Menstrual Suppression

[Gisella]

Does the church have a position on the morality of suppressing periods for months or years? I’m an athlete and considering using a new birth control pill to prevent my period from coming at bad times. I’m under the impression that it’s ok to use the pill for non-contraceptive reasons, but I was just wondering if menstrual suppression itself is against church teaching.

 

[1ke]

No, it is not morally problematic.

However, physiologically it is another matter.

You could do long term damage to your fertility or suffer other side effects. I would suggest you discuss this with a pro-life doctor-- one more attuned to the harmful effects of these synthetic hormones than the average doctor seems to be-- for instance someone associated with the Pope Paul VI Institute or www.omsoul.com.

 

[rpp]

The Church generally says that such treatments for a serious condition or health problem are fine. However, what youe described is doing something to your body for convenience. That is an entirely different situation.

You are not struggling with some hormone deficiency. Instead you are trying to suppress your femininity. You are trying to eliminate a gift which God gave you for no better reason than convenience and a desire to pursue an optional activity; a hobby or sport. Morally, THAT is quite problematic at best.

Whether you are single or married, I cannot see a justification for this.

 

[seekerz]

I’ve often wondered about menstrual suppression in the light of Church teachings.

In ages past, women generally got married at a younger age than is true today and began bearing children earlier. In fact, studies of some tribal cultures show that with early and frequent childbearing as well as prolonged breastfeeding, women have far fewer periods than the modern western woman does.

All of this seems to suggest to me that maybe woman was not created to spend most of her life having a period every month. The question is, should that menstrual pattern be accepted as a natural consequence of assuming the modern woman’s role, should woman strive to regain some of the previously established natural rhythm by changing childbearing/breastfeeding practices, or is she justified in using artificial means (with potentially serious side effects) to make her menstrual pattern more like that of her aboriginal sisters simply for the sake of convenience?

 

[hasikelee]

How athletic are you, and for how long?

Despite intense exercise, do you still experience heavy and long periods?

I found this was extremely rare during my sports experience. Most girls, including me, had extremely light, short periods of no inconvenience. Some girls had no periods.

 

[Lazerlike42]

How athletic are you, and for how long?

Despite intense exercise, do you still experience heavy and long periods?

I found this was extremely rare during my sports experience. Most girls, including me, had extremely light, short periods of no inconvenience. Some girls had no periods.

I’m a guy, so I can’t speak to this, but several of my friends who happen to be girls have mentioned this sort of thing to me in the past. One of them, if I recall correctly, actually had to go to the doctor because her athletics caused her to have no periods whatsoever.

 

[graceandglory]

In ages past, women generally got married at a younger age than is true today and began bearing children earlier. In fact, studies of some tribal cultures show that with early and frequent childbearing as well as prolonged breastfeeding**, women have far fewer periods than the modern western woman does. **

All of this seems to suggest to me that** maybe woman was not created to spend most of her life having a period every month**.

Yeah, it really does get old after THIRTY YEARS!!!

 

[Gisella]

How athletic are you, and for how long?

Despite intense exercise, do you still experience heavy and long periods?

I found this was extremely rare during my sports experience. Most girls, including me, had extremely light, short periods of no inconvenience. Some girls had no periods.

Mine are heavy for the first couple days then light. I’m on the hockey team and play tennis daily during the summer, and my period really impacts my enjoyment.The team travels, and my period is really annoying. I was the only one who couldn’t go in the pool once.

 

[rayne89]

I was the only one who couldn’t go in the pool once.

Tampon?

 

[kage_ar]

Tampon?

Exactly what I thought. Child of the 80’s here, remember the commercials, you can now swim or ride horses or go to a party thanks to tampons.

Why would someone want to shove hormones in a healthy young body. Amazing.

 

[hasikelee]

Exactly what I thought. Child of the 80’s here, remember the commercials, you can now swim or ride horses or go to a party thanks to tampons.

Why would someone want to shove hormones in a healthy young body. Amazing.

I think it has to do with how young girls are informed about hormonal replacement therapy.

My guess is the OP can’t answer what Ethinyl Estradiol is or what the side effects of taking it are. She probably doesn’t know the difference between taking a single, synthetic hormone as opposed to a combination oral contraceptive.

Yay, it gets rid of acne, makes me feel happy and takes away that annoying little sign of health. What else needs to be said?

 

[Gisella]

Tampon?

I can’t use tampons.

 

[1ke]

Mine are heavy for the first couple days then light. I’m on the hockey team and play tennis daily during the summer, and my period really impacts my enjoyment.The team travels, and my period is really annoying. I was the only one who couldn’t go in the pool once.

Gisella,

This is a very shortsighted view, and also pretty selfish and petulant. It may not be “convenient” but it is how God made you.

When you are tempted to feel put out by such an inconvenience, instead embrace it and offer up these inconveniences for the sake of people who are **REALLY **inconvenienced by things like poverty, starvation, religious persecution, and economic oppression by their own government.

There are people with real problems in this world, and this is not one of them. I think it would be very wasteful of money and harmful to your body to contemplate doing this for such a trivial reason.

 

[KCT]

While it may not be morally wrong, it doesn’t seem wise to put such powerful chemicals in your body just for convenience.

 

[Monsterkittie]

Has your doctor figured out why things are so bad? Is your doctor a pro-life doctor? (Probably not, if they are suggesting BC)…

My doctor found out what was wrong and was able to treat the hormonal imbalances with natural plant hormones, not man-mixed chemicals. Best thing is, there was no over manipulation of my hormone levels due to wacky BC pills. AND, it doesn’t mess with fertility. Her main concerns were addressing the problem AND preserving my fertility for later on (when I am married and want to have children.)

