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Have you *ever* used "artificial" birth control? (please read first)


Have you ever used "artificial" birth control? (please read OP first)  

  1. 1. Have you ever used "artificial" birth control? (please read OP first)

    • Yes, but ONLY for health reasons (e.g. the pill for Dysmenorrhea)
      18
    • Yes, but ONLY if you include my partner/SO/spouse
      34
    • Yes, I've used hormonal, barrier, IUD, or other
      489
    • No, not even once
      31
    • Obligatory other
      0


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we've primarily use condoms. I did use the pill for 6 months after DD was born but, probably wouldn't have needed it. I have PCOS and getting pregnant is challenging. The PCOS would be easier to manage if I continued taking the pill but, it has some side affects that didn't work well for me. Once #3 is born DH or I will choose a permanent method.

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Birth control is much in the media now in the US, and I'm somewhat baffled by this because I was under the impression that the vast majority of women have used it at one time or another. I don't want to make the discussion political, about relationship status, or about rationale, because we all have our reasons for doing what we do and this isn't about judgment. I excluded the morning after pill because its use would typically be after non-consensual sex or where another means of birth control failed to be used. I limited the choices to non-permanent methods consciously put in place (so to speak) ahead of a consensual act.

 

 

Well, in that case, I will just say that whatever methods we used, we paid out of pocket for them. There are a different variety of costs to each of these methods, and everyone should pay for their own method of choice. Condoms are usually available in most areas for free from various outlets.

(Family planning centers, department of health, low cost clinics)

 

I am not interested in paying through taxes anyone's condoms, pill, or any other forms of bc.

 

I also agree with the post below mine... the issues that are behind the kerfuffle are not actually bc itself, or frequency, but freedom of religion/personal responsibility for choices issues.

Edited by lcelmer
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Most of the media coverage of the HHS mandate has been skewed to focus on contraception as the issue at stake. It is not. The disagreement centers on First Amendment and the free exercise of religion.
Please don't go there. :) ETA: in this thread
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There's no "gotcha." It's just a poll I hope I hope can be taken at face value. I answered the question as to why I was interested in the question (to do otherwise would be dishonest), but I purposefully kept the poll itself free of politics, judgement, etc.

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I used the pill for a few months before I got a very serious form of migraine- basilar migraine. The it was diaphragm for a short while. Then we switched to condoms that we used most of the time until dh had a vasectomy about five or six years ago. We paid for all of our own bc.

 

I also have a clotting problem, am on coumadin or some other drug like it for life, and one of my two daughters inherited the problem. She was recommended to go on BC pills for a medical issue a few years ago before we knew about the heridatary problem but I refused it because of my prior horrible experience and the fact that she had bad migraines too (though not that type). She was instead given a larger dose of an AD she was already on for migraine prevention and it stopped the other medical issue. I now wonder whether my horrible migraine situation with the pill was actually something to do with clots. Anyway, the hematologist said no hormones of any kind- progesterone or estrogen- and I had the NOVASURE procedure approved for me without any hormone precursers as a cure for heavy periods. It worked very well.

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I have taken the pill for a non bc reason, I had weird hormonal issues for a while after DD was weaned, super, super strong stress & sense of skin crawling (similar to what me mother was experiencing in perimenopause) Like bad PMS all the time, combined with irregular cycles. My hormone levels were just a teeny bit low, so not off enough for other medication, but I was going BONKERS. Dr. said I could try the pill, it helped some with the same issues.

 

After 3-4 good months on the pill, I went off & was myself without meds again. :-) And I lost 8 lbs almost immediately after stopping! :D

Edited by lcelmer
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there are several places on the web to find statistical info on bc use.

.. I have no idea if they are accurate, but it might be more accurate than polling us. :D

I know, and there are plenty of polls here for which generalized statistics are available. I am interested in this (our) population. :001_smile:
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I went on the pill the first time when I was 15 for health reasons. I took it most of my life, with a brief break to have my oldest, until I married dh and got pregnant with ds on our honeymoon. I also used condoms frequently.

 

I never had any health problems with the pill and it helped with a few health problems I had. When I had the ultrasound when pregnant with ds (advanced maternal age and didn't want amnio) they told me I had the ovaries of a much younger woman. :D So, during my c-section with dd, I had my tubes tied.

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I was on the pill for about two months after my cycle went whacky. Turns out it was a side effect of a steroid shot I received for a bad cough. I didn't know that at the time, though. I was miserable on the pill, and as soon as I stopped taking it I could cope with life again. That has been my only experience with artificial birth control so far.

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I started to use the pill when I was 16, but didn't even finish the first packet :p So, I voted that my partner did.

 

No hormones for me please :D And dh and I discovered we prefer withdrawal, so no bc other than self-control here anymore.

