The Pill That Ends Your Period

No more bloating…no more cramps…no more worries about white pants. This may become the chant of some women after finding out they could end their period before menopause. On May 22nd, the FDA approved a new oral contraceptive that will suppress a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Lybrel is the first continuous use oral contraceptive to be approved by the FDA. It was approved after two one year studies involving 2,400 women between the ages of 18 to 49. Lybrel comes in a 28-day pill pack and is a combination of progestin, levonorgestrel, and estrogen and functions similar to the 21-day birth control pill that manipulates a women’s ovulation by lowering the production of hormones. Most birth control pills have a pill free stage that lasts four to seven days in which a menstrual cycle can occur, however with Lybrel a woman will no longer have the experience of a monthly menstrual cycle. Although there are no scheduled periods, unscheduled bleeding and spotting can occur. The chance of unscheduled bleeding does decrease over time with continuous use.

The side effects associated with Lybrel are the same as most oral contraceptives on the market today. Blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks are the most common and the risk increases for women who smoke cigarettes. Like other birth control pills, Lybrel does not protect against the spread of AIDS or other STDs.

Menstrual suppression is a lifestyle choice that many women are making. Suppressing one’s period does have benefits. It helps a woman gain more control over their bodies, allowing them to have a cycle when they choose. Bloating, menstrual migraines, and swolen breasts are also eliminated. Menstrual suppression is also believed to help women with a history of endometriosis, tumors on the outside of the uterus, and dysmenorrhea, painful menstrual cramps.

Although menstrual suppression has benefits, it still poses lingering questions. Is menstrual suppression safe? What are the long term effects? How will I be able to tell if I’m pregnant if I don’t get my period? Menstrual suppression does carry a higher risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks than other birth control pills that have a placebo break. Menstruation also helps to flush harmful substances from the body. There is also a concern of a woman’s exposure to high levels of estrogen. Unfortunately, there has not been a study that exposes the long-term effects of menstrual suppression. Periodically a woman taking Lybrel should take a pregnancy test to ensure that she is not pregnant.

Every woman remembers the first day she received her menstrual cycle. It is a welcomed rite of passage that signals the blossoming of a girl into a woman and the revelation that she can conceive life. It is as much a part of being a woman as having breasts. But after the initial period, the monthly ritual of a woman’s cycle is more like a burden than a blessing. The introduction and use of drugs like Lybrel only further expands the possibilities that women can have about their lives, as well as what defines being a woman.

To learn more about whether Lybrel is right for you, consult your doctor or local health practitioner.

delicious

digg

technorati

Email this page