From the Doctor:
Bad experiences with birth control methods
creates “pick your own poison” attitude
Confidential to my red ink cor
respondent:
We all have both life-supporting
and life-destroying urges and im
pulses within us. If we learn to di
rect these forces well, the difficul
ties that our lives present to us are
easily overcome and our lives be
come challenging and satisfying.
Often, however, we hinder our
own progress either by turning our
imagination against ourselves or
by running away from those chal
lenges which, if overcome, enrich
our lives and ourselves. Many
times we will fall into patterns of
thought and behavior that are de
structive to us and to others.
When this happens a knowledge
able and empathetic counselor
can be of tremendous benefit. Let
me urge you to come talk with me
about your life and the choices
you are making.
Dr. Terry Copperman
Dear Dr. Copperman:
Your article in Friday’s Emerald
was very interesting and although
I can’t speak for all women, I can
tell you why I am afraid erf birth
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1 A
control pills, and why I distrust
doctors on the subject.
When I first became sexually
active I got a diaphragm as it
wouldn't make any changes in my
body functions. I had always bee,
healthy and I didn’t want to do any
thing that would be potentially
harmful. Even though I used the
diaphragm faithfully and properly,
I was consumed with anxiety
every month wondering if my
period would come. It always did,
but after a year, I decided to trade
in the monthly anxiety and lack of
spontaniety that usually accom
panies sex for the effectiveness
and, what I hoped would be peace
of mind of the pills. I only took
them (Norinyl 1+50) for five
months and finally quit when I
couldn't stand the depression and
irritability I felt.
After I stopped the pills, I didn't
have a period for five months. The
first two I was sure I was pregnant,
though three tests were negative.
Finally, I went to have an examina
tion and the doctor, who obviously
disapproved of my actions at age
19, told me my period would come
"someday." Being quite terrified
of becoming pregnant, I abstained
for the five months until I could at
least have a monthly period to
hope for. Another year of the
diaphragm followed and again the
same inconveniences finally
prompted me to try something
else. This time the IUD.
So I had a Copper 7 inserted
and miracle of miracles, there was
no worry or depression. After a
year and a half, I became preg
nant, one of the lucky two per
cent. The IUD was still in me, but
fortunately came right out with the
abortion. I was 12 weeks preg
nant. I was out of school by now,
working, with health insurance, so
the abortion only cost me about
$100 instead of $400.
What was left to do but take the
piH? Anything was better than be
coming pregnant before I wanted
to again. This time, the doctor (an
understanding, busy type) pre
scribed a lower dosage, hoping to
avoid the side effects I described
Instead, I had break-through
bleeding which left me anemic,
and I had a transfusion (five pints)
before they did a D & C to stop the
bleeding.
What to do now? The doctor
said he would give me whatever I
wanted He sort of favored the
diaphragm. I went back on Norinyl
because I had spent too long in
the hospital. The abortion had
been difficult for me because my
boyfriend, deep down, didn’t really
approve, although he openly
never questioned my decision.
I felt pretty weak and run down
and I didn't want to face the worry
of pregnancy that I can't seem to
avoid with the diaphragm Now
that I am back in school the ex
pense of an abortion would be al
most prohibitive.
I am not so depressed or irrita
ble as I was last time — I have
decided it wasn't all the fault of the
pills. I try to watch for depression
myself to stop it before it gets very
far Usually I feel very emotional
for a few days near my period but
that used to happen occasionally
anyway. So I don’t worry. My boy
friexxl would prefer it if I stopped
taking the pills. He thinks I would
be happier Still I'm not ready to
give up the security.
Okay. So I’m afraid of pills be
cause they make changes in me I
can see. (I assume that when I
stop I will not have a period for
awhile).
I am afraid of other methods be
cause they are not completely ef
fective. I distrust doctors because,
although I have met sympathetic
ones, most of them have the at
titude that it is all the woman's
gamble anyway. Pick your own
poison. There is some truth to this
— you can’t argue with biological
facts. However, I resent the fact
that there is no nationwide inten
sive program to find a better
method of birth control and that
abortions are so highly priced.
I have the feeling that if I can get
through the next few years without
becoming pregnant, then have a
few healthy children, then become
sterilized — all this without doing
some damage to myself, I will be
very fortunate.
It's easy tor a woman to view the
whole situation as partisan —
especially when so many doctors
and legislators are men — it
seems to come out man versus
woman.
Becoming pregnant and having
an abortion is not like having an
appendectomy, not in this society
A 22-year old self-supporting
woman couldn't have an abortion
in California last summer without
tying to her employer about why
she would miss a day at work; one
of her closest friends was religi
ously opposed to the operation,
and the man whom she loved (and
lived with), although he knew they
couldn’t afford a child, and al
though he knew they were shortly
moving to Portland so he could
attend graduate school, still
coundn't feel completely right
about the abortion, and I, who it
was all happening to, was forced
to justify my very definite decision
I strongly believe in abortion,
but I was forced to think of things I
never thought would bother me I
couldn't feel completely impartial
about the fetus. I wondered what
sex it was It was real for a few
months in a way an appendix
could never be
I think the basic problem
women have with birth control is
that they are so alone.
Anyway you decide, there are
consequences you have to deal
with and sometimes you don't
know the consequences until they
happen This makes it somewhat
difficult to be content and secure
in one's choice of method. I sup
pose that sometimes extreme un
certainty could lead women to
have unprotected sex — I worry
far too much to take that kind of a
chance, but I am sure there are
plenty of people who don't.
I am glad you are interested in
finding out why women have so
many problems with birth control I
hope that you find out and that the
knowledge will make you a better
doctor Personally, I believe that
the problem will exist until it is re
defined as society's problem, not
women's. Then I believe better
methods of prevention will be
/
found and the stigma and cost of
abortion will be substantially re
duced
Thanks for listening
P.S. My father had his gall blad
der removed after several bouts
with gallstones Your article was
the first mention I have heard of
any connection with this type of
problem and birth control pills
Thanks for the info, but do you see
what I mean?
A Woman
Dear Woman
Thank you for your letter which
was both eloquent and moving Al
though I have a number of com
ments from a medical point of
view, such as the relatively low
effectiveness of IUD s and the ex
cellent effectiveness of any two
barrier methods used simultane
ously, I will save these for a future
article
I would like, however, to make a
few general comments The first is
that contraception is the respon
sibility of both partners Secondly,
the act of sexual intercourse, as
with any other act of living, in
volves nsks and responsibilities,
both to yourself and to others.
When you drive a car you incur
significant nsks and you assume
significant respnsibilities. You
team to fulfill those responsibilities
automatically after you have
learned how to drive safely, and
when you reach that point, the ini
tial tension and anxiety as
sociated with your early driving
experiences disappear You ac
cept the risks but you don’t un
necessarily increase them by driv
ing with bad brakes or when you
are drunk
When you have intercourse one
of your responsibilities is to pro
tect your body and your future
family from an unwanted preg
nancy Other than abstinence
there is no perfect method of birth
control nor will there ever be
Most of the current available
(Continued on Page 15)
EMU Culturalj
Forum presents
Margaret
Sloan
Founding \ W '
o" >r)
. •
Ms.
Magazine
FREE
S
3 ■*
A
Speaking on:
Racism and Sexism in
America
Thursday
March 10 r
167 EMU
2:00 pm '
m