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As long as the Pill is not creating any
problems for you, it is not necessary to discontinue usage.
There is no medical evidence that long-term use of birth
control pills is harmful to women who are under 35 and don’t
smoke heavily (no more than 10 cigarettes a day). It may be
useful to remain on the Pill so that you will be prepared when
you resume having sexual relationships. However, if you
experiencing uncomfortable side effects or the cost is
prohibitive, and you would like to switch to another method of
contraception, you may want to stop taking the Pill now. There
is no harm in discontinuing the Pill now and restarting it at
a later date, although it
Although there have been questions about
increased breast cancer risk among long-term Pill users, it
now appears that there is no increased risk for the average
woman. Oral contraceptives actually protect women from some
kinds of cancers, such as ovarian and endometrial cancers, and
offer many women relief from menstrual cramps, iron-deficiency
anemia, and endometriosis, which is overgrowth of the uterine
lining. Women on the Pill may experience decreased absorption
of some vitamins and minerals, so it’s important to include
in your diet foods rich in calcium, vitamin C, and B-vitamins.
At this time, letters received at the
Well-Woman office regarding personal experiences with sexual
assault or abuse will be forwarded to the Rape Crisis Center.
If you do submit a letter, please make a statement granting
permission to the Rape Crisis Center to publish it. If no
statement is included, the letter will be kept confidential.
Please be aware that the Rape Crisis Center offers
confidential peer counseling (at 854-HELP) and 24-hour peer
advocacy (at 854-WALK) for students who have been sexually
assaulted, physically abused, or who have survived any other
form of harassment or violence. Thank you for your concern and
for your ideas.
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