…We want 15 year olds (and journalists) to be able to tell the difference between contraceptive pills you take daily (which come in packages of 28) and emergency contraceptive pills (packages of 2).
6 thoughts on “A Reason for More Sex Ed…”
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Feminist Philosophers 
Too bad that they don’t just make “normal” birth control pills available OTC. There are some worries (such as, people might be somewhat more likely to take them improperly, such as switching formulations randomly based on what’s cheaper or available) but this is done is some other countries, so it seems likely that the worries could be over-come. They are certainly safer than many common medicines sold to anyone at all, such as acetaminophen.
Birth control pills and the “morning after pill” are “safer” as far as not poisoning anyone, but hormones can have powerful effects. At least, a woman or teen-aged girl should know that taking very high doses of hormones as a general method of birth control might be a bad idea, and that on a day with the “morning after pill” it might help to watch herself a little because hormones can impact her mood in ways that can be profound (especially if she’s already consumed with powerful feelings related to the potential pregnancy she just stopped).
Women and sexually active teenagers also should be told that birth control pills might have effects that make them not worth taking and that that’s pretty normal— it doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with her— it just means she might want to try different pills or something else entirely.
Convenience is especially important for the “morning after pill” and is important for any form of birth control, but the pills come with risks that have to be known in order to be weighed against the benefits.
that MAY make them not worth taking
Wiley, all of that is certainly true – I’ve experienced quite serious depression on several different pills myself. But why could this information not just be covered in a comprehensive sex-ed course in high school, so that womenand girls who were experiencing side effects would be aware that other pills might work better for them and would know that a doctor could work with them to determine which worked best?
That would be extra wonderful, anonymous; but the pills are still pharmaceuticals and the manufacturers owe us all that information. Also, not everyone learns in school. It’s the kind of information that needs to be repeated often. I imagine a public service ad like “It’s ten o’clock. Do you know where your children are?” that reminds women and teen-aged girls to take their pill.
I would also like to see the I.U.D. promoted. It’s much safer than it used to be, and is great for people who aren’t “regular” or well ruled by clocks and calendars.
What a gaffe!