Lybrel, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals’ new birth control pill that eliminates women’s periods, is now on the market. Unlike traditional oral contraceptives, which include a week of placebo pills at the end of the cycle to bring on menstruation, Lybrel has no placebos, and women on the pill do not menstruate.While many women are wary of Lybrel, fearing that it takes away a key sign of health, fertility, and womanhood among females, others welcome the convenience and freedom from menstruation’s side effects that the drug offers.Doctors are also divided on the issue. Some maintain that Lybrel is safe, and point out that traditional birth control pills have been prescribed without the placebos to halt menstruation in women with painful periods, or who wanted to avoid menstruation during a special occasion, for years.Further, they say women must traditionally menstruate to shed the thick lining of the uterus that builds up during the cycle. Women on oral contraceptives only build a thin lining and, therefore, they may not need to menstruate.Women are also designed to stop menstruating during pregnancy and nursing, however in today’s culture, with increasing numbers of women forgoing motherhood for other pursuits, they often continue menstruating monthly.This may be “too many periods,” according to one doctor.However, other experts point to potential risks of long-term use, as Lybrel was only studied for one year. There are also social implications. Eliminating menstruation, according to many sociologists and anthropologists, tells young women that there’s something wrong or shameful about the natural menstrual cycle, and therefore with the female body.
Houston Chronicle July 31, 2007
Male condoms: Condoms have a 98 percent effectiveness rate when used correctly. A water-based lubricant will increase the effectiveness; do not use an oil-based lubricant, however, as they break the latex.
Female condoms: These thin, soft polyurethane pouches fitted inside the vagina before sex are 95 percent effective. Female condoms are less likely to tear than male condoms.
Diaphragm: Diaphragms, which must be fitted by a doctor, act as a barrier to sperm. When used correctly with spermicidal jellies, they are 92 to 98 percent effective.
Cervical cap: This heavy rubber cap fits tightly against the cervix and can be left in place for 48 hours. Like the diaphragm, a doctor must fit the cap. Proper fitting enhances the effectiveness above 91 percent.
Spermicides: Creams, jellies and suppositories contain chemicals that kill sperm. While they can increase the effectiveness of other forms of contraception listed here, I don't recommend using them alone.
Other natural methods to scientifically check your fertility.
Additionally, any of the above methods can be combined with natural family planning, in which the woman charts her cycle by regularly monitoring her first morning oral temperatures with an accurate thermometer, and also checks her cervical mucous for appearance and "ferning" patterns. If these two methods are combined, then their effectiveness approaches that of birth control pills.