(no subject)

[abracanabra]

From a NYT article about the new birth control pill about to be approved that will get rid of all "periods":

Eliminating menstruation is not a completely new concept. Women who take any kind of oral contraceptive do not have real periods.

Because the hormones in pills stop the monthly release of an egg and the buildup of the uterine lining, there is no need for the lining to shed — as occurs during true menstruation.

Still, since the advent of oral contraceptives in 1960, birth control pills typically have been designed to mimic the natural 28-day menstrual cycle to assure women using the pill that their bodies were functioning normally. The pills are usually packaged as regimens of 21 days of hormone pills and 7 inactive pills. The interruption of hormone therapy during the inactive part of the regimen induces bleeding that resembles a mild period but is, in fact, caused by unstable hormone levels.

Huh. I did not know that. Kinda creepy, actually. Best not to think about it, I suppose.

Comments

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

You have a womb-at? That's scary--sounds like it has teeth!

[gunn.livejournal.com]

Feels like it, too.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Aw, poor girl. I hope Seasonale works out well--the article mentioned it, too.

[gunn.livejournal.com]

It's Yasmin, not Seasonale. But yes. Hopefully!

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Somebody on my friends page was talking about Seasonale. Thought it was you. Never mind!