Edited by lionfamily1999
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I took birth control pills on/off until my son was conceived. After he was born I didn't use any form of b/c. When I was pregnant with my daughter my dr advised me not to usebirth control pills due to medical issues. It also rules out most other types of birth control. I have a Mirena IUD. We will likely switch to NFP after this Mirena gets out. (3 years) though I may go back to Mirena. Not sure yet. :-)

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Birth control is much in the media now in the US, and I'm somewhat baffled by this because I was under the impression that the vast majority of women have used it at one time or another. I don't want to make the discussion political, about relationship status, or about rationale, because we all have our reasons for doing what we do and this isn't about judgment.

 

Without getting into the debate about insurance coverage and Obamacare (which could only end badly, and in threadlock), I too have been baffled by the way the political discourse has framed birth control as something used by unmarried, immoral, and probably promiscuous women, and not by, you know, boring, middle-aged, married women like me.

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Without getting into the debate about insurance coverage and Obamacare (which could only end badly, and in threadlock), I too have been baffled by the way the political discourse has framed birth control as something used by unmarried, immoral, and probably promiscuous women, and not by, you know, boring, middle-aged, married women like me.
I'm equally surprised that they manage to make it sound as though heartless individuals just want everyone to reproduce like bunnies, rather than just wanting the right to not support something they disagree with.

 

It's crazy.

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discourse has framed birth control as something used by unmarried, immoral, and probably promiscuous women, and not by, you know, boring, middle-aged, married women like me.
This is what has me baffled. I don't know if I can link it here, but I read a heart-wrenching account of a 16 yo girl whose classmates found out she was on the pill (best guess is that this was discovered on a school trip because the children's medicine is dispensed) and was publicly shamed and called every filthy name you can imagine. [PM me if you want the link.] Not that it matters, but she takes the pill for dysmenorrhea. Has it come to this? This isn't about who pays for what or why (and I *really* don't want to get into that here), but rather, IMHO, something much darker and deeper, and I'm a bit frightened.
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Without getting into the debate about insurance coverage and Obamacare (which could only end badly, and in threadlock), I too have been baffled by the way the political discourse has framed birth control as something used by unmarried, immoral, and probably promiscuous women, and not by, you know, boring, middle-aged, married women like me.

I don't either, since the vast majority of women have used it. Apparently 97% of Catholic women, for that matter. Here's a report on other uses of birth control pills : http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/Beyond-Birth-Control.pdf

 

But then, AIDS prevention internationally has been focussed on abstinence, which also assumes that it's for, you know, prostitutes or whoever, rather than teenaged married females or women with polygynous husbands.

This is a really informative program on teen motherhood: http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2004-05-06/teen-mothers-developing-world

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This is what has me baffled. I don't know if I can link it here, but I read a heart-wrenching account of a 16 yo girl whose classmates found out she was on the pill (best guess is that this was discovered on a school trip because the children's medicine is dispensed) and was publicly shamed and called every filthy name you can imagine. [PM me if you want the link.] Not that it matters, but she takes the pill for dysmenorrhea. Has it come to this? This isn't about who pays for what or why (and I *really* don't want to get into that here), but rather, IMHO, something much darker and deeper, and I'm a

 

Was she attacked by adults or just classmates? Because if it wasonly other teens, sadly that seems fairly typical. I was humilate.d mercilously in hs. for being a virgin. Teens are just cruel. I don't think this kind of story is a sign of some new, deep outrage against contraception.

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:grouphug:

 

Was she attacked by adults or just classmates? Because if it wasonly other teens, sadly that seems fairly typical. I was humilate.d mercilously in hs. for being a virgin. Teens are just cruel. I don't think this kind of story is a sign of some new, deep outrage against contraception.
Students, in a "I told my mama that you are on the pill and she said that you are are....." vein.

 

My opinion isn't based solely on this incident, though this particular story touched me.

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The pill and various drugstore items like condoms. Dh had a v after dd13 was born, I had ablation around 10 years ago, so even if he had a few swimmers floating around, they won't be invited to stay.

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I too have been baffled by the way the political discourse has framed birth control as something used by unmarried, immoral, and probably promiscuous women, and not by, you know, boring, middle-aged, married women like me.

 

Baffled? Boring, middle-aged, married women don't sell papers! Immoral and probably promiscuous women (with huge bOOKs, preferable) do.

 

Attention, soundbite, moolah, potstirring, red-button issues. This baffles you? I'm saddened by it, but not baffled. I know "we get the politicians we deserve", but I'm paying someone else's price here. These are not the politicians **I** deserve. Promise, promise, promise.

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This is what has me baffled. I don't know if I can link it here, but I read a heart-wrenching account of a 16 yo girl whose classmates found out she was on the pill (best guess is that this was discovered on a school trip because the children's medicine is dispensed) and was publicly shamed and called every filthy name you can imagine. [PM me if you want the link.] Not that it matters, but she takes the pill for dysmenorrhea. Has it come to this? This isn't about who pays for what or why (and I *really* don't want to get into that here), but rather, IMHO, something much darker and deeper, and I'm a bit frightened.

