MD's, contraceptive pill query

[abby]

Hi

One for the MD’s amongst us…

In the course of my work, I need to schedule pairs of healthy 18 to 25 year old women to have sex with each other. We get these women to be tested for STD’s. Most of them are hetro by nature, and so are on oral contraceptives.

Scheduling shoots for pairs of models when both of them are menstruating is difficult - the chance of two seven day periods crossing over in a 28 day cycle is high enough, but mix in social commitments and work schedules, and it can sometimes be impossible.

Sometimes, models offer to skip the sugar pills, keep taking the real ones, and suppress their cycle (so, they might go 40, 60, 90 days without bleeding). Currently we don’t ask them to do this (they offer), as it seems a little rude to suggest we mess with their bodies that way, and part of me wants to think that menstruating is natural and we kinda should not mess with it… but is that just being a hippy?

Are there any health (short- or long-term) risks to women who do this? Can we put it to models as a realistic sensible option (of course, we’d let them decide)?

Please no anecdotes or ruminations - I am after a factual answer, assuming there is one.

Thanks.

Abby

[Qadgop_the_Mercotan]

I’d have to be present at the actual session to answer accurately.

Many women and their doctors are now opting for oral birth control consisting of less-frequently interrupted hormonal pills. There is no evidence that taking the pill continuously for 3-4 months, then taking a break for menses is any more hazardous than taking every 4th week off for menses, in otherwise healthy women.

Not being these women’s physician, I can’t speak as to whether it’s safe for them or not. They should address the issue with their doctors to get the facts about themselves.

QtM, MD

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

WebMD - Better information. Better health.

FDA Approves New Birth Control Pill

Seasonale – First Birth Control Pill Approved for ‘Seasonal’ Periods

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Friday, September 05, 2003

Sept. 5, 2003 – The FDA has given its blessing to Seasonale, the first extended-cyle birth control pill. For women who dread their monthly period, there’s no better news - the pill promises to cut the number of women’s periods to four times a year.

Seasonale, produced by Barr Laboratories, has 84 “active” birth control pills followed by seven days of placebo. Voila! A seasonal period – four times a year. Seasonale will hit the market at the end of October, according to its manufacturer…

[Sassafras]

I take my OCs constantly and skip the placebos- I have a period about every four months. I work in an OB GYN office and the docs tell me its just fine and it might actually help prevent ovarian cancer since I am almost 40 and childless.

[abby]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

abby