA-approved oral contraceptives over the counter.

References:

1. Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women. (2015, January). Access to Contraception. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and- Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Health-Care-for-Underserved– Women/Access-to-Contraception
2. Guttmacher Institute. Contraceptive use in the United States, fact sheet. October 2015. https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/contraceptive-use-united- states. Accessed July 19, 2016.
3. Karlamangla, S. (2017, December 13). Pharmacies now can offer birth control to women without a prescription, but few do. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-pharmacist-birth-control-20171213- story.html
4. Sobel, L., Salganicoff, A., & Gomez, I. (2018, August 09). State and Federal Contraceptive Coverage Requirements: Implications for Women and Employers. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/state-and-federal- contraceptive-coverage-requirements-implications-for-women-and-employers/
5. Kennedy, A., Jess, Z., & Dasari, N. (2016, March 31). The Over-the-Counter Birth Control Debate. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://publicpolicy.wharton.upenn.edu/live/news/1214-the-over-the-counter-birth -control-debate/for-students/blog/news.php
6. Over-the-Counter Access to Oral Contraceptives. (2012, December). Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee- Opinions/Committee-on-Gynecologic-Practice/Over-the-Counter-Access-to-Oral- Contraceptives
7. Parenthood, P. (n.d.). Birth Control Pills | The Pill | Contraceptive Pills. Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/birth-control-pill

Empowerment Through Choice: The Evolution and Impact of Birth Control

The Evolution of Women’s Control over Reproductive Choices

It’s crazy how something so small in the past can grow to be something so massive in a short amount of time. Over time, women have been mistreated, underappreciated, and have been forced to not have control of many different situations. But over time, women have regained and exceeded how much power they truly have, especially in regard to sexual activity. I truly think the power, especially pertaining to pregnancy and choosing when they truly wanted to have children, came during the invention of birth control.

Even during its early stages, it was more than obvious that women wanted to have control of what came out of their sexual experiments. According to the video, in the early 1920s, doctors were restricted from spreading information about birth control due to anti-obscenity laws. The video also stated, “By 1966, nearly 5 million women were on birth control pills, and by the early 1970’s, more than 8 million women were actively taking birth control.”

Although safe sex should always be the first thought, it was also pleasing to know that you can satisfy your sexual desires without having a child. According to allure.com, “ Gregory Godwin Pincus and John Rock more or less stumbled upon the idea behind the pill while searching for an infertility treatment.” The name of the first-ever birth control pill was “ Enovid,” and it was developed in the 1960s. Before birth control, there were many different many different hypotheses of how women could prevent pregnancy. According to Time Magazine, “In ancient China, concubines would drink lead and mercury before sex to prevent pregnancy, but the late side effects were fatal, and in ancient Greece, a gynecologist named Soranus advised women to hold their breath during intercourse and sneeze afterward.”

Birth Control’s Ongoing Impact: Usage, Advancements, and Empowerment

Since the early years of birth control, there have been many great leaps and bounds; according to the CDC, “62 percent of women aged 15-44 use some kind of birth control.” A lot of the advances of birth control became heightened during the conclusion of World War II. According to the video, “ The happy reunion of returning soldiers resulted in what was called a baby boom.” As a man, I can never relate to being unexpectedly pregnant or dealing with a 9-month pregnancy, but even a lot of my close friends who are married use some type of birth control, and I have even bought a form of birth control in regards to the plan-b pill.

Also, according to the CDC in 2018, “The most common contraceptive methods currently used in the overall age range 15–49 were female sterilization (18.6%) and in last place the male condom (8.7%).” Even though birth control is a great outlet and safety not, it is not for everyone and does come with some risks. According to Medical News Today.com, some side effect of birth control is “weight gain, nausea, headaches, breast tenderness, mood changes, etc.” I have even recently gained the knowledge that some women in this age don’t even use birth control just to prevent pregnancies but also to help control their menstrual cycles.

According to Young Women’s Health.org, “ girls whose menstrual periods are irregular (too few or not at all) birth control pills work by lowering certain hormone levels to regulate menstrual periods. When hormone levels are at normal levels, acne and hair growth often improve.” Since its discovery in the early 1920s, birth has seen its fair share of issues. According to Forbes.com, On May 6, two rulings by the Trump administration would allow employers or universities to deny birth control coverage as a part of their health care plan. I think that women deserve the right to choose how they want their bodies to operate and shouldn’t be blocked from anything that could impact them in a positive way, especially sexually.

