ask the sexpert
I am going away for the sum
mer and will be separated from
my boyfriend. I am thinking of
discontinuing use of birth con
trol pills for three months and
then starting again in the fall. Is
it unhealthy to go off the pill for
such a short time?
It is not unhealthy to stop tak
ing birth control pills for a three
month period, but you should be
aware of the minor side effects
you may experience by doing
this.
While your body is adjusting
to the change in hormone
levels, you may feel some of the
same symptoms that are as
sociated with starting the pill.
This may include nausea,
weight change, water retention,
breast tenderness or depres
sion.
In addition, your periods
might be irregular. This is more
likely if you had irregular per
iods before starting birth control
pills. Irregular periods could
cause a delay in going back on
the pill since you need to have a
period before starting a cycle of
pills. Be prepared to use an
other method of birth control
(such as foam and condoms) if
you return before you can re
sume the pill.This is a possibility
even if no side effects were ex
perienced the first time you
started taking birth control pills.
These cautions are not meant
to discourage you. You should,
however, consider what your
reaction to these side effects
might be. Some women find
them upsetting, while others are
able to take them in stride. In
spite of the possibility of side
effects, going off of pills for the
summer may be a good choice
for you.
I recently saw coverage of a
family sex education presenta
tion given by Planned Parenth
ood at the Women’s Sympo
sium. As the parent of two
young children, I am often at
loss when dealing with the var
ious sexual behaviors and the
questions they raise. How can I
get more information to help me
in this area?
There is quite a bit of litera
ture available on the “how to" of
family sex education. It is im
portant for parents to sift
through the materials carefully
to find those that best illustrate
their personal values and
beliefs.
Planned Parenthood carries a
variety of pamphlets available
for purchase at minimal cost
dealing with issues related to
sexuality and child develop
ment. We also have developed a
bibliography of current books
designed to help parents in their
roles as sex educators. This is
available free of charge.
A Family Sex Education pro
gram is also offered by the
community education staff at
Planned Parenthood. The
purpose of the program is to aid
and support parents as the
primary sex educators of their
children. In group discussion,
parents investigate ways in
which children develop sexual
attitudes and have an oppor
tunity to discuss their own ideas
and concerns about handling
sexual topics with their children.
The presentation also in
cludes a 30-minute film focus
ing on parents communicating
with their children — from tod
dlers to college age — about
sex. The program is available to
community groups free of
charge, and can be scheduled
by calling Planned Parenthood
This column is written by
Planned Parenthood, 134 E.
13th Ave. 344-1611. Please
send questions to Suite 300
EMU or to Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood is a private
non-profit United Way agency
providing comprehensive family
planning serivces, pregnancy
testing, education, information
and referral.
4th & Taylor, Portland
3rd & Cherry, Seattle
Don’t slip away
unnoticed...
Place your SPRING FLING* by Friday, June 5 at 1 p.m. and
pay only $1.50 for 20 sentimental words...to those you’ll miss.
ODE office (third floor EMIJ), UO Bookstore, EMU Main
Desk.
* To be published June 8
This is our last chance to
RALLY!
For Full Funding For Higher Education
At The
COBURG TOWN HALL PARK
Sat. May 30th at 12:00 Noon
U of O Cyclists: Meet at 11:00 a.m. Saturday to bike to Coburg (A 10-minute drive
North on Coburg Road).
Why Coburg? Coburg was selected as the rally site because it represents Oregon’s
small town which has typically voted against full funding. This message will be carried
to voters through the media.
Speakers: U of O Professors and Concerned Students.
Also, Music!!!
Don ’/ forget to bring a lunch!
Sponsored by the Coburg Project and the A.S.U.O.