Widespread access to family planning medication can come with some negative side effects. Gynecologists in India are reporting a sharp rise in medical complications, such as excessive bleeding or incomplete abortions, due to women's casual use of over the counter emergency contraception and abortion pills. Doctors say that women commonly look up the dosages on the Internet and then buy the pills themselves, never consulting a doctor. . . until something goes wrong.
Based on anecdotal evidence from doctors and patients, women appear to be increasingly relying on these medications as their first line of contraception. One woman told the Times of India that women turn to the morning after pill because "when you’re with your boyfriend, you don’t want to use condoms." Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned daily birth control pill?
While it's important for women to have access to emergency contraception or the abortion pill, it seems like there are plenty of medical reason to avoid using it as the main form of birth control.
Source: Flickr User gregor_y
Fornarina
I'm surprised at the carelessness of the women who would choose to take an emergency contraceptive regularly, rather than use condoms or another form of birth control (which are just as accessible, right?). But I guess if they want to put their bodies in jeopardy, that's their prerogative.
1What a terrible price to pay for laziness.
2I agree -- if that's how they want to treat their bodies, it's their prerogative.
3That there is a stigma against couples using condoms is probably an issue that can be addressed. They maybe would benefit from information about other birth control methods. I don't think it's very healthy to rely on emergency contraception as the sole form of birth control.
You can't just make birth control options available and expect people to know how use it responsibly. I may be mistaken, but it really seems as though this is an issue of adequate sexual education, and that this can be addressed with the implementation of a more comprehensive family planning system in India.
4As someone who lives in India I just wanna say that this does not shock me at all. You cannot got half an hour without seeing a commerical for the emergency contraceptive. They market it as an alternative to abortion and 'the only way'.
5They had a big condom promotion about two years ago...but lately I never see commericals for condoms!
Its like they are going through phases!
Also, birth control pills are not popular or advertised in India. I have friends who go to high schools (private schools full of upper class people) who know nothing about the pill. A girl I know started taking them to try to control her acne, she didnt even know that they stopped your period.
Unfortunately sex is still very taboo for anyone below the age of 20.
I hate how the more complicated and expensive forms of birth control are being used more often and being only the woman's responsibility.
6Ah yes. Free love. A little oooohhhh, a whole lot of consequences.
(And loverich has been reported for spam.)
7what in the hell is an incomplete abortion? it sounds absolutely horrifying.
8I think it sounds like an imcomplete sexual education. There is a lack of understanding and knowledge about the options available because of the taboo nature of sexual relations. It is sad that this is what the ladies in India are resorting to but it is not surprising if this is touted as the main form of birth control, it's easily accessible, and they are not given adequate knowledge about daily birth control, condoms and other contraceptives.
And I agree with Cake, it seems more and more that men don't feel it's their responsiblity any more and put all the pressure on the women to be on the pill, which is extremely costly since most insurance plans barely cover the cost, besides the negative side effects of the pill. (I have a $40 copay on my BC and it's $45 to buy it without insurance - woohoo the insurance company pays a whole whopping $5.) I just don't understand insurance companies, it's cheaper for them to cover the BC than to have to cover the costs of a baby, yet BC is seen as any other preventative and is not covered.
9If the pill is taken too late and the fetus is too large to be pass through the cervix normally, the girl will experience severe cramping and bleeding, even 'mini labor' in the body's attempt to expel the tissue. She could potentially bleed to death.
Sad that these girls not only lack a proper sex education, but have also been so misinformed by pill-pushing companies.
10This is very sad
11It is sad that contraceptives are available without adequate educational backing. Even here In Aus where Sexual Education is taught from year 6 to year 12 we get little info pamphlets in any packet of medication. I was given a whole load of booklets and pamphlets when I went on the pill and even more when I swapped to the implant!
I think that Doctors there should try and push birth control or the condom a little more, to make sure women aren't constantly using the morning after pill.
12I am interested in what the person from India said. These women can order it on the Internet without a prescription. That's the key.
13With birth control pills maybe they can't do that. If you're under twenty you are admitting to having sex if you get birth control pills. Also what is the deal with the advertising? It's affecting the choices that women make there. Who's making those commercials and why? Sounds like some sort of a greedy drug company conspiracy. However why don't the doctors, schools and other professionals inform women about birth control pills there? It's 2009.
No comprendo.
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