References:

1. Posted under Health Guides. Updated 19 July 2018. +Related Content. (2018, July 19). Medical Uses of the Birth Control Pill. Retrieved June 08, 2020, from https://youngwomenshealth.org/2011/10/18/medical-uses-of-the-birth-control-pill/
2. Don Juan to Queen Victoria and the 20th Century, The History Channel, 1999
3. Todd, C. (n.d.). The History and Evolution of Birth Control in America. Retrieved June 08, 2020, from https://www.allure.com/story/history-of-birth-control?irclickid=2s3WqIWoJxyOWaM05-R4sULoUki3Xow1yQciUU0
4. Medicalnewstoday.com. 2020. Birth Control Pill: Side Effects, Risks, Alternatives, And The Shot. [online] Available at:
5. Broster, A. (2020, May 09). 60 Years Since The FDA’s Approval Of The Birth Control Pill. Retrieved June 08, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicebroster/2020/05/09/60-years-since-the-fdas-approval-of-the-birth-control-pill/

Media Framing and the Birth Control Movement: Reproductive Rights Struggle

Struggles Amplified: Media’s Role in Reproductive Rights Debates

In July 2018, Republican Congressman Jason Lewis’s inappropriate and sexist views about women were revealed in a CNN article. The congressman, who is known to be controversial, said that women who voted in favor of health insurance coverage for birth control “were not human beings and were without brains” (Kaczynski). In an even bolder set of comments, Lewis suggested that women who used birth control were sexually active and, therefore, “sluts” (Kaczynski). As a 21-year-old woman, the congressman’s blatant disregard for women’s reproductive rights created personal investment in the continued fight not only for contraception but to combat the stigma surrounding women’s sexuality.

Media is one of the most important tools for minorities and underprivileged groups to utilize. Headlines can be persuasive, articles can highlight injustice, and continued exposure can keep an issue fresh in the public’s mind. Earlier this month, the University of Notre Dame enlisted help from the Trump Administration to avoid providing health insurance coverage for birth control to students (Smith). Because Notre Dame is a Catholic university, representatives used the excuse that helping students buy birth control would “violate its religious beliefs” (Smith). In this circumstance, Jordan Smith’s article, whether intentionally or not, frames the university as the bad guy by showing that they are taking something vital away from their students.

Quotes included within the article from angered students are powerful. The Trump Administration is shown in a negative light, and anyone who reads the article will understand that women, even nowadays, are still struggling to find accessible and affordable birth control. In September, Brett Kavanaugh referred to birth control — more specifically, emergency contraception and IUDs — as “abortion-inducing drugs” (Martinez). His words were beyond pro-life. They were “anti-scientific” (Martinez). This is concerning because Brett Kavanaugh was recently appointed as a Supreme Court justice. Because this article was published about Kavanaugh’s views, people may be more concerned about what type of people have power in our government.

Empowering Women’s Choices: Birth Control as a Catalyst for Social Change

They may try to find candidates that align with their views, i.e., supporting the use of contraceptives. Then, they will vote for those candidates in the coming November midterm election. Thus, knowledge of injustice would serve as motivation for action. The birth control movement has been so much more than just making contraception legal. Feminists of the 19th and 20th centuries had to battle moral and religious stigmas (Gordon 7). There was a dangerous societal “repression of female sexuality” that took power away from women and made them subordinate (Gordon 12). Even women themselves were refusing to support other women because they were afraid of the potential consequences of female sexual empowerment: promiscuity and adultery (Gordon 57).

It wasn’t until norms changed that strong opposition to birth control began to weaken (Gordon 9). The battle for accessible and affordable birth control also ties into women’s rights. Although religious groups believed that birth control was “immoral,” feminists argued that being able to purchase and use birth control was about “choice, freedom, and autonomy” for women (Gordon 1-4). Feminists framed the birth control movement as a “campaign for ‘voluntary motherhood’” (Gordon 1). They thought that women should have the opportunity to decide when and if they wanted to have kids. For America to be a true democracy with equality, freedom, and rights, women should be able to decide what they want to do with their bodies.

That includes sterilization, abortion, and birth control. In a 2016 article published online for The Federalist, feminists were called “shallow and manipulative” for panicking about the potential loss of birth control if Donald Trump were elected as president (Hasson). The author painted feminists as cowards who supposedly ran to their doctors to purchase birth control while they thought they still could (Hasson). Although Mary Hasson made fun of feminists throughout the course of her article, there is nothing funny about people genuinely fearing for the loss of their rights. The article was largely insensitive and took a stab at feminists instead of reassuring them that everything would be okay.

Media’s Impact: Shaping Perception and Fueling Division

Women were further concerned in 2017 when the Trump Administration gave employers the right to “opt out” of providing insurance coverage for birth control (Duane). The author suggested that women who used #Fight4BirthControl on social media and women who were fearful about the exemption were ignorant. “Birth control isn’t necessary for women’s health,” she says and shames women who think they deserve to have their birth control covered by their insurance (Duane). It’s largely disappointing to see one woman putting other women down. Sometimes, birth control is necessary to treat women’s health conditions, such as endometriosis. But even when birth control isn’t needed to save someone’s life, it’s important that women have the right to choose how they want to manage their own bodies.

