Birth Control- Part I

In my explorations, I was reading about all the dangers about putting drugs into our bodies. I stopped going to the doctor as often, in exchange for chiropractic adjustments and healthy food. I stopped eating processed food, and replaced it with organic produce and turkey burgers. I've even rejected the idea of a hospital birth for a drug free home birth. 

All this time, I was still putting synthetic, harmful hormones in my body through birth control. 

This is something so "normal," I did not even think about the dangers involved with it. I knew there was side effects, but never really realized what it was doing to my body. 

I came across this article and it got me really thinking about birth control. She explained the affect of birth control like this: 

"Here is something that you probably were not informed of: the pill ages the cervix about two years for every one year of use. This is one reason why pill use can lead to infertility later on (and why the contraceptive industry fuels the multi-billion dollar infertility industry). The cervix produces different types of cervical fluid, and each type has a different function. When a woman is in the infertile part of her cycle, her body produces a type of cervical fluid that blocks sperm from entering her cervix and uterus. During the 100 hours of her cycle when a woman is capable of becoming pregnant, her cervix produces types of fluid that protect, nourish, and guide sperm to her possibly waiting egg, as well as filtering out defective sperm. One function of the pill is that it changes her cervix so that it increases the amount of crypts that make the fluid that blocks sperm and decreases the amount of crypts that aid conception. This process happens naturally with age, but it happens twice as fast for pill-users."

That scared the crap out of me! I have been on birth control for 3 years, so this means my cervix has aged by 6 years! My nuvaring went out the window when I read this. 

And as I mentioned in my last blog, women lose 90% of their eggs by the time they are 30. I am not sure if this is before or after the prematurely aging cervix because of birth control or not, considering most women have been on birth control. I'm hoping for the sake of those of us who have taken birth control, the cervical aging from birth control is included in this research. 

That same article talking about fertility, says birth control does not affect fertility. We hear this everywhere, but this article even has charts showing the differences in cervix between pill users and non-pill users. 

Also, the World Health Organization just added birth control to the level 1 carcinogen list, along with tobacco and asbestos.  Here's the scoop: 

"The WHO said it raises risk for cancers of the breast, liver and cervix. Although it decreases the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers, cancer groups expect 27,000 more American women will die in 2012 from cancers of the breast, liver and cervix than will die from cancers of the ovaries and endometrium. It would not make sense for doctors to advise women to take a carcinogen to prevent cancer, although some still do.

Second, two recent studies have strongly linked use of oral contraceptives with a deadly, treatment-resistant form of breast cancer called “triple-negative breast cancer.” The latter study found that women who started using oral contraceptives before age 18 multiplied their risk of TNBC by 6.4 times. TNBC occurs most often among African-Americans and women under age 50.

Third, a 2006 meta-analysis in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings reported a 44 percent increased risk of premenopausal breast cancer among women who started using oral contraceptives before first full-term pregnancy."

TERRIFYING. 

Go reread that last sentence. 44% higher risk of premenopausel breast cancer before first pregnancy? What the heck? 

Why in the world would doctors not tell us about this?? I have a grandmother who had breast cancer 3 times, and it is possible I carry the gene. I plan on breastfeeding to help reduce my risk, but now that my risk is now higher I'll be lucky to even out.  

Did you see that study was done in 2006? I was a sophomore in high school then. If this information was released then, why is it that when I got married in 2010, no one even hesitated about me getting on birth control? 

I'm obviously angry about this, and you should be too. People should know the facts before they put this stuff in their bodies.

I do not like to talk politics, but contraception is a huge difference between the two candidates, Romney has spoken out about birth control, but why didn't he bring up these facts? Obama is adamant on having free birth control available, should we say "free cancer all around!" if he wins? Why is he promoting this when we have so much research against it? 

I am honestly angry at how much our society allows us to put harmful things into our bodies.

It's time to make that stop. 

Birth control began because women wanted to be able to have sex with whoever and whenever they want in the "sexual revolution." Women loved that they had control over their bodies, but I just wonder how many of them would throw that out the window once they have the facts. Is a higher risk of cancer really worth the thrill of promiscuity?

