Supressing Menstruation

Filed in archive Menstruation on May 22, 2007

An article from Irish Health.com asks, "Is Menstruation Unnatural?" The reason for the question is the development of a new birth control pill that suppresses menstruation. According to Irish Health:

Dr Derry says even if prolonged monthly menstruation was regarded as unnatural and unhealthy, this would not in itself prove that suppressing it is better.

She say menstrual suppression itself is unnatural; a drug chronically overrides the physiological changes associated the menstrual cycle, thereby creating an underlying hormonal environment that is not found in nature.

Is suppressing the monthly period safe? The Derek Rose Blog says:

Doctors say they know of no medical reason women taking birth control pills need to have a period. The monthly bleeding that women on pills experience is not a real period, in fact.

And studies have found no extra health risks associated with pills that stop menstruation, although some doctors caution that little research has been conducted on long-term effects. ...

Fast Company.com has this take on it:

My personal feeling is that by taking a pill to eliminate our periods we are medicalizing our bodies and turning something natural into a sickness. But just to be clear, I believe women should be given choices. Despite the messages we hear about women and nature and motherhood and moon cycles and sugar and spice -- not all women are the same. Some women have cramps. Some have PMS. And some just don't want to be bothered with a period. All women, no matter their reason, should be given the option of not menstruating. That is not the problem. But the message the pills perpetuate, and how this message will be marketed to women, are questionable.

Perhaps women should be given choices, but the long-term effect of suppressing the period and altering the monthly cycle is still unknown. It might be wise to proceed with caution.