Every day, members of oppositional media decide “what to emphasize and what to ignore or suppress” (Ashley and Olson 263). As seen in the last two articles, the authors attempted to make feminists and birth control users seem weak and powerless. They mocked them. Along the same lines, conservative websites typically find articles that minimize the achievements of feminists and incessantly talk about the disadvantages of using birth control. One article from Life Site News titled “100 years of Planned Parenthood: Celebrating what exactly?” compiles a list of Planned Parenthood horror stories, coupled with the supposed dark past of Margaret Sanger (Brumfield).

The author fails to highlight a single accomplishment that the organization has made over the last 100 years, thus remaining completely biased and showing its stance against birth control and abortion. Media outlets use “negative framing techniques” to undermine movements (Ashley and Olson 265). For example, conservative websites continually tout the supposed detrimental effects of birth control. One article from The Federalist states that hormonal birth control triples women’s risk of suicide” (Harkness). A second article claims that “hormonal birth control is too dangerous to dispense without a prescription” (Grossu and Livengood). And yet a third article from the same website says that there are links between “birth control and breast cancer” (Harkness).

Towards a Balanced Narrative: Challenging Fear-Based Messaging

The authors use vivid words like “suicide,” “dangerous,” and “cancer” to draw readers in through the use of fear tactics. There aren’t any articles published on the website that praise Planned Parenthood, explain the health advantages of birth control, or offer insight to help readers decide which form of birth control is right for them. Laura Ashley and Beth Olson hypothesize that “coverage of feminists” will be less harsh and negative as time goes on (265). While this isn’t necessarily a given, it makes sense. American society seems to become more accepting as the years go by and as norms break down. It never hurts to remain hopeful about a better world, where people will not have to fear the loss of their rights, not have to wonder how they’re going to pay for their next prescription, and not feel as though they are inferior to another group of people.

References:

1. “Constructing Reality: Print Media’s Framing Of The Women’s Movement, 1966 to 1986.” Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, vol. 75, no. 2, 1998, pp. 263–277. Brumfield, Natalie. “100 Years of Planned Parenthood: Celebrating What Exactly?”
2. Abortion, Contraception, LifeSiteNews, 14 Oct. 2016, www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/100-years-of-planned-parenthood-celebrating-what-exactly. Duane, Marguerite.
3. “Stop Denying Science. Birth Control Isn’t Necessary For Women’s Health.” Health, The Federalist, 2 Nov. 2017, thefederalist.com/2017/11/02/stop-denying-science-birth-control-isnt-necessary-womens-health/.
4. Gordon, Linda. The Moral Property of Women: a History of Birth Control Politics in America. University of Illinois Press, 2002. Grossu, Arina O, and Patricia Livengood. “Hormonal Birth Control Is Too Dangerous To Dispense Without A Prescription.” Health Care, The Federalist, 27 Nov. 2016, thefederalist.com/2016/11/10/hormonal-birth-control-dangerous-dispense-without-prescription/.
5. Harkness, Kelsey. “New Study Finds Hormonal Birth Control Triples Women’s Risk Of Suicide.” Health, The Federalist, 4 Dec. 2017, thefederalist.com/2017/12/04/new-study-finds-hormonal-birth-control-triples-womens-risk-suicide/.
6. Harkness, Kelsey. “Study Of 1.8 Million Women Links Birth Control And Breast Cancer.” Health, The Federalist, 12 Dec. 2017, thefederalist.com/2017/12/12/study-1-8-million-women-links-birth-control-breast-cancer/.
7. “Feminists’ Post-Election Panic Over Birth Control Is Shallow, Manipulative.” Feminism, The Federalist, 18 Nov. 2016, thefederalist.com/2016/11/15/feminists-post-election-panic-birth-control-shallow-manipulative/.
8. Kaczynski, Andrew. “A GOP Congressman Once Lamented Not Being Able to Call Women ‘Sluts’ Anymore.” CNN Politics: KFILE, Cable News Network, 18 July 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/07/18/politics/kfile-jason-lewis/index.html.
9. Martinez, Gina. “Kavanaugh Calls Contraceptives ‘Abortion-Inducing Drugs.’” U.S. Politics, Time, 7 Sept. 2018, time.com/5389449/brett-kavanaugh-contraception-abortion-inducing-drugs/.
10. Smith, Jordan. “Notre Dame Struck a Secret Deal With the Trump Administration to Deny Birth Control Coverage. Now Students Are Fighting Back.” Politics, The Intercept, 11 Oct. 2018, theintercept.com/2018/10/11/notre-dame-health-insurance-birth-control-trump/.