This blog is getting wayy too long. In my next post I will talk about how women can gain even greater control over there bodies while preventing or increasing their chances of pregnancy. 

Please let me know your thoughts on this. Does this research also anger you? Why do you think we do not know these facts? Join the conversation on our facebook.

 Here is some more great articles about the affects of birth control, if you want some more crazy scary facts we do not know about birth control. This article also touches on the many different forms (sterilzation, vasectomies, IUDs,etc) and their affect on the body. 

Stay tuned for Part II. 

Older Mom vs Younger Mom

I recently had someone ask me my opinion on being a young mom vs an older mom. I personally think there are pros/cons in both situation.

I personally have grew up with an older mom (she gave birth to me a few months before her 40th birthday). I really have enjoyed all the wisdom she has passed down to me that she has learned throughout the years. Also, the benefit of retirement coming soon is great, as she will have more time to come visit!

The biggest con I experience is, since she is getting older, she may not be around for me as long as she has been around for my older siblings. She also will not have as much energy to care for my children (when they arrive). I worry about my children not knowing her as well as my sibling's children, who cherish her.

I love my mom, I wouldn't trade her for the world.

But I do wonder what it would be like to have a younger mom, who has more energy and more involved with outside activities. Although a younger mom might still be trying to get her career started, savings built, and building the foundation for her relationship with her spouse.

Fertility is also something to think about when making the decision of when to have children. According to this article women lose 90% of their eggs by age 30, and are left with only 3% at age 40. That is definitely something to consider. It will be a lot harder to become a first time mom in your thirties, than in your twenties. (although there are a ton of fertility options for those choosing to be an older mom!) Pregnancy is also more likely to be low risk in your twenties.

In my opinion, it is a personal decision. Each individual situation needs to be looked at. Whether the family is settled down, financially at a point where they could afford another mouth to feed, insurance, and how stable the relationship is between the potential mother and father to be.

This article describes the benefits the author has experienced in being a young mom; including not getting to caught up in your career, so it is easier to commit to being a stay at home mom for a few years, having more energy to chase around a rambunctious toddler, and also being younger once they leave the house, so the parents have time to experience the world again before entering into their later years.

On the contrary, this article discusses the benefits of being an older mom, including maturity, more relaxed, more stability, and being able to offer your children the wisdom you have acquired throughout the years.

The father needs to have say in timing as well. A father who feels he is not quite ready to be a parent, but the mother has pressured him into it, is going to have more trouble adjusting to fatherhood. We talk so much about when the potential mother wants a baby, leaving out a huge key person in the discussion. The father needs to be just as ready for parenthood as the mother.

There is a lot of things to be considered when figuring out timing for this miracle to occur. Some of us aren't so lucky as deciding when is right, and life just surprises us!

I don't think there is any magic time to have children. It's up to the mother and father to be to discuss what works better for their current lifestyle.

I would love to start having children young, but DH and I have discussed and evaluated and decided it will be better if we waited a few more years. Factors in our decision include financial (particularly because I absolutely want to be a stay at home mom), developing more emotional maturity, continuing to build our marriage, and just not knowing where we are going to be living a year from now.

People will tell you "you never are actually ready" or "if you wait for the right time it may never come/be too late." Don't let this scare you into making a decision you are not ready for. Children are a huge blessing, but a huge responsibility. Your life will never go back to the way it was before.

When do you think is the right time to have children? Let's continue the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/LovingNaturally

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Induce me doc!

 I was at a wedding a few weeks ago, and the bartender was obviously super pregnant. I casually asked her how far along she was, she replied, "I'm due in 2 weeks, but I'm hoping to be induced on Tuesday." Being the curious person I am, I asked her why she was going to be induced. She simply replied she was sick of being pregnant and wanted her body back. I casually said "Good luck!" and walked away, hands shaking with all the information I wanted to give her.

As I walked away, I knew I was going to have to respond to this lady via my blog.

