Hormonal Contraception: Another Downside

The Pill is the most studied drug in history, and a good thing too since it is taken by healthy women. Many of the benefits and detriments are well known and for the most part are disclosed on the FDA warning label. The benefit of pregnancy prevention is of course the major benefit, but there are others relating to disease and cancer prevention. Women experience different side effects, most of which are fully disclosed. One of the more serious downsides that gets less attention than it deserves is the loss of libido among some women on the Pill. This side effect is by no means universal and some women experience the opposite. It is clearly something needing further study. There has been extensive study of what the increased risks might or might not be of breast cancer and cardio-vascular events in some patients taking certain formulations of the Pill. The research and debate continues.
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Bush Attacks Kerry on Abortion

No sooner did I make my previous post than the Bush campaign launched TV and radio ads attacking John Kerry’s record on teen access to birth control and abortion. The new ads state that “Kerry voted against parental notification for teenage abortions” and “voted to allow schools to hand out the ‘morning after pill’ without parents’ knowledge.” The ads continue: “He voted to take control away from parents by taking away their right to know. John Kerry has his priorities. The question is, are they yours?”
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Polling off the Deep End

The anti-choice folks have come up with an amazing new strategy to win over the Democratic party. Having failed to change national polling numbers over the past quarter century on the abortion issue by their religious/moral arguments, they are now appealing to the self interest of the Democratic party: in short, their argument is that the Democrats are aborting themselves out of existence.
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