Except that it is about who pays for what and the whole 'darker and deeper' stuff are a bunch of straw men.

 

If you don't want to discuss it, then please stop making it sound as though the people on the other side of the fence are clownish, nefarious, or rediculous.

 

I, personally, find it amazing how quick people can demonize an entire group because some people (teenagers or blowhard radio personalities for hypothetical examples) jump to stupid conclusions.

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Except that it is about who pays for what and the whole 'darker and deeper' stuff are a bunch of straw men.
I can't control how you choose to interpret my words; I can, however, assure you that this isn't about "who pays." You of course are free to attempt to divine motivation as you wish, though I think I've been above-board. I am not in the habit of lying, and rarely even play devil's advocate without a :tongue_smilie: smilie.

 

If you don't want to discuss it, then please stop making it sound as though the people on the other side of the fence are clownish, nefarious, or rediculous.
What "other side" are you referring to? I'm asking a question on a board composed almost entirely of adult women, the vast majority of whom are mothers. I see an "us," not sides. I don't think we need all agree to be an "us." Do you?

 

I, personally, find it amazing how quick people can demonize an entire group because some people (teenagers or blowhard radio personalities for hypothetical examples) jump to stupid conclusions.
:confused: I see no demonization. You again, are free to interpret as you see fit.
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Baffled? Boring, middle-aged, married women don't sell papers!
Can you imagine if we did? That would be way cool. This is the image I'm going to use to get me through the afternoon. :D
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I used the Pill for about a year and a half (1980-1981) when dh & I were first married. Since then (1981-now), we have used spermicide only--and used it faithfully--except for the two segmnents of time when I was trying to conceive. We have two (and only two) children.

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I'm finding this poll quite interesting. I don't think I know anyone IRL who has *never* used birth control. I have heard of those who choose to use only natural methods, but I assumed those numbers had dwindled to a negligible percentage of the population, hence the uniqueness of the "Duggars".

 

I am always learning from this board!

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Using natural birth control, to me, IS using birth control. You are doing something to avoid pregnancy.

 

Whether someone's technique or apparatus is effective (including both old condoms and the rhythm method miscalculated as well as erratically taken pills), is not the point. It's the effort to prevent that I think counts.

 

I do know people -- esp old people from rural areas outside the US -- who didn't know anything about birth control and therefore had many kids close together. Some such people did eventually chose a permanent method esp for health reasons.

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I'm finding this poll quite interesting. I don't think I know anyone IRL who has *never* used birth control. I have heard of those who choose to use only natural methods, but I assumed those numbers had dwindled to a negligible percentage of the population, hence the uniqueness of the "Duggars".

 

I am always learning from this board!

And FWIW, the Duggars did use hormonal birth control when they were first married.

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And FWIW, the Duggars did use hormonal birth control when they were first married.
That I didn't know, not that I'm an authority on the family or anything.
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I've been on birth control pills since I was a teenager. Originally started to help with pms and control periods. Only went off of them long enough to get pregnant. Had James and due to medical reasons can't get pregnant again. However, not willing to get fixed because surgery and I just don't do well together. Been on them ever since. Will stay on them until ready for menopause.

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It just occurred to me that I didn't answer myself.

 

I was on the pill until it almost killed me (PE), have used condoms (in conjunction with the pill, for safety), IUD after DH and I were married and until we were ready for kids (loved my IUD... Copper-T 380 IIRC). Diaphragm and spermicide between kids (ugggh! I don't miss that). Then DH had a vasectomy after DD the Younger... yay!

Edited by nmoira
Correction
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I've used BCP off and on from 16-30 and rarely for actual birth control purposes. I'm prone to headaches and most pills I've tried give me migraines. Except for sporadic pill use from 21-30, we didn't use any protection (our experimentation with spermicides nearly had me at the ER one night, and for some reason I'm terrified of IUD's. I think it must have stemmed from childhood. My mother was sure tampons would kill you, so I didn't wear one until I was 18. I've never been completely comfortable with them. I can "feel" them. I'm sure that I would "feel" an IUD. :-P).

 

I didn't get pregnant again until I was 30. Started the mini-peel 6-weeks postpartum, lasting 3 months (low grade daily headache; don't know if it was pill related, but they stopped). Now, my body works normally. I'm regular, know when I ovulate, so we use natural methods now. DH wants a V, so once he stops procrastinating, he'll get that done.

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Toxic Shock Syndrome?

 

Yep. My mom wasn't normally prone to paranoia, so I'm thinking she must have known someone. I'm finally at the point where I can wear them to bed and not keep checking the clock. I can still "feel" them, though. I have good luck with OB's but never remember to buy them before I need them, and dh can never find those tiny boxes when he makes a run before he comes home. I've ordered some cups to try out. I didn't want to spring for the non-disposable one yet.

 

ETA: Wait. She was prone to paranoia. When she gave birth to my youngest sister (I was 18) she got breast milk in her eye and took her to the emergency room. :-P

Edited by Shawna in Texas
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