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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| M.F. |
| 05/07/02 at 07:28:04 |
| Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah, I've been on the Pill for 3 years. I started it a few months before I got married to get used to it, and I haven't really had any problems except for higher than normal PMS once in a while. However, I noticed that for the past year or so, I'm starting to have some bleeding between my periods, especially around the middle of the cycle, and especially if I've fasted. I don't know if it's a coincidence that it happens after I fast or if it would have happened anyway. The last couple of times the bleeding was quite dark and I would find spots for about 5 days. It wasn't constant bleeding, just once in a while, but it started to worry me. I'm afraid I might be doing damage to my ovaries or to something inside there. Has anyone had problems with the pill? I like that I don't have to think at all about birth control but I'm starting to worry. Do you have any advice for me? shukran mariam |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Dawn |
| 05/07/02 at 07:39:36 |
| I know that breakthrough bleeding can be a side effect of the Pill, but from what I know, if you are going to get it, it usually appears right from the start. There are so many different types/strengths of the Pill, that you just simply might need to try another one. I don't think it is doing any damage to your ovaries or uterus, though. It could just be that your body took a while to get adjusted to the hormones. But to be sure, give your doctor a call. She would obviously know best. |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| M.F. |
| 05/07/02 at 08:11:21 |
| I forgot: I did see a gynocologist a while back (before I went on hajj) and she said our bodies are so sensitive to slight changes that it could be that, and she said not to worry about it. I didn't until this latest darker spotting. Funny thing is I didn't get it at first like Dawn said, although I read that you could for the first few months. See I'm willing to go off of it but I'm lazy :P and I'm afraid I might not be able to keep another more natural method very well. I think Eleanor that the pill's giving me an unnaturally huge appetite. I was never a big eater and I gained about 10 pounds in the first 6 months or so of my marriage so I blame the pill. If I go off, will I lose weight? :) |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Barr |
| 05/07/02 at 08:43:04 |
| [slm] :) [quote]If I go off, will I lose weight? [/quote] InshaALlah... just lay off the sundaes! ;D OK, OK... I've seen sisters gaining loads of weight with the Pill... but of course, it could just be... happiness :) [quote]See I'm willing to go off of it but I'm lazy :P and I'm afraid I might not be able to keep another more natural method very well. [/quote] I'm not sure how you feel about the IUD, but it seems to work well with sisters whom I know who use it. It's a very effective contraceptive, better than the Pill or Condom. No weight gain, plus, no difficulty of getting pregnant and side effects when you take it out. But there are various kinds of IUD, and some other complications that make some people regard it as a no-no... Islamically. But there are various opinions on that. Allahua'lam. I came across this website on a new contraceptive called Depovera.. you only need to take it 4 times per year. It's an injection. But the thing is, it would actually stop or decrease your haidh. I'm not sure Islamically whether that is alright since it can artificially stop one's menses. But otherwise, it seems to be a very convenient and effective alternative. Allahua'lam. Maybe, we can check it's permissability first. Hmm... I'll ask around, inshaAllah. Well, I do hope it's nothing serious, Mariam. But best bet is.. just go to your gynie! again! Just to keep your mind and heart calmed... and find out if there's really anything wrong. :) Take care, ukhti :-) wassalam |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Maliha |
| 05/07/02 at 09:40:18 |
| [slm] What i've heard of Depovera is supposed to have extreme side effects, including mood swings, depression, lack of sex drive and weight gain... Maliha :-) [wlm] |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Aneesa_A. |
| 05/07/02 at 10:02:56 |
| [slm] All this contraceptive talk is quite scary, especially the side-effects. I'm not married yet...but my sister's getting married this summer, and my mum has told her that she'll be going with her to get contraceptive pills. I just wanted to know from sisters' experience that what do you consider the safest method? [wlm] :-) |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Marcie |
| 05/07/02 at 11:20:45 |
| [color=Teal] [slm] [quote]But there are various kinds of IUD, and some other complications that make some people regard it as a no-no... Islamically. But there are various opinions on that. Allahua'lam. [/quote] In the States they don't recommend that you use an IUD unless you have already had children. Some women cannot get pregnant after using it. Some scholars are of the opinion that it is unislamic, because the egg has already been fertilized when it falls onto the IUD and breaks. Stay away from chemicals if you can. Allahu alim about the longterm side effects. :PIf you are willing the diaphragm is a possible option. [wlm] Marcie :-)[/color] |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| M.F. |
| 05/07/02 at 11:37:53 |
| Assalamu alaikum Jazakum Allah khair everyone. I think I'll call my doctor (wait a minute, I don't have a doctor, she's about to have a baby herself! :) ) I'll call my sister's doctor and I think Dawn may be right, I might just have to change the pill. The doctor had said that the first time I went to her but she didn't think I needed to at that time. I honestly do think it's safe and if I didn't I wouldn't have used it for so long, even though my inlaws warned me that it could cause sterility if it was used for more than 2 years. I've read up a lot on it. Qurat, it's not all that scary :) A lot less scary that finding yourself pregnant all of a sudden (though I know that's definitely NOT an Islamic way of looking at things, you get pregnant when Allah wants you to is how it really works). I didn't know the IUD could cause you not to have children again!! Wow, that is scary! I thought it was for women who'd already had a child because ip's easier to insert after that. |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Dawn |