I suggest trying to find a good doctor. They do exist out there.

Best wishes!!

 

[Em_in_FL]

Mine are heavy for the first couple days then light. I’m on the hockey team and play tennis daily during the summer, and my period really impacts my enjoyment.The team travels, and my period is really annoying. I was the only one who couldn’t go in the pool once.

Tampon?

This was going to be my suggestion as well.
I’ve always been athletic… running a lot in college, tennis, scuba diving… having my period never STOPPED me from doing anything.

I can’t use tampons.

Without going into gruesome details… Is there a medical reason? Or an aesthetic reason? Or did they just not work for you? (in that case did you try different absorbencies?)
I’m just curious because of all the athletic women I’ve talked to, everyone seemed to be able to deal with using tampons.

 

[Carolinagirl411]

I’m not athletic but I do have problems with the whole menstrual thing. I have a condition that causes extreme pain when I reach that “time”. My mother had the same thing and said that the pain was 10 times more painful than childbirth ever was…

Not only is it painful but it sends all my other body systems into haywire. Blood sugar issues, stomach issues, etc. I’m basically stuck in my bed for 4 days writhing in pain. The doctor put me on a special birth control designed to stop my periods altogether but since they are so bad they still happen, just not as painful or disruptive. I never felt guilty about the birth control until I went to a doctor who happened to be Catholic and was lectured that I should stop it regardless of the pain it prevents…He was going to try to help me find a different method but it’s been two months and no word. Guess I’m stuck with the birth control for now.

 

[Em_in_FL]

I’m not athletic but I do have problems with the whole menstrual thing. I have a condition that causes extreme pain when I reach that “time”. My mother had the same thing and said that the pain was 10 times more painful than childbirth ever was…

Not only is it painful but it sends all my other body systems into haywire. Blood sugar issues, stomach issues, etc. I’m basically stuck in my bed for 4 days writhing in pain. The doctor put me on a special birth control designed to stop my periods altogether but since they are so bad they still happen, just not as painful or disruptive. I never felt guilty about the birth control until I went to a doctor who happened to be Catholic and was lectured that I should stop it regardless of the pain it prevents…He was going to try to help me find a different method but it’s been two months and no word. Guess I’m stuck with the birth control for now.

I’m sorry you were lectured about just “enduring the pain” when clearly that’s not an option.

Have you considered trying to get to the ROOT CAUSE of your problem, rather that just suppressing the symptoms?
You’re right, in this case there is no moral reason against using the birth control, but too often many doctors prescribe it as a “cure” when it really just covers up symptoms of a deeper issue.

One thing you may want to consider is seeing a Reproductive Endocrinologist. These specialist doctors are more well trained in underlying hormonal issues and may help you find an actual cure.

HTH a little! Good luck… that has to be a tough thing to deal with!

 

[seekerz]

Has your doctor figured out why things are so bad? Is your doctor a pro-life doctor? (Probably not, if they are suggesting BC)…

My doctor found out what was wrong and was able to treat the hormonal imbalances with natural plant hormones, not man-mixed chemicals. Best thing is, there was no over manipulation of my hormone levels due to wacky BC pills. AND, it doesn’t mess with fertility. Her main concerns were addressing the problem AND preserving my fertility for later on (when I am married and want to have children.)

I suggest trying to find a good doctor. They do exist out there.

Best wishes!!

Just how was your doctor able to administer hormones without “manipulation” of your hormone levels? Doesn’t the very fact that hormones (plant or synthetic) are taken into the body, affect one’s hormone levels? I’m puzzled.

 

[surfinpure]

I’m not athletic but I do have problems with the whole menstrual thing. I have a condition that causes extreme pain when I reach that “time”. My mother had the same thing and said that the pain was 10 times more painful than childbirth ever was…

Not only is it painful but it sends all my other body systems into haywire. Blood sugar issues, stomach issues, etc. I’m basically stuck in my bed for 4 days writhing in pain. The doctor put me on a special birth control designed to stop my periods altogether but since they are so bad they still happen, just not as painful or disruptive. I never felt guilty about the birth control until I went to a doctor who happened to be Catholic and was lectured that I should stop it regardless of the pain it prevents…He was going to try to help me find a different method but it’s been two months and no word. Guess I’m stuck with the birth control for now.

Thank you for providing us with some perspective. THIS is the sort of situation for which I can see using menstrual suppression, if, in fact, it would do more good than harm. I don’t know enough to say either way, in that regard.

In any case, I cannot see any moral justification for doing the harm that hormonal birth control does to one’s body simply for the sake of convenience. It is tempting for the modern woman to feel a little indignant that she might have to sit out on a nice day at the pool because of her blessing of fertility, however it was only very recently in history that women could do any sort of activity while menstruating. This is simply how we are created. Who knows? Maybe the Lord wanted us to take a little break once a month and pray? Maybe we were meant to be quiet and relax a little? Hard to say.

But just as I would not recommend abusing Xanax or Vicodin or any other drug, I would caution against the misuse of hormones. It’s not worth the price one’s body has to pay, and the idea of using a major drug just to be able to have more fun is unhealthy, at best.

Gisella has not posted whether or not she is married or sexually active, but this would be another thing to consider. I think it would be a terrible shame to contracept (particularly using an abortifacient) for the flimsy purpose of getting to participate in sports.