Stop Periods, Period?

They call it the curse, but women are mixed on birth control pill that stops menstruation
By Colleen Barry,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 20, 2007 11:01 AM CDT
Stop Periods, Period?
The Pill    (Archive Photos)

Women may complain about their periods, but would they miss them when they're gone? The FDA is set to approve an oral contraceptive that suppresses periods entirely, sparking controversy—including a documentary making the rounds of college campuses—over the meaning of menstruation.

Although not having a monthly period carries no known health risks, the psychological effects are, rather unexpectedly, drawing serious attention. Some find the idea disturbing:
“Women are not sick,” the documentary maker said. “They don’t need to control their periods for 30 or 40 years.” Pills that allow women to menstruate every three months have not been big sellers. (More women's health stories.)

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