Sunday, March 8, 2009

on birth control

i've been planning on getting an IUD after we have the baby (thank you no more birth control pills). i told someone this today and their immediate reaction was, "you know that's abortion, right?" honestly i hadn't really researched it or thought much about it (guess i should).

so...question of the day: do you think IUDs are abortion and would you ever use them?

i would love to hear all opinions as i am still forming my own. if you don't feel comfortable commenting, you can email me at perkinss@jbu.edu. love yall!

p.s. i've heard many birth control pills are not compatible with breastfeeding because of high doses of estrogen. what do you think is the most common or highly favored birth control method for breastfeeding mothers?

9 comments:

Kim said...

hm. I haven't heard that. I'll look into it.

Anonymous said...

I love my Mirena! I've had it for a little over a year now and have no real complaints (well I guess the insertion was a little painful, but worth it). I love not having to remember to take a pill, I love that it is 99.9% effective, and I love that I don't have periods anymore. I think I had one or two and then they stopped, which is a normal side effect. Mirena is another bc method that they can't fully explain, which is why you get the "abortion" comments. My doctor explained that it thins the lining of the uterus (thus, no periods), prevents fertilization, and a third thing but I can't remember. Anyway it averaged out to $8 a month for me over 5 years, much less than the $30/mo I paid for the pill. Sadly my face broke out horribly when I went off the pill but that's under control now.

I think if someone says that an IUD is abortion then they'd probably have to say the same about the pill, since there are some "mysteries" about how each truly works. Everyone I know that has one, loves it! One girl did pull hers out when she was UBER drunk though, ::shudders::

Anonymous said...

oh, blocking the egg from releasing was the third! I know people on Paragard too, they can't tolerate any hormones. They said their periods/cramps were much heavier on that one.

Kim said...

I'll agree with pugsnotdrugs. Essentially, the people in the church that say its abortion think that every kind of contraception (beside condoms) could result in a fertilized egg not being able to implant and would just pass through...hence the abortion label. Here's the interview that I found on Family Life Today: http://www.familylife.com/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dnJHKLNnFoG&b=3781515&ct=5597319

He does seem to be more opposed to the IUD than other forms. I'm a big fan of NuvaRing. Once a month and forget about it. I'm not sure if it solves your hormone issue with breastfeeding though.

Spring said...

Bah. It's not abortion. That is crazy talk. The number one function of birth control is preventing the release of an egg. If no egg is released, no egg can be fertilized, which means no life is even created to be aborted, or whatever. So silly. By that argument, every second we're not procreating is abortion. Silly.

I'm obviously irritated right now, ironically because I went off birth control last week inadvertently. I am NOT trying to get pregnant, but I was fed up with Nuvaring. Apparently I'm shaped weird. Or, like, tiny.

Anyway. I've decided that I like taking a pill every day better. I never trusted Nuvaring to work, and I realize now it's because there's no daily reminder that I'm doing it properly. BUT. I hope that the IUD thing works for you. Don't let the crazies make you feel bad, lovely. Do what's best for you.

Jenny Clements said...

Silvy, I may be mistaken, but I thought I heard learned in one of my psych classes that true breast feeding is a form of birth control, I think because it curbs the hormones that begin ovulation. Definitely DON'T take my word for it, but maybe research that a little bit. If you're substituting formula with breast-milk and not nursing on a consistent day and night basis, it's more likely your period will return sooner. Ask your doctor about the "mini-pill," which doesn't contain estrogen, a hormone that can interfere with lactation. (even though I know you said you were tired of the pill)

In that same class, we learned that IUD's are very effective and often under 1% failure rate. However (for example with projesterone T), because of the thickening of the cervical secretions (which is natural in all women, except with an IUD it is thick ALL the time) that stops the sperm from entering, the woman is at a higher risk for scarring of the uterine wall and getting PID. Copper T, another form of IUD is the one that releases copper ions to prevent fertilization. The Vaginal ring works much like the pill, and has to be replaced about every three weeks.

Paul and I did a lot of research about birth control before we got married, and I happened to be in an interpersonal psych class at the time, so I learned a lot of adv. and disadv. about all known birth control methods.

Definitely check out the breast-feeding thing, though, or ask your doctor. I'm pretty sure your chance of getting pregnant is slim to none while you're breast feeding if you are nursing your baby frequently- some women don't see their period for as little as three months after they stop nursing and at most, up to one year.

Erin said...

Hmmm.. I thought you were more likely to get pregnant right after you give birth (Irish Twins). Obviously I have no experience with this.

IUD is NOT Abortion. I don't know why you would think that...

I hated taking the pill and sometimes I would forget/take it late which always freaked me out. Plus the high doses of estrogen actually made me go a little nutz-o. :|


I LOVE my NUVARING!! It is a so nice not to have to worry about remembering your birth control. At first when I started using it, sometimes it would fall out if provoked. It never comes out anymore though. It has a substantially lower dose of estrogen and it's a constant flow of hormones instead of the ups and downs of the pill-- so no more crazies!

Jenny Clements said...

If you're not consistently breast-feeding, then you are just as likely to get pregnant as any time, because your period should return quicker. So I guess it just depends on how you plan to nurse your baby if you would decide to go that route.

I've heard good things about the nuvaring, too! I have lots of friends using that!

However, anything used prior to getting pregnant is not a form of abortion. Anything used after conception is.

Tracie Faust said...

i don't think it's abortion...but call me CRAZY.

yes i DO remember when i visited you! I think we might live right by where you lived? I live on alameda and s. clarkson...i think the starbucks we walked to that day is right around the corner from me?? 32 S. Clarkson is my address.

Once baby arrives you guys should DEFINITELY come visit :)

You're going to be the cutest mom EVER.