Many people don’t know that oral contraceptives are prescribed for OTHER reasons besides the obvious one. When I was 15, I had ammenhorea (no menstruation) and my doctor couldn’t figure out why until a panel of bloodwork and lots of other tests. 

After the ultrasound, they discovered that I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 10% of women in the U.S. have this syndrome. It affects your hormones, reproductive system, as well as your metabolic system. They’re still not certain of the cause.  In order for me to make up for the years lost where I needed to be building bone mass to sustain me for life, I needed to be menstruating. So, my doctor prescribed an oral contraceptive in order for my system to kick in and stay on track. 

PCOS has affected me in many ways because it’s an odd and misunderstood syndrome. It affected my fertility, it made it harder for conception, but, also my blood sugar regulation. 50% of women with PCOS have Type 2 Diabetes by 40. There’s also a correlation between PCOS and gestational diabetes and high risk pregnancy. I did finally conceive thanks to assisted reproductive technology, and although it’s by the adeptness of my doctors and the grace of God that I even survived the delivery, I’d do it again to be a mother to my son. 

I’ve ALWAYS wanted children and noted I had to go as far as In Vitro Fertilization, which under the new Supreme Court ruling and all the various laws that are waiting to be passed, also is a no no and apparently makes me a bad person, a sinner, and a murderer. Because I WANTED a child and couldn’t have one? I guess that means my miracle child is also a sin that shouldn’t be here? I’ve always wanted more children, but, after, I suffered a miscarriage that broke my heart. I’m meant to be happy with my one miracle. 

Birth control pills helped me regulate my hormones so I could even think about a baby some day when I was married and ready. I was lucky. Lucky I could be a normal girl like other people were at that age, lucky I’ve never had  diabetes, lucky to have  been able to have fertility treatments to have my son. I just wanted to be “normal.”  Please don’t let politicians rob other girls and women that same sense of normalcy by allowing birth control pills to be politicized. This is a personal, medical, private and female-only issue that no one incapable of the same experience should have any hand in unless it’s the woman, her doctor, and her family. Please sign and share.