Most people do not even thoroughly know what is going on during an induction. What is an induction? It is artificially starting or speeding up labor. The most common used drug in induction is Pitocin, which is synthetic oxytocin.

I wanted to tell her the affects of the drugs she is putting in her body. Here is a excerpt of an article summarizing the difference between oxytocin and pitocin:

"Synthetic oxytocin [AKA PITOCIN] administered in labor does not act like the body’s own oxytocin. First, syntocinon-inducedcontractions are different from natural contractions, and these differences can cause a reduced blood flow to the baby. For example, waves can occur almost on top of each other when too high a dose of synthetic oxytocin is given, and it also causes the resting tone of the uterus to increase (33).

Second, oxytocin, synthetic or not, cannot cross from the body to the brain through the blood-brain barrier. This means that syntocinon, introduced into the body by injection or drip, does not act as the hormone of love. However, it does provide the hormonal system with negative feedback—that is, oxytocin receptors in the laboring woman’s body detect high levels of oxytocin and signal the brain to reduce production. We know that women with syntocinon infusions are athigher risk of bleeding after the birth, because their own oxytocin production has been shut down. But we do not know the psychological effects of giving birth without the peak levels of oxytocin that nature prescribes for all mammalian species." 

and another article:

"The following adverse reactions have been reported in the mother:

Anaphylactic reaction
Postpartum hemorrhage
Cardiac arrhythmia
Fatal afibrinogenemia
Hypertensive episodes
Nausea
Vomiting
Premature ventricular contractions
Pelvic hematoma
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
Hypertensive episodes
Rupture of the uterus

Excessive dosage or hypersensitivity to the drug may result in uterine hypertonicity, spasm, tetanic contraction, or rupture of the uterus.

The possibility of increased blood loss and afibrinogenemia should be kept in mind when administering the drug.

Severe water intoxication with convulsions and coma has occurred, associated with a slow oxytocin infusion over a 24-hour period. Maternal death due to oxytocin-induced water intoxication has been reported.

The following adverse reactions have been reported in the fetus or neonate:

Due to induced uterine motility:

Bradycardia
Premature ventricular contractions and other arrhythmias
Permanent CNS or brain damage
Fetal death
Neonatal seizures have been reported with the use of Pitocin.

Due to use of oxytocin in the mother:

Low Apgar scores at five minutes
Neonatal jaundice
Neonatal retinal hemorrhage”"

I wanted to tell her that because she didn't feel like being pregnant longer, not only is she putting her and her baby at risk for all the above, She is 2.6 times more likely to have a c-section. That's huge considering the c-section rate is up to 50% in some areas. 

Not to mention that it is very unlikely for a women to be induced without an epidural because as the above article mentioned, pitocin does not cross the blood-brain barrier. Oxytocin is the same hormone released during orgasms, in childbirth it releases pain relieving endorphins, and give you the gumption to carry on. (Here is a great post from my favorite blogger talking about how to get through an induction without pain medications. It CAN be done.)

Epidurals and C-section's have so much risk involved that I need a whole 'nother blog on each topic!

here and here are articles on those risks if you are interested.

I understand that I have never been pregnant. I do not know what it is like to be so ready to be done. To feel like a huge giant whale.  I know that we all want what is best for our babies.

Don't let the doctor scare you into an induction. Your body CAN deliver a big baby (one of the common reasons for an induction), here is an article of a momma delivering an 11 lb 12 oz baby at HOME!  It was a Home Birth After Cesarean even! Your pregnancy can even last up to 44 weeks, Here is another story of a mom delivering a baby at 42 weeks, safely at home. 

Our bodies know how to give birth. They know when the baby is ready. God in his amazing design created us that way. Let's not rush it. Know that God is in control of this. 

 I have no idea if she was induced that next week, quite frankly I hope her doctor said no, and maybe she is still pregnant. I just hope that whenever she does give birth, and however, that her and the baby are safe, healthy, and happy. 

Any questions you have considering inductions, reasons for them, etc, please contact me or comment on the blog! Have a great day!


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