Drag close your chair and let’s talk like real women about our health as far as contraceptives are concerned.
Contraception is a highly efficient method for preventing unintended pregnancies. But do you ever realise that early exposure to them may lead to adverse health conditions later in life?
Just like smoking increases the chances of heart attacks and stroke, oral contraceptives in young women can be equally fatal, especially for those who are not yet married or have no kid. Terrifying enough, right?
A simple research on your part will make you agree with me that contraceptives were originally meant for married woman, who are sexually active. The point of concern, however, is that our young girls use them more often than I’d say adults.
How fatal are hormonal contraceptives?
A recent scientific research shows that the use of hormonal contraceptives increases the chances of a young woman developing breast cancer. It can also cause infertility, which developes later in adulthood as a result of suppressing ovulation artificially for a long time.
C
There is also an increased risk of developing cervical cancer after prolonged use of hormonal contraceptives.
While using the pills, chances of blood clots especially Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), mood changes, irritability, depression, nausea, headache, painful breasts and spotting are also increased.
Contraceptives and depletion of vitamins, weakening of bones
Depletion of certain vitamins from the body such as vitamin B6 and folic acid is also a possibility. These micronutrients are necessary for all age groups and in developing the body of any teenager.
There is also the weakening of bones due to calcium loss if hormone contraceptives are used for a long time, more so for injectable forms of hormonal contraceptives. Bones may become brittle and fracture easily with some types of contraceptives especially those containing progesterone.
Warning to parents
Parents who administer their children to acquiring hormonal contraceptives are likely to face social concerns arising from health of their daughters in future.
While avoiding early pregnancies may be the main focus, the impact of using a hormonal contraceptive from an early age can have threatening consequences, some of which can be more detrimental to one’s life and career than early pregnancy.
Discover the pulse of Western Kenya with WKT – your go-to digital media platform for real-time updates, rich perspectives, and powerful stories that matter.
Some parents are to be blamed. Instead of educating their young daughters on the importance of abstinence, there busy helping them use contraceptives so they don’t get pregnant and make them kukhus at a young age. Has it ever crossed your minds that you’re only protecting them from getting pregnant and not contracting STDs and HIV/AIDS?