New Pill makes it so women only have 3-4 periods a year???

[Palmer of the Turks]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/scienc...sp?story=274240 (http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=274240)

Indeed... it may just be...

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New Pill will allow women to have just three periods a year
By Charles Arthur Technology Editor
14 March 2002

Women, rejoice. Painful periods – in fact monthly periods, altogether – could soon be a thing of the past. A new version of the Pill having clinical trials in America will let women lengthen their menstrual cycle to three or even four months, and mean they need have only three or four periods a year.

The pill, called "Seasonale", is identical to the standard contraceptive Pill, and contains the same combination of female hormones, though with different packaging. It could go on sale early next year. Barr Laboratories has licensed the technology from Eastern Virginia Medical School, Virginia, which patented the concept.

A Dutch study found 70 per cent of women between 15 and 50 would prefer to have their periods less frequently, suggesting the new Pill would be widely popular.

The technique might even prolong fertility, says Roger Gosden, scientific director of the Jones Institute at Eastern Virginia Medical School. "It might be that if you retain the eggs, the quality [later on] might be better. The window of fertility could be held back."

It will not harm the chance of women becoming pregnant if they stop taking it, says Professor John Guillebaud, an independent gynaecologist who is medical director at the Margarete Pyke health centre in London and author of The Pill.

He already prescribes extended courses of the Pill for women who suffer badly from period cramps or headaches, or who want to delay menstruation for a few days, say over a summer holiday. "It doesn't seem to have a long-term effect on the ovaries or pituitary gland. Those are effectively put to sleep, the same as when a woman is pregnant. Then they bounce back."

The Pill, and Seasonale, work by artificially raising the level of female hormones in the blood. This overrides the normal hormonal signal from the ovaries, and prevents the shedding of the lining of the uterus that is the bleeding seen in menstruation.

Long-term use would be very unlikely to have any harmful side-effects, he adds.

[SoSweetAngel]

Yah - I heard something about that on the radio. Damn good idea!

Pople eare moaning that it would be unnatural - and that women are "meant to have periods" and I would be a bit freaked if it stopped my periods altogether. Three or four a year sounds good though!

[kerrielouise]

People are moaning that it would be unnatural - and that women are "meant to have periods"

have you noticed that most of these people moaning are men though? lol, the silly scientist men wouldn't be saying it if they had periods! - if they had mine they wouldn't be saying that anyway!!

i agree that it would be weird not having them at all, but they (mine especially) are soooo painful and really annoying and i would love to reduce the amount that i have!
kerrie
--x--

[Am I tight or not?]

this was already possible. why are you acting like it's such a big deal?

first of all the shot (depo-provera) will stop periods completely after a while and second of all, the reason pills have those fake sugar things in the package is to let you have a period. eliminate the fake pills in the package and you get no more period.

[Am I tight or not?]

The technique might even prolong fertility, says Roger Gosden, scientific director of the Jones Institute at Eastern Virginia Medical School. "It might be that if you retain the eggs, the quality [later on] might be better. The window of fertility could be held back."

one of the reasons to have a baby early in life, and the reason why it's harder to have a baby later is because those eggs have been there since birth. unlike a guy who manufactures sperm continuously, a girl has a fixed # of eggs at birth and she's stuck with those.

now those eggs are exposed to radiation (there's all kinds going through you at all times). you're not affected much by that radiation (your cells die anyway and get replaced and all that) but the eggs are. the eggs contain genetic information that is damaged in time. when you use an egg at 25, that egg has been exposed for 25 years. at 40 that's 15 extra years and this causes problems.

so I don't see how this might improve fertility or the quality of the eggs.

even ignoring all this, that quality statement is pure bolognium.
it's not like you have high quality eggs and low quality ones, and the high quality are released first. again I don't see how this would improve the quality of an egg.

[Ms.Monroe]

Sounds like a good idea to me! Periods are sorta yucky anyways...but what if a woman suddenly decided she wanted to have a baby? She might have to wait a while cause w/ that pill you'd only get it 3-4 times a year. But hey, i'm wayy to young to be thinking about having babies, so bring it on!

[Tootsie Pop]

Thank the lord my prayers have been answered. To me, that seems like the greatest thing since sliced bread. :)

[Am I tight or not?]

ogh god, people, which part of you can do that already do you not understand?

you don't need a new pill to eliminate periods.

