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I have to open my big mouth about one important fact has been overlooked by many supporters and dissenters alike.
The exclusion of IUDs does have an immediate effect on the health of millions of women.
So, this is for all the ignorant people that know next to nothing about contraception (or the human reproductive system in general, but that's a whole other ball game)
but want to say that not covering IUDs is okay b/c there are other forms of birth control that are covered.
Dear "there are other forms of birth control" big mouths:
The IUD is the only form of birth control I can have besides sterilization. Seriously.
No doctor (trust me, I tried before I knew how dangerous my condition really was) will let me have any other form of contraception due to my high stroke risk because of ocular migraines, or migraine with aura.
For me, birth control with estrogen is actually deemed "risk unacceptable" by the NIH.
I'm at higher risk for a stroke than diabetics, the morbidly obese, and heavy smokers.
When they hit, I'm literally blinded by them and have very limited verbal and cognitive function during the first 20 minutes to 2 hours of their initial onset. They are basically mini-strokes, and can lead to serious strokes.
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| This is what the world looks like at the onset of a migraine. |
I'm not a medical rarity. Millions of women have the same high risk as me and should not take contraceptives with estrogen. Prolonged use of progesterone injections, such as the "Depo shot" is linked with mineral and bone loss and is not recommended. I was cut off from that, too. On to my next point-
Luckily for me, our insurance covers it.
(They also allow domestic partners to receive benefits, including same sex. Yay for my husband's large yet socially progressive corporation!) But for a woman working full time at Hobby Lobby, that's an overwhelming up front cost.
Like it or not, money controls most of our decisions.
If a medication or procedure isn't covered by our employer provided insurance and is relatively expensive, it isn't very likely to happen. In this case, the men holding the purse strings are the dozens upon dozens of huge "closely held" companies with religious objections that fall under the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby decision.
On another note-
For those that actually think an IUD is "preventing an egg from implanting" but vasectomies are okay, well, ummm,
you make no sense.
With this teensy device nestled all snug in my womb, I don't even ovulate, my friend. Even if I were to ovulate, my cervical mucus is thicker than a Kardashian.
No eggs. No swimmers admitted. No zygotes. No unplanned babies. NO problem.
Oh yeah, and there's also the added bonus that I'm less likely to die of a stroke. Funny thing how the systems of the body are inextricably linked, isn't it?
Good thing I don't currently work for a bunch of medically uneducated males that dictate my treatment options!
I also especially don't care if some might think it's TMI and are made uncomfortable by the inner workings of my womb. I am not ashamed of my biology. My uterus is part of my body, my body is part of me.
If a few religious companies want to restrict how a female employee and her doctor treat her uterus, they are trying to control her with utter disregard for her entire well being.
Whether it's in the name of faith, greed, or old fashioned misogyny, it certainly doesn't seem to be a "pro-life" approach.
Stress hormones are also related to migraine and stroke risk.
