Hormonal Contraception Essay

Hormonal contraception refers to “birth control methods that act on the endocrine system” (Correa, Petchesky, 1994, p.3). Throughout history the development of hormonal contraception has been viewed as a wonderful, more convenient method to avoid unwanted pregnancies. This is seen to many as a positive thing for women’s equality. However, hormonal contraception has only been developed for females. Current methods of hormonal contraception have many harmful side effects that can alter the mental and physical health of an individual. These side effects negatively impact on heterosexual women’s lives, as many feel “pressure and responsibility” (Lipton-Lubet, 2012) to take hormonal contraception if they do not want to conceive.

Birth control can help gap gender inequality, as it allows women to engage in heterosexual sex without

Hormonal contraception was created to stop ovulation in order to prevent pregnancy and allow women more control over whether they have children or not. But hormonal contraception doesn’t just prevent pregnancy; it also causes many other negative side effects. “Unprotected intercourse has always posed a potential risk for women in the form of an unwanted pregnancy” (Hynie, Lydon 1995, p.563) but there are also many health concerns involved with all forms of hormonal contraception. Weight gain is a “typical” (Correa, Petchesky 1994, p.108) side effect, as well as a “loss of libido and increased risk of yeast infections, cancer and thrombosis” (Correa, Petchesky 1994, p.108). Even with the knowledge of all these negative sides effects of hormonal contraception, it is still sold on the market. Judith Richter, feminist pharmacist and social scientist said there were suits against “the contraceptive manufactures for misleading safety claims” (Richter, 1996, p.3) and protests against “the inadequate safety testing of contraceptives that had already come onto the market” (Richter, 1996, p.3).