| 05/07/02 at 11:58:42 |
| Just to reassure everyone out there who has heard horror stories about the pill, I was on it for nearly 10 years to control my terribly erratic mentrual cycles, and I didn't experience any side effects at all, unless having regular periods which only lasted 4 days is a side effect. I didn't gain waight, I didn't get PMS, I didn't retain water, I didn't have bleeding, etc., etc. It can work quite well, regardless of why you are using it, i.e., for birth control or for other medical reasons. And the pill of today is nothing like the pill our parents may have used. The effective dosages are tiny in comparison and so are the potential side effects, while the pregnancy prevention rate is higher. It really is a remarkable birth control method. |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| nouha |
| 05/07/02 at 15:02:11 |
| [slm] i dont know if someone mentioned this allready, but arent u only supposed to use the pill no more than two years, then take a small break adn tehn start usign it again, cause i heard it could be dangerous after using it for so long, im not married so i wouldnt know:) wasalam nouha:) |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Dawn |
| 05/07/02 at 15:37:33 |
| The "take a break from the pill and then start again" idea is one of those urban rumors, as far as I know. There is no benefit to taking a break from the pill that I am aware of. From what I understand, you can take the pill (today's versions, that is) for as long as both you and your doctor feel it is OK for you. The key here is to talk to your doctor about your case, as everyone of us is different. |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| nabeela |
| 05/07/02 at 16:41:53 |
| asalaamu alaikum, oh the weight gain isn't from the pill as i thought, its from marriage. almost everyone i know who got married gained weight whether they are on the pill or not. its inevitable, with a few exceptions. Its either from inlaws forcing you to eat, or a new lifestyle, or laziness or happiness. And you don't lose the weight once you stop the pill, unfortunately. I may be wrong but this is what i've observed. wa alaikum asalaam |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| eleanor |
| 05/08/02 at 04:19:49 |
| [slm] [quote author=M.F. link=board=sis;num=1020770885;start=0#3 date=05/07/02 at 08:11:21]I think Eleanor that the pill's giving me an unnaturally huge appetite. I was never a big eater and I gained about 10 pounds in the first 6 months or so of my marriage so I blame the pill. If I go off, will I lose weight? :) [/quote] emm.. see my thread in the International House of Kabob for details.... :o |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Anonymous |
| 05/08/02 at 17:47:27 |
| salaam sisters, Glad you started this thread Sis M.F. :) I'm not married yet but I will be soon in sha Allah. I was wondering how exactly does the pill work? How long do you need to take it for it to start working? thanks everyone |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Muslimah17 |
| 05/08/02 at 18:40:05 |
| assalam-0-alikoum Dawn, what`s your pill called if you don`t mind telling? |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Dawn |
| 05/09/02 at 04:42:53 |
| [quote author=Muslimah17 link=board=sis;num=1020770885;start=15#15 date=05/08/02 at 18:40:05]assalam-0-alikoum Dawn, what`s your pill called if you don`t mind telling?[/quote] I was on Loestrin Fe 1.5/30 which was made by Parke-Davis. I stopped them several years ago when we were trying to get pregnant, so while I am presuming they are still made, I am not sure. And being older has made my terribly erratic cycles now just erratic, so my doctor agreed that I really don't need them anymore. In any case, my understanding was that, when I was started on them, they were the lowest dosage available. I don't know if that is true any longer. There may now be lower dosages on the market. But your doctor would know more about that. |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| M.F. |
| 05/09/02 at 08:24:20 |
| [quote author=Anonymous link=board=sis;num=1020770885;start=0#14 date=05/08/02 at 17:47:27]I was wondering how exactly does the pill work? How long do you need to take it for it to start working? thanks everyone [/quote] Assalamu alaikum, From what I understand of how the pill works, it suppresses ovulation by releasing synthetic hormones that prevent the egg from being released. It works as soon as you start using it but I think you need to use another method as well the first month just to make sure. You could start taking it before you get married. I did this so that I would know how I would react to it. I found that the first one I tried (Orthotricyclene) gave me terrible mood swings and made me really emotional etc but then my doctor prescribed a different kind that had a different kind of dosage that was much better. This website [url]http://www.health.ufl.edu/shcc/ocp.htm[/url] might help you understand more about it. |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| NinthMuharram |
| 05/09/02 at 23:25:16 |
| [slm] When I was doing my own reading on the website on this topic, I found these 2 articles :- [url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&571&e=9&u=/nm/20020507/hl_nm/birthcontrol_pill_1]Reducing Number of Menstrual Period[/url] [url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020508/sc_nm/health_contraception_dc_1]EliminatingMenstrual Period[/url] Makes me feel uneasy though, to eliminate our body natural cycle. |
| 05/09/02 at 23:39:41 |
| NinthMuharram |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Kathy |
