Herbs not the only abortion option (2005)

Herbs not the only abortion option

Hi slingshot-ers,

Thanks for the new organizer, i'm glad for the update in the back pages! no more west coast astrology charts (finally!!) & plus the inclusion of the periodical table rocks!

i am a anarcha-single-mom. i am excited to see stuff on relationships & more sex positive info.

i am concerned about some of the reproductive health care information. i come from a fiercly-pro choice backgrand & as a young mama myself & am now in medical skool...so i have done TONS of research about contraception & options if you’re pregnant.

first, i hope that next year you'll include more on contraception (and more alternatives to penis vagina sex)

mostly, tho, i am concerned about the over-reliance on herbs as effective forms of birth control/abortifcants. i've noticed in the ecoanarcho-scene that there is a vibe that looks down on hormonal birth control, or even the IUD etc, as "not natural". basically i think that a lot of folks in our scenes judge herbs as being the ultimate form of health care. i've seen SO many women get prego using "natural family planning" and SO many women's herbal abortions fail. the most optimistic data i've read is that 50 % of herbal remedies work in preventing pregnancy. but, elsewhere i've read that herbal remedies (vit C, carrot seed, cohosh etc) are no better than placebos. basically, women are gunna get seriously shafted if they rely soley on this herb information (which, hey, hopefully no one is doing...but...)

its really important for me to make sure that women who are maybe unexpectedly pregnant make sure that they have a health care provider & a support system. Plan B is readily accessible in most major cities & college campuses, but if women wait a few days to see if their carrot seeds kick in, they aren't going to have the time to take Plan B. (Also, plan B works upto FIVE DAYS...not 3...and in some cities is available thru a pharmacist, not just thru a doctor's visit & is covered by most Medical Assistance.) anyhow, if women don't want to deal with a pregnancy crisis we should not advocate carrot seeds as a radical remedy.

women need to know what to do when/if herbs don't work & they want to terminate their pregnancy. there have been cases of women thinking that herbals, like cohosh, are working, because they're cramping, when actually they have an ectopic pregnancy. this has resulted in at least one woman dying.

word. please include more information about women's health! please remember that herbs, in general, don't prevent pregnancy with high accuracy. if they did i can guarantee that no one would be unexpectedly pregnant. women need information about medical and surgical abortions too! we need more accurate info on how to mimic Plan B with birth control pills

(http://www.plannedparenthood.org/library/BIRTHCONTROL/EmergContra.htm)

can you add a page about consent & contraception? abortion? parenting?
thanxxx
rebecca