Newly Wed website lies

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pumpkin
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Pumpkin

Guest
I have been married a little over a year and today I recieved an advertisment from a wedding/newlywed website professing to give newlyweds reliable information on contraception. (Because we were registered on-line we get all kinds of newlywed spam, that I usually do not read, but I had to respond to this one because it is actually a very popular site)

The problem is in the email is stated that they (the nest.com) would give “all the information a couple needed to know but was too embarrased to ask about contraception.” The worst thing is, if the couple is afraid to ask they are just the kind of people at the most risk of being led astray.
I wrote a letter to Amy Shey Jacobs, Public Relations Manager pr@theknot.com EDITORIAL INQUIRIES regarding my problems with the article.

In the article they only briefly mention the as they write “natural” birth control and the rhythm method. They do not discuss the NFP sympto-thermal method, nor do they provide any really extensive, accurate information regarding the coplications that occur due to contraceptives. This realy is quite sad because a lot of couples may read this and take it as truth.

Please read the article here and hopefully send the PR manager a piece of your mind too!

This is the tag line:
Feel like you’ve used the same protection since the dark ages? Now that you’re married, a different type might be best. Here are all the ways to keep Mr. Sperm and Mrs. Egg from having too much fun mingling.

thenest.com/articles/article_love.aspx?articleid=A50802110337
 
40.png
Pumpkin:
I have been married a little over a year and today I recieved an advertisment from a wedding/newlywed website professing to give newlyweds reliable information on contraception. (Because we were registered on-line we get all kinds of newlywed spam, that I usually do not read, but I had to respond to this one because it is actually a very popular site)

The problem is in the email is stated that they (the nest.com) would give “all the information a couple needed to know but was too embarrased to ask about contraception.” The worst thing is, if the couple is afraid to ask they are just the kind of people at the most risk of being led astray.
I wrote a letter to Amy Shey Jacobs, Public Relations Manager pr@theknot.com EDITORIAL INQUIRIES regarding my problems with the article.

In the article they only briefly mention the as they write “natural” birth control and the rhythm method. They do not discuss the NFP sympto-thermal method, nor do they provide any really extensive, accurate information regarding the coplications that occur due to contraceptives. This realy is quite sad because a lot of couples may read this and take it as truth.

Please read the article here and hopefully send the PR manager a piece of your mind too!

This is the tag line:
Feel like you’ve used the same protection since the dark ages? Now that you’re married, a different type might be best. Here are all the ways to keep Mr. Sperm and Mrs. Egg from having too much fun mingling.

thenest.com/articles/article_love.aspx?articleid=A50802110337
Click to expand...
Hi pumpkin,

I occasionally frequent that website as well and noticed the article on birth control. To put it lightly, I was furious after reading their “detailed, well-researched” article on pregnancy prevention methods. I wrote an email to them already detailing information about nfp and its effectiveness and how they are doing their readers a disservice by not providing them accurate information that is readily available in this day and age.

My husband and I were also talking about that, and he wondered aloud if this particular company (website) might be receiving assistance or funds from pharmaceutical companies pushing specific methods of contraception. I also remember seeing some ads for different types of birth control on their site at one point, so it’s definitely possible and probably likely. Although it’s possible a group of well-educated women simply glossed over and misrepresented nfp, it’s just as likely in my mind that this article was skewed by what company is bringing them the most advertising dollars. Sad, but true.
 
I have been reading a slew of diet books this summer, especially those that promote a natural, organic way of eating and supporting overall health, not just weight loss. One of the most intriguing is the Schwartsbein Principle-The Program by Diana Schwarzbein MD. (an endocrinologist). She promotes a balanced diet based on natural foods. But very interesting is her chapter on things that impede weight loss and health. She is big on HRT for any hormone the body is not producing naturally–thyroid, insulin, estrogen etc.-- but insists on natural, not synthetic hormones in the lowest therapeutic dosage.

She also warns about the disruption of all hormones when one is artificially introduced or supplemented, and she is especially critical of birth control pills and patches.

She discusses how prescription meds interfere with insulin response, causing poor metabolism and preventing weight loss and destroying good health. I quote from page 154-155

“Here is another class of drugs that I believe no woman should take. There is nothing goood about these pills, pellets or vaginal tablests. Birth Control medications disrupt the sex hormone system. since all hormones are connected, they therefore disrupt the rest of the body’s hormones, too. Alternative birth control methods are safer and can be as effective if used correctly . . . Be aware that long-term use of BCPs can lead to problems such as obesity, infertility, fibroid tumors, chronic fatigue, headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure, pulmonary embolisms, strokes, heart attacks and Type II diabetes.” She goes on to discuss the damage done by therapy with BCP or HRT involving synthetic estrogen/progesterone combinations (which is how the Pill works).