| 05/10/02 at 14:13:09 |
| [slm] A Brother wrote to a Sister asking if Birth Control was allowed. Besides that being improper, you can always send these type of questions anonymously.- or IM me- I am comfortable with most questions- if asked properly. Islam Questions & Answers www.islam-qa.com Question Reference Number:: 21169 Title: Using the birth control pill and the coil Home > Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings > Customs and traditions > Medicine and medical treatments > Question: What is the shar’i ruling on using the coil (IUD – intrauterine device) as a means of preventing pregnancy, knowing that this means does not prevent fertilization of the egg, but it prevents the embryo from attaching itself to the wall of the uterus? May Allaah reward you with good. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: What the Muslims should do is to have as many children as they can, because this is the command issued by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said, “Marry the one who is loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your great numbers.” Because increasing the number of children increases the size of the ummah, and being of great numbers is a source of pride, as Allaah said, reminding the Children of Israel of that (interpretation of the meaning): “And We helped you with wealth and children and made you more numerous in man‑power” [al-Israa’ 17:6] And Shu’ayb said to his people: “ ‘And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you’” [al-A’raaf 7:86 – interpretation of the meaning] No one would deny that if the ummah is great in number this will lend it pride and strength. This is contrary to what is imagined by those who think evil thoughts, that the large numbers of the ummah is the cause of its poverty and hunger. If the ummah increases in number and relies on Allaah, and believes in His promise, in the aayah “And no moving (living) creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allaah” [Hood 11:6 – interpretation of the meaning], then Allaah will make things easy for them and will grant them sufficient means from His Bounty. On this basis, the answer to the question is as follows: A woman should not use birth control pills unless the following two conditions are met: (1) She should have a reason for that such as being sick and unable to bear a pregnancy every year, or being physically weak, or having other reasons why getting pregnant every year would be harmful for her. (2) Her husband should give his permission, because the husband has the right to have children. This must also be done in consultation with a doctor, to find out whether taking these pills will be harmful to her or not. If these two conditions are met, then it is OK for her to use these pills, but that should not be on a permanent basis, i.e., she should not use the type of birth control pills that prevent pregnancy permanently, because this is preventing progeny. (Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 2/657, 658) Concerning the harms caused by contraception, the Shaykh (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Birth control pills: I have heard from a number of sources that doctors say they are harmful. Even if we do not know this from the doctors, we know it from ourselves, because preventing something natural that Allaah has created and decreed for the daughters of Adam is undoubtedly harmful. Allaah is Wise, and He has only created this blood which flows at certain times for a reason. If we prevent it with these medicines, that is harmful without a doubt. But I have heard that the matter is worse than we imagine, that they may be a means of damaging the womb, and a means of causing nervous disorders. This is something we must beware of. (Liqaa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, question no. 1147) Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on removing the uterus in order to avoid having children for medical reasons which are either present, or may occur in the future and have been predicted by medical and scientific means? He answered: if that is necessary, then it is OK, otherwise it should not be done, because the Lawgiver urges us to have children and promotes that in order to increase the size of the ummah. But if there is a necessary reason then it is OK, just as it is permissible to use means of contraception for a limited time for a legitimate shar’i reason. (9/434) What is said concerning the birth control pill may also be said concerning the coil. It has been definitely proven by the doctors that this contraceptive method causes harm, especially when it is used continually. It is known that the woman who has a coil inserted has an increased flow of menstrual blood, and her period may come twice a month, which causes an iron deficiency in her body. Iron is one of the important minerals which the body needs. Some women may become anaemic when they use the coil and it makes their periods longer, resulting in the woman losing a large amount of blood and thus a large amount of the iron stored in the body. It has also been proven that many women suffer infections of the uterus as a result of using the coil. Despite all this, a woman may become pregnant with the coil in place, as has happened to a number of women. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| NS |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| Anonymous |
| 05/11/02 at 02:43:15 |
