Women in their reproductive years may dread ‘that time of the month’. Menses are often coupled with mood swings, bloating, breast tenderness, fatigue, and, at times, cramping. The menstrual cycle can be inconvenient, especially when traveling or for athletes.
The birth control pill is known to help regulate menstrual cycles and can be used to manipulate the timing of your period. Nevertheless, the traditional birth control pill typically includes a one week ‘break’ period each month, in which no hormones are given, allowing a woman to have her period.
Today, the need for the menstrual cycle is being debated. Is it necessary? Does it serve any benefit for a woman not interested in having children?
Currently, there are various options available to women to halt their cycles, inducing a condition called ‘secondary amenorrhea’ (an absence of menses for more than three months). This includes the Depo Provera shot, given every three months, or the use of an intrauterine device (IUD), both of which lead to amenorrhea.
According to E. Casey Lunny’s article (www.gynecological-health.suite101.com) written on July 1, 2007, “Lybrel Offers End to Menstruation New Birth Control Pill Offers Women Option to Skip Periods All Year”:
“On May 22,2007, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new product called “Lybrel”. [ ] Lybrel is composed of the same hormones as traditional birth control pills. [ ] The only difference is that Lybrel is taken 365 days a year. Since there is never a time when the woman is not taking the pill, there is no period. [ ] It can take some time to achieve amenorrhea (the state of having no periods at all) when using Lybrel or another continuous method. According to the testing of Lybrel done by the FDA, only 59% of women were period-free at the end of the 12 month study. Others experienced spotting or “breakthough bleeding” (a period-like blood flow).”
This may sound like wonderful news to women. At last, a way to suppress the menstrual cycle indefinitely. In fact, the hype about putting an end to menstruation is likely too good to be true. There are serious risks associated with amenorrhea that need to be considered carefully. Bone loss is the most important risk, resulting from low estrogen levels in the body.
According to www.lisamjukesmd.com, “Studies released in 2004 show that Depo Provera is associated with a loss of bone density resulting in an increased risk of osteoporosis. The bone loss appears not to be reversed when the woman goes off Depo Provera. Depo is not recommended for long term use and especially not recommended when the young woman is still growing her bones. Women on Depo are advised to exercise and take in plenty of calcium. If you have taken Depo Provera for more than two years, you might want to get a bone density test.”
This is in addition to other side-effects of Depo Provera, including weight gain, depression and allergic reactions. Bone loss, which can lead to osteoporosis, is certainly an alarming side-effect of amenorrhea. Beyond this known risk, the complete suppression of the menstrual cycles may lead to other risks not yet fully understood. These risks, in my view, greatly outweigh the benefits of avoiding menstruation, a natural part of being a woman of reproductive age. Furthermore, when women later choose to have children, there can be delays before the menstrual cycle returns to a regular pattern, affecting fertility.
While pregnant or lactating women are naturally amenorrheic, this does not appear to contribute to any long term bone loss. The female physiology is complex and remains in a balanced state when healthy and in the absence of interference from exogenous hormonal inputs.
Before making a decision, here are a few thoughts to consider:
- What are the repercussions of using medications to alter or suppress the natural menstrual cycle and hence the body’s natural rhythms for, at times, over a decade?
- What effects does long-term alterations to the female cycle have on fertility? There are birth control options that do not involve the introduction of synthetic hormones to your body. These should also be explored.
- Granted, not having a menstrual cycle may be convenient. However, instead of battling one’s cycle, why not balance the body to reduce common symptoms, such as mood swings, cramping, and breast tenderness? Naturopathic medicine can help treat causes of PMS and dysmenorrhea (painful periods).