One More Reason to Love the Pill

Talk about great news: this week a study came out that shows the birth control pill protects against ovarian cancer even decades after use stops. Check it out:

The researchers found that the protection against ovarian cancer lasted for more than 30 years after women had stopped taking the Pill. They also found that the longer the Pill was used the greater the protection and that taking the Pill for 15 years halved the risk of ovarian cancer.

Researchers estimated that, in high income countries, using oral contraceptives for ten years reduces the risk of developing ovarian cancer before the age of 75 from 12 down to 8 per 1000 women, and reduces the risk of death from ovarian cancer before age 75 from 7 down to 5 per 1000 women.

[ . . .]

Lead author Professor Valerie Beral, director of the Cancer Research UK Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University, said: ‘Worldwide, the Pill has already prevented 200,000 women from developing cancer of the ovary and has prevented 100,000 deaths from the disease. More than 100 million women are now taking the Pill, so the number of ovarian cancers prevented will rise over the next few decades to about 30,000 per year.’

Of course, taking birth control pills shouldn't be all about the lowered risk of ovarian cancer. They do have their own side-effects and health risks. For example, some women who take the pill experience irregular bleeding or nausea and pill will increase the risk of blood clots, heart attacks and strokes for women who smoke. There is also some evidence that the pill may cause a slight increase in the risk of liver and cervical cancer. The good news from researchers is that any negative effects of the pill are significantly outweighed by the reduced risk of ovarian cancer. After all, it is one of the most dangerous of all cancers.

But there are many other birth control options. The pill isn't for everyone, and some women just need to try different kinds of pills to find the right one. Additional birth control options include the patch, the nuvaring, the shot (Depo-Provera), and the condom. No two people are exactly the same, but there's a method that's right for everyone -- and your doctor or local Planned Parenthood can help you find yours.

For those who are on the pill, used to take the pill or plan on taking it someday, this is just one more thing to love! Other positive benefits of the pill can include lighter periods, reduced acne, and of course, great protection against pregnancy. And now we know that it causes a decreased cancer risk, too? We'll take it!

A Conversation on Women's Health

Last night PPRSR hosted an event in Rochester to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Roe vs Wade, which guaranteed the constitutional right to privacy in medical decisions, specifically abortion. We were lucky enough to have the First Lady of New York Silda Wall Spitzer attend and deliver a speech on her and the Governor's commitment to women's health. Over 150 people came and we received lots of local media coverage both in print and on television.

The event, "A Conversation About Women's Health" reflected on the impact of Roe, the importance of reproductive options and the newly introduced Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act (RHAPPA). RHAPPA is an important law recently introduced by Governor Eliot Spitzer. If passed, it would update New York State laws to guarantee the right to reproductive choice regardless of Supreme Court Decisions that could weaken Roe. It also makes a bold statement that New York will always put women's health first.

Mrs. Spitzer received two standing ovations from the audience. In her speech, she explained that RHAPPA acknowledges that the decision to have an abortion, the decision to give birth, or any other medical decision "is one that should be made between a woman and her doctor, not judges, not legislators, not special interest groups, not you and not me." It was one of the most powerful statements of the evening, and shows that both Governor and Mrs. Spitzer understand what being pro-choice is really about. It's not about being "pro-abortion," but making sure that no one's personal views, even the views of those who are pro-choice, can interfere with the private medical decisions of others -- no matter what those decisions are.

Another speaker, the CEO and President of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, JoAnn Smith, made the case that women are excellent decision makers. Women, she said, make choices every day, including the decisions they shouldn't have to make, like choosing between paying the rent or taking a sick child to the doctor. If we can trust women with these decisions, how can we not trust them with their own medical care? Smith also explained that RHAPPA is about more than guaranteeing just one kind of reproductive choice -- the bill would secure the right to choose or refuse abortion and birth control.

Both Smith and Galen Sherwin from the New York Civil Liberties Union explained that New York abortion laws are still in the penal code instead of the health code, and most citizens have no idea! The state was one of the first to legalize abortion in 1970, three years before Roe vs. Wade was decided. Unfortunately, though, the abortion laws have not been updated since then and we rely on Roe to guarantee this right to medical privacy. New York stood up for women's health earlier than most states, and now it's time to stand up again!

Here's a picture of Mrs. Spitzer finishing her speech. Women's health makes us smile, too!



The event was co-sponsored by Family Planning Advocates of New York State, the Rochester Reproductive Rights Task Force, the Greater Rochester Chapter of the National Organization for Woman and the Genesee Valley Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union. A big thank you to all of them -- we couldn't have it done alone!

And lastly, welcome to our new blog! We hope to have a lot of our own conversations about women's health here, so stay tuned.