When individuals think of birth control or see a woman consuming these pills, many automatically assume that she is sexually active. However, this may not necessarily be the case. “More than 1.5 million American women use birth control pills for reasons other than preventing pregnancy, a new analysis finds,” reported NPR. It seems as though people are unaware of the multiple reasons a woman may decide to take the pill or must take the pill. Here is why I take birth control.
I started getting my period in the middle of seventh grade. It is a fairly normal age to start. However, my periods were extremely irregular. Since I was young, the inconsistency was a normal occurrence. I figured my period would eventually become more consistent as I grew older. Unfortunately, my period kept following unpredictable patterns. It would come around the same time for three months but then not come at all for another two months. During sophomore year of high school, I decided to visit the gynecologist and address this abnormality. I was 15 years old and did not know whether this was still normal or something to be concerned about. I discovered that I have polycystic ovarian syndrome. My estrogen levels happened to be lower and my testosterone levels were higher than that of the average woman. As a result, I was not receiving my period as often as I should have. I was prescribed birth control pills and must take them on a daily basis. The birth control pills help bring my hormone levels to an equilibrium and help stabilize my periods.
When I found out, I was informed that it was not something to be extremely concerned about. As long as I followed the doctor’s instructions, I would be fine. My initial reaction was fairly practical. I did not think too much about it and simply followed the doctor’s instructions. It was not until one day when I accidentally left my pills on my desk and my friend decided to come over after school that I really felt any sentiments of embarrassment. She saw the pills and asked if it was birth control with the most perplexed expression. She was a close friend so I simply said yes and told her about my condition. It was quite awkward since I had not really discussed the matter with anyone other than my parents. That is when I came to realize that a lot of people, including myself before I found out about my polycystic ovarian cysts, are unaware of the multiple uses of birth control. Birth control is also used for other conditions including endometriosis.
It is extremely important for not only women but for everyone to be aware of the multiple uses of birth control. Seeing someone taking the pill and not automatically thinking “she’s having sex” (not that having sex should be any of someone else’s business) can ground one back to the possibilities of the several ways the pill helps other women like me.
The birth control pill is a controversial topic often due to fact that it is a contraceptive. Some still think it should be banned for this reason. While this type of restriction is a violation of women’s rights (this reason alone should make this kind of constraint an impossibility), it is also affecting those who must take the pill for other reasons.
