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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!hound!ganns
From: ganns@hound.UUCP (R.GANNS)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: re the pill
Message-ID: <1376@hound.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Sep-85 08:22:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: hound.1376
Posted: Fri Sep 27 08:22:24 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Sep-85 04:47:19 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 30

This topic may have been worked over in the not too distant past already,
but it seems important enough to keep up some discussion on.

I have gotten the impression from a source I recently read (will get
the title & authors if anyone is interested) that THE PILL is a lot more
dangerous than the drug companies would like us to know. The authors of
the book claim that numerous studies exist linking a vast array of
serious side effects to artificial hormones; the ill effects are not
confined to the woman , but may extend to children (DES daughters, for
example); the authors also point out that there are some birth control
alternatives that are just as effective and far safer than the pill.

    The authors also point out that there is a distinct mentality among
doctors which refuses to accept the seemingly strong evidence against
the pill and related products such as Premarin, used to "treat"
menopause (the point is made that this mentality considers menopause
to be a disease, not a normal process), despite a lack of clear
evidence that there are any long term benefits to using hormones to
counter the effects of menopause (the hormones have to be used indefinitely,
as once their use is discontinued, the menopause runs its course with
a vengeance--hot flashes being the main complaint).

     The authors seem to be strongly in favor of the cervical cap,
and claim that it is very inexpensive, convenient (can be left in
place for long periods of time), and highly effective (as effective
as the pill, I believe); they also point out that it is not generally
available in the U.S., since there isn't enough profit potential
in it for pharmaceutical companies to get into it. It is available
in Europe, and probably could be gotten through a sympathetic
gynecologist.


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