| Please please please...don't ever confuse the birth control pill with the IUD. The IUD is a small metal item that is worn internally and prevents the implantation of a fertalized egg. The pill suppresses ovulation. TOTALLY different things. While it might ppotential be helpful to read web fatwas (although the question asked is only about IUDs), there are other Islamic opinions than the one presented. The bottom line is that it is rarely healthy for women to give birth once per year from age 12 to age 50. Additionally, to get around the argument that "despite the claim that there's no evidence that the pill is dangerous, we think it really is," there ARE more natural birth control techniques. **If we were not allowed to use ANY form of birth control, then coitus interruptus wouldn't be allowed (but it is).** Breast feeding decreases fertility, which can be looked on as a blessing from Allah to prevent us from a life of non-stop pregnancy and birth. The Catholic Church is particularly famous for the "natural" methods, which, in their most accurate form, consist of charting one's cycle, charting temperatures, and charting natural female discharge to determine when the woman is ovulating (that is, when she could become pregant). Using all methods together result in a fairly good overview of what's happening in your body. This is useful to find good times to become pregnant -- in order to lessen the chances of pregnancy or increase them, depending on the wishes of the couple. A very nice book on this subject is Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler. Historically there have also been herbs and home remedies that decrease the likelihood of fertility. I have to say this, too: please speak with a religious authority and do not follow someone else's fatwa. We all have our own circumstances; fatwas are not really "one size fits all." Some guidelines on this are already up at jannah: http://www.jannah.org/sisters/famplan.html |
| Re: Birth Control (The BCP) (for akhawat only) |
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| mwishka |
| 05/11/02 at 11:31:48 |
| being non-muslim, while i've read enough to know what the general beliefs are toward birth control in islam, but i really don't know how these practices are carried out in real life, and since the whole focus here was around the choice to use the pill or the IUD, i wasn't going to add anything. but, now that anonymous has raised the idea of other methods of birth control than chemical (pill) or physical (IUD), i feel more comfortable adding my thoughts on this. what the pill does is trick your body into believing it has already ovulated by the level of chemical messengers it can detect, so no egg is released. what the IUD does is trick your body into believing it is already pregnant (hey, this uterus is already occupied!) so the fertilized egg does not implant, and passes out of the body. personally, i'm really not keen on tricking my body in general, and certainly not tricking it chemically, except for medical conditions for which there is no other choice. (there are times we always need to trick our bodies - we're tired, but we have to keep working. we're exhausted exercising, but we want to keep going. we're sick but we have no choice but to carry out our tasks...) if used carefully, learned thoroughly, and practiced well over at least six months time, the method of personal awareness of the cycle of ovulation that anonymous referred to is all most women need. but, no, i absolutely don't think it's wrong for anyone to use whatever method they're most comfortable with. but we can get all the information we need from our bodies to know what's going on with them if we only learn to pay adequate attention. ovulation occurs at a single moment, and some earlier researchers dubbed this moment "mittelschmerz" for the short sharp pain or discomfort you feel as the egg is released. many women say they've never felt this, but i think that has to do with how we live our lives, how busy we let ourselves be and how we're almost taught to live so outside awareness of our physical body that we could miss such an event. fertility, in most women, is a state that exists for about 6 days each ovulatory cycle, three before and three after that moment of ovulation - and these two three day periods are based on approximate lifespan of the sperm once they have entered the body. even if you become familiar enough with yourself and your own workings to use this "basal body temperature" method, as it's called, using a diaphragm might be the complement to this that many couples will want to have. if you use the charting method anonymous mentioned, you'll condition yourself to become aware of the changes that are happening to you over the course of these hormonally regulated cycles. you have to use the FULL method, learning all three parts: charting your cycle over time, over temperature, and becoming aware of the beginning of the production of the high salt containing mucus which is stretchy and indicates the conditions are optimal to make the travel burden of the sperm as easy as possible. ovulation occurs at a peak temperature in the body - that value is not the same for all women, just as we don't all have a "normal" body temperature of 98.6ºF. (< that's more like a range from 95 to 100.) my only other comments are 1) stay away from herbal use unless you're prepared to spend the time to educate yourself well about what you're taking, why it does what it does, and understand how seriously you must treat the use of these very potent and sometimes potentially toxic natural medicines. they should only be used with utmost respect and caution. they're not to be fooled with lightly. and 2) this is not going to be a favored view here, i imagine, but my own opinion is that if you are uncomfortable with or fearful about the idea of using a diaphragm, or the idea of being aware of natural physical changes in your body such as changes in vaginal mucus production, i would think you might want to consider that you maybe haven't reached a level of maturity that will make you comfortable with the physical life you'll enter into in a marriage. as i understand it, it is obligatory on all muslim women to engage in not just a physical relationship with their husbands, but a satisfying physical relationship with them. i really don't want to get into this any more than that at all. i'm just not sure that marrying quite young allows a person to have a broad ranging maturity, and can lead to people just being unhappy with each other in their marriage, especially since it seems to be that financial differences and sexual differences are the two factors which most disrupt marriages. mwishka |
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