Trusted Information for Healthy Pregnancies
birth control
Sterilization surgery not linked to sexual problems
Feb 18th
Women who have their "tubes tied" to prevent future pregnancies do not seem to have an increased risk of sexual dysfunction afterward, according to a new study.
In fact, researchers found, women in their study who'd had the procedure showed lower risks of certain sexual problems and tended to be happier with their sex lives than other women.
The surgery, known as tubal ligation, involves blocking the fallopian tubes that connect the ovaries with the uterus. It is done either right after childbirth -- through the vagina or during a cesarean section -- or via laparoscopic surgery, where one or two small incisions are made in the abdomen.
There are no physiological reasons to believe tubal ligation would cause sexual problems, but there has been little research on the subject, said Dr. Anthony Smith of La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, the lead researcher on the current study.
What studies there are have generally only asked women about their general sexual satisfaction, Smith told Reuters Health in an email.
For their study, Smith and his colleagues surveyed 2,721 Australian women about various sexual dysfunction symptoms and their overall satisfaction with their sex lives. Of those women, 447 -- or about 16 percent -- had had a tubal ligation, most of whom were between the ages of 40 and 64.
Overall, women who had had the procedure were less likely to report sexual problems and more likely to say they were happy with their sex lives, according to findings published in BJOG, a British medical journal.
Just over 42 percent said they lacked interest in sex, for example, compared with 51 percent of women who had not had a tubal ligation. And while 17 percent of the latter group said they "did not find sex pleasurable," only 14 percent of women in the tubal-ligation group said the same.
When the researchers accounted for other factors -- like age, education and marital status -- women who'd had a tubal ligation were roughly one-third less likely to lack interest in sex, take "too long" to reach orgasm, have vaginal dryness during sex or find sex unpleasant.
In addition, the study found, women in the tubal-ligation group generally gave higher marks to their sex lives. Thirty-six percent reported "extremely high sexual satisfaction," compared with 30 percent of women who had not had the procedure; when the researchers considered the other factors, women in the tubal-ligation group were two-thirds more likely to give such high ratings to their sex lives.
It's possible, Smith's team notes, that the women and their partners were enjoying sex more because they were free of anxiety over a potential unplanned pregnancy.
Of course, tubal ligation is only one method of birth control. In general, experts recommend it only for women who are sure they do not want to become pregnant in the future. And like any surgery, it carries some risks -- including bleeding or infection during the procedure, and incomplete closing of the tubes; about one in 200 women who have a tubal ligation later become pregnant.
Studies have also found that anywhere from 6 percent to 20 percent of women who have the procedure later regret their decision -- with younger women being more likely to express regrets.
Source
Army General Makes Pregnancy Punishable Offense in Iraq
Dec 21st
A high-ranking Army official's new policy making pregnancy among troops in Iraq an offense punishable by court-martial is raising eyebrows even though experts say he is well within his rights to do so.
According to the Nov. 4 general order of Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo III, a commander in northern Iraq, the punishment would apply not only to the female soldiers who become pregnant, but also to the male soldiers who impregnate them, even if the couple is married.
Cucolo told ABC News that the policy, believed to be the first of its kind, was necessary to avoid losing valuable troops in his 22,000-member command.
"I need every soldier I've got, especially since we are facing a drawdown of forces during our mission. Anyone who leaves this fight earlier than the expected 12-month deployment creates a burden on their teammates," he said in a statement.
"Anyone who leaves this fight early because they made a personal choice that changed their medical status -- or contributes to doing that to another -- is not in keeping with a key element of our ethos, 'I will always place the mission first,' or three of our seven core values: loyalty, duty and selfless service," he continued. "And I believe there should be negative consequences for making that personal choice. "
The pregnancy policy is just one provision in a larger general order which also prohibits soldiers from sexual contact with Iraqis or third-party nationals who are not members of coalition forces.
Provisions in the Nov. 4 order are also applicable to civilians under Cucolo's command.
"I do not expect those who have never served in the military to completely understand what I have tried to explain above," Cucolo wrote. "Recently I was asked, 'Don't you think you are treading on an intensely personal topic?' As intensely personal as this topic might be, leaving those who depend on you shorthanded in a combat zone gets to be personal for those left, too."
John Hutson, a former longtime military judge advocate and currently the president and dean of Franklin Pierce Law School in New Hampshire, said it's well within Cucolo's rights to hand down such an order, especially if pregnancy has become a serious issue within his ranks.
When a woman becomes pregnant, "you've taken somebody and you've made her less effective," he said. "And I think its only fair that if you do that with the woman than the man be held equally culpable."