She states that in her practice she categorically refuses to prescribe BCP due to the dangers involved. She makes no moral judgements, strictly medical.

My first OB, one of the first women to practice at our local hospital, refused 40 years ago to prescribe the new BCP to either me or my friends who consulted her (young marrieds or “liberated” college students) because of the risks. Newer generation of Pills have lower dosages but still carry high risks. In addition, because of the low dosage the often fail, especially with teenagers, leading to pressure to abort the resulting fetus, according to critics of Planned Parenthood.

Birth Control Pills are a major health risk to otherwise healthy women and would never be allowed on the market if political correctness were not a factor. Look how quickly tampons implicated in Toxic shock were removed from the market after relatively few deaths. Strokes among younger women were rare before the pill, and have become increasingly common as have all the other related symptoms.
 
I wouldn’t call it lies, I think they’re just ignorant. I remember when I was a protestant, I didn’t see any problem whatsoever with any form of birth control, and I didn’t even know what NFP was. If someone had explained it to me then I would have called it the “rhythm method” too. I think it’s good that you sent them an email, but I wouldn’t be too defensive about it. Some people just don’t know, and it’s up to us to enlighten them.
 
40.png
goravens:
Hi pumpkin,
I occasionally frequent that website as well and noticed the article on birth control. To put it lightly, I was furious after reading their “detailed, well-researched” article on pregnancy prevention methods.
My husband and I were also talking about that, and he wondered aloud if this particular company (website) might be receiving assistance or funds from pharmaceutical companies pushing specific methods of contraception. I also remember seeing some ads for different types of birth control on their site at one point, so it’s definitely possible and probably likely.
Click to expand...
Hi Goravens, I agree about the advertisments. I have seen them as well and certianly that promotes some bias. There is an interesting website regarding the effect of drug companies on the medical profession it is called “no free lunch” our ethics board is pushing to ban free drug sponsored perks at our hospital. (but that is another topic)
40.png
StratusRose:
I wouldn’t call it lies, I think they’re just ignorant.
Click to expand...
Although it may not be an out and out lie, half-truths and or ignorance are no excuse, when an article meant to “educate” is circulated. It is unethical for a health care professional or a non-health care professional to publish information without being fully informed and completely informing their readers. Ignorance is no excuse, all they have to do is type the words “natural birth control” into google and they get a slew of websites that discuss the sympto-thermal method of birthcontrol that even site their sources. Luckily I know to investigate any medical report in the media but I am a healthcare professional, however the individuals who were targeted in the article were specifically individuals “embarrassed” to speak with their doctor. Thay would not necessarily be following up and/ or not embarrassed to ask the right questions.

One of my biggest concerns does not even need the Catholic perspective to be a legitimate concern. Not only did the article not discuss NFP factually, they also left a long list of complications off of the hormonal contraceptives “downsides” (as they refered to them) and minimized the statements regarding the most dangerous complications as being “very rare.” When writing the complaint I felt the best approach was to base my concerns in legitimate medical fact and I forwarded the actual drug monograph discussing the contraindications and side effect which were minimized and/or left off. For example they did not have any complications at all listed for Depo Provera except weight gain. This way if it was a simple “error” they would be able to do further research and and help rectify the misinformation.
~P
 
They have updated their article to include Sympto-thermal giving a little better description than when they listed the “Rhythm method” So they at least listened a little. thenest.com/articles/article_love.aspx?articleid=A50802110337#

They did not update the list of complications for the hormones.😦

The 3 resources they now list are
AmericanPregnancy.org
PlannedParenthood.com
Family Health International
I say we continue to write until they list the couple to couple league as a resource with more accurate details and statistics.
 
I should not have read this. I am just frustrated! The “upsides” are stated as facts rather than possibilities. The information of Depo hit a nerve, but I had a bad experience with Depo and am biased. DEPO IS NOT a progesterone (natural)… it is a progestin (syntetic). The delay in the return to fertility can be much longer than 12 weeks. The"downsides" of Depo don’t include the latest news regarding bone loss.

At the very least, a link to the package inserts of hornomal methods should have been included in the article AND readers encouraged to read the information. The family planning clinic I worked for included the package insert as of the informed consent reading, so clients were to read this before receiving a script. I don’t think many, if any, private practice providers do this. Anyway, not an informative article.
 
I saw that article, too, and didn’t look hard enough for their contact information. Thanks to Pumpkin and goravens for writing in!

I am glad the Nest updated some of the information, but am shocked at their original natural offerings.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top