[Bravehearter]

I would be too worried. A period for me is a sign that your not pregnant. My gf and I are very VERY safe when it comes to sex, but haering she got her period is a HUGE sigh of relief!!

Any other guys agree..?

[stace]

oh my gosh to everyone of you that already get a monthly perriod be happy!! i get the 4-5 times a year right now and it sux! and i'm not on anything, it sux never to know when it's gonna be and if you don't bleed monthly it's heavy and painful when u do bleed! so i think you guys should be happy with it now how it is but that's my opinion!

[e LIZ abeth]

sounds good to me! :D

[kuju]

AITON's right... and I mentioned this in the thread on shinra. you can simply skip the "off" week of your pills and go for three-four months without getting your period. It's good to take an off week every few months though fo cleansing.

and if you suddenly decided you want a baby (who could be that desperate, that suddenly?) then you simply stop TAKING the pill, and that in itself will induce your period.

[stace]

just a warning you guys the idea does seem appealing but the reality of it sux!!! but that's all your own choice i just wanted to re-remind you that ur lucky to have it every month!! be happy with it and accept it!

[Brass Monkey]

I'm, for the most part, against it. I had read about women skipping the sugar pills and going up to three months without having a period. It can cause serious problems in some and for almost all of the girls that do this, it results in a very, very heavy and painful period. And it typically also lasts longer.

Also, I think Bravehearter has a good point. Many girls do not find out if they are pregnant until they miss a period. Then they get tested and find out after they have been like a week late. But think of this...a women gets pregnant, and 3 months later, she misses her period, and THEN gets tested. She most likely can't have a safe abortion...the baby is 3 months developed. And, if the girl wants to keep it, they baby could develop health problems because the girl has yet to see a doctor and start taking care of her body in a way to make sure the baby would be alright. When a women is pregnant, even during the first few months, she needs to refrain from heavy lifting and other streanious activities.

I don't think it's a good idea, it has too many possible dangers associated with it. Think of this...you either, once a month, have a regular period, nothing else changing...or, you can have a really heavy and more painful period ever 3 months and also risk your health and the health of your child if you become pregnant.

[kuju]

I definitely agree with that Brass Monkey. which is why, when I was ON the pill, I made sure to get my period every time. You can always pull back a few days by SHORTENING that week (to plan ahead for specific days) but you'd still get your period.

I'm on the shot now, so I honestly don't worry about anything really. 3 in 1000 women on the shot get pregnant every year. I don't even consider myself in that 1000 since I haven't had sex since I got ON the shot. lol.

[kewlgal99]

sure you can stop by skipping the sugar pills, but that can harm you. this new pill is supposedably made in a different way, where its safe. different hormones and such, i think it slows down your cycle completely, so you only need to have it a few times a year. if its safe, why would you guys be against it? and stace, why would "the reality suck"?? periods are painful and annoying. if i could stop mine completely, and still be fertile, i would, and as soon as im old enough, (and sexually active probably) i probably WILL go on the shot. why should i be happy to have it every month? because it means i can have children? well, can't i be happy to have it every three months, because it still means i can have children? i think this pill is a good idea, its safer and easier than just skipping the sugar pills. to skip the sugar pills you'd have to buy more pills just to keep you covered for those extra weeks. this way you'd have all the pills you need in a pack, you wouldn't have to go buy extra packs for the days you were supposed to have your period? get what im saying? of course i don't know the difference in cost, these ones could cost more anyway.

[Lauren112285]

For the most part, I'm against it. For a while *even right now* I skipped my period and it freaked the hell out of me, even though I'm still a virgin. Mine isn't too bad, so that's why I wouldn't take the new pill.

[PurpleObsidian]

I heard this last week, they're also working on completely stopping women's periods.

[Am I tight or not?]

I heard this last week, they're also working on completely stopping women's periods.

OK, is it me?
am I invisible or something?

why is it so fucking hard to understand that you can already do this ???

as in Depo-Provera stops your periods for good! no more period!

I swear, if the next reply is something like "oh, they're working on stopping periods? that would be cool!" I'm gonna blow a fuse

[PurpleObsidian]

Heheh...oops, I must have mis-interpreted it or something :oops: