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You are threatened with unplanned pregnancy
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You are pressured to make a decision on the spot
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The doctor is intimidating and dominates the conversation
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You are given no other options
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They share a personal opinion “if I were you I, would…”
Did this happen to you? These are clear signs that you may have been coerced into taking the contraceptive pill. And you’re not alone. Thousands of females have had their agency stripped away in the four walls of a 15 minute doctors appointment.
In no circumstance should you feel like you don’t have options. In no circumstance should you feel pressured into a decision. And in no circumstance should unplanned pregnancy be used as a threat to take any medication. If unplanned pregnancy is considered a risk of not taking the medication, then communicating the risks of taking the medication should be just as important. This isn’t the only information that needs to be shared. Everyone deserves to know how these drugs work to avoid pregnancy. Are they artificially stagnating my sex hormones? What does the rest of my body do when this happens? How will this affect my future fertility? Withholding this kind of information and pressuring patients violates the free will of an individual. That individual deserves to make informed decisions with all the knowledge at their disposal.
No matter how well respected a professional is, if they are intimidating, forceful and use any kind of threat to instill fear - this is a huge red flag. And maybe time to seek a healthcare professional who uses positively affirming options, is transparent with all the risks and sees you as an equal capable of making the right decision for you, and not as your superior.
If you do find yourself in a situation where the healthcare practitioner is intimidating and putting pressure on you. Just remember that they are not the law. The worst thing that could happen if you communicate a boundary is that they get moody. And you are not responsible for their emotions or reactions.
Here are some quick sentences to help communicate your boundaries:
- Thank you for that information I would like to take some time to consider my options.
- I’m not comfortable with that, but thank you.
- I appreciate your concern but I feel really good about this decision.
- It would really support me if you were able to respect my decision.
Contraception options
And as for your contraception options. There are PLENTY! Our favourite natural contraceptive is the sympto-thermal method. You can learn more here. It takes a little learning and habit building - but once you are in the rhythm it is such a breeze. This has an effectiveness rate of 99.4-99.6% with perfect use and 98-99% with typical use (that’s better than condoms!).
Coming off hormonal birth control
For those who are coming off hormonal birth control, we highly recommend reading up on what can happen after coming off the pill. No one talks about ‘Post-pill Syndrome’ which is a set of withdrawal symptoms and period irregularities that can occur months after coming off the pill. It’s ok, we’ve got you - our favourite books are Beyond The Pill by Dr Jolene Brighten and The Period Repair Manual by Dr Lara Briden. Then straight after ordering those books you want to get your Seed Cycle Blend subscription. It’s the most gentle - yet powerful - way you can guide your hormones back into their natural fluctuations. It can support you each month and get you back to feeling like yourself again.
What Seed Cycle Blend stand for
We are not against the pill or any form of medication, in-fact we are grateful for the advancements of medical technology. We believe everyone should have access to what feels right for them. What we feel strongly about is the bullying of females in medical settings that is disguised as ‘professional opinion’. When we go for a consultation we are paying for information, options, side effects and benefits. We are not paying for threats, pressure or personal opinions.
We’d love to hear from you if you have experienced anything similar. We are here to support you and advocate for medical systems that empower females. Email us info@seedcycleblend.com
Take care,
Rochelle
Founder | Seed Cycle Blend