"It's not saying you can't have sex," Hutson said. "You have to take precautions."
Still, he added, "in some respects, it flies in the face of family values."
Also, soldiers found to be pregnant are sent back to the U.S. in short order and Kastl said he has heard anecdotal evidence of female soldiers intentionally getting pregnant to be sent home.
Because of that, he said, "I can see why they're doing it."
Kastl noted that the Army already encourages its female soldiers to take medication to stop their menstrual cycle. And in some cases, Cucolo's order may be redundant since the Army already prohibits fraternization between superiors and subordinates, though it seemingly has no current take on sexual contact between members of the same rank.
But Hutson worried that Cucolo's policy could cause an increase in abortions overseas. And since military hospitals do not perform such procedures, female officers may find abortions are available not "in the way you want them," Hutson said, forcing women to potentially dangerous providers of such services.
Kastl theorized that the punishment handed down to those who violate Cucolo's order would likely be handled as a violation of Article 91, or violation of a general order, which is punishable by up to one or two years in prison.
But he said it's unlikely the Army would actually keep an expectant mother or father behind bars for that length of time.
Source
Spotlight Interview with Dawn Stacey from About.com: Contraception
Jul 9th
I would love to see everyone make safe sex choices and reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions. And I love educating people about their birth control choices and having seen firsthand how these decisions affect all of our lives.Where to find her: About.com: Contraception since 2007 and on Twitter @Dawn_Stacey
Occupation: Writer, Advocate, Professor, Stay-at-Home Mommy
How did you first become interested in contraception, family planning, and other women’s health issues?
While pursing my Masters degree, I did an internship at Planned Parenthood that later turned into a full-time job. Through Planned Parenthood, I had the amazing chance to experience real-life struggles and joys in the area of reproductive health. I witnessed both births and abortions—so I can truly describe what to really expect during these times. This introduced me to the world of activism and how important it is to advocate for women’s health issues. Ever since, my passion for contraception and family planning has only grown.
What motivates you in your writing?
I believe that all individuals have the right to manage their fertility and should have access to accurate birth control information. I am passionate about contraception and its importance. My advocacy is what truly motivates me.
I would love to see everyone make safe sex choices and reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions. And I love educating people about their birth control choices and having seen firsthand how these decisions affect all of our lives.
Who do you admire in the women's health community?
Though she is no longer around, Margaret Sanger, in my opinion, is the epitome of reproductive health advocacy. I admire all the work that she did to pave the way to where we are today.
What are the biggest trends you see around birth control?
It seems that there has been a renewed interest in IUD use (either the Mirena IUD or the ParaGard IUD). This makes me happy since IUDs have gotten a bad rap in the past. Also, a lot of people as me about extended-cycle birth control pills. These are pills that allow a woman to manage how often she has her period. For example, Lybrel is a pill that is taken every day, so a woman can have no periods. And Seasonique is designed so that a woman only has a 4 periods a year. These are great options for women who have terrible symptoms with their periods. Plan B, emergency contraception, is also a very popular trend right now.
What are the first three tips you tell people who are trying to select a new form of birth control?
People need to know that having sex is about making choices. We choose: our partners, when we're ready to have sex, when to wait, and what we feel comfortable doing. Now we can finally choose to have sex in the safest way.
When choosing a method, people should factor in a few things: how effective they want the method to be, how convenient, and what type of method would fit into their lifestyle best so that they will be more likely to use it. Also, are they even a candidate for this method? What are the health risks?
What is your favorite health-related website?
That’s easy… mine! One thing that I love about my contraception site is that I created the whole thing—it was my concept. When I began writing for About.com in 2007, there was no contraception site. I was hired to build it from the ground up, so I have personally written every article and blog entry found there.
All my articles are full of accurate information and licensed medical doctors medically review them. So people can know that, without a doubt, the information I am providing is correct. (So much online info about birth control is not correct).
I also try to write in a way that people can understand since these topics can be fairly complex. My website is a wonderful platform to share my knowledge and my understanding of the personal issues that surround birth control use.
What is your favorite health-related book?
I have two – “Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health” by Toni Weschler and “Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women's Health Book Collective” by Judy Norsigian
Is your writing/project therapeutic?
Very much so. It is wonderful to know that I am helping people make very important decisions. After all, look at what is at stake if people make the wrong decisions about their contraception—pregnancy. The topics that I write about are really life-altering.
Words cannot capture the feeling I get when people tell me, via their emails, how much I have helped them or given them clarity. When I find my writing cited elsewhere on the web, it is a true testament to my job and my mission!
To connect with Dawn, visit her WEGO Health page.
