Week 13 Blog Post

Please post your responses to week 13’s readings on challenging technocratic conceptions here!

Note: I am canceling several of your readings this week, at the request of the presenters for next week.

Please read only the following readings for next week:

Birth as an American Rite of Passage: “The technocratic model: Past and present”

Reproductive Rights and Wrongs: “Barrier methods, natural family planning, and future directions”

Medical Anthropology Quarterly: “Claiming respectable American motherhood: Homebirth mothers, medical officials, and the state”

27 thoughts on “Week 13 Blog Post

  1. the_fallen

    Barrier Methods and Family Planning:
    Barrier methods are effective forms of reversible contraception if they are used properly. Apparently there were movements back then; more like contraceptive revolution in the 60’s and 70’s for effective contraceptives. But not much has improved today. The level of safety depends on the use and in many cases the misuse in population control programs in developing countries such as Puerto-Rico.

    There is a need for better contraceptive today specially when it comes to safety in terms of reversibility. But has it already exist? For instance the invention of Condoms, cervical caps and other forms of contraceptive methods are reversible and so far proven to be effective. But they need improvement as far as increasing the level of safety to prevent some more and hopefully all STD’s.

    In many western countries, the people are often discouraged from using contraceptives because of cultural beliefs and other factors. Therefore, there is a low percentage of barrier methods used such as condoms unlike in developed countries.
    Barrier methods have their many advantages such as no major side effects, they are reversible and proven to be the safest so far. They also protect from STD’s and in some cases prevent AIDS infection. Additionally, they reduce cervical cancer risks in women.

    Women’s have many benefits as well as dangers that are associated with the use of contraceptives. In heterosexual relationships, many men refuse to wear condoms. As a result, women end up being harassed, abandoned, and abused. The article mentioned how more women will be infected with HIV than men which was shocking to me but I guess if the many danger mentioned above are occurring then it is possible. Women have been given less choices for decades now. Though women in the developed countries are fighting for their rights and rightful placement, it is harder for women in developing countries to do the same without social oppressions. Since it is hard to control the actions of men such as wearing condoms to protect women, women need to be put in charge of their bodies and health and one way to do that is to have more effective methods that are safe for women to use. The article mentioned several studies done. For instance, studies done in Cameroon showed that women were protected against STD’s, I believe, because they use nonoxynol as compared to women who don’t use it frequently. But then again another study in Kenya proved that women using contraceptive sponges increased their risks of HIV infection. Therefore it is hard to identify what works effectively for women. However, the best method so far is condom.

    Another issue associated with contraceptives is prejudice. Apparently, poor people are too ignorant to use the pill or other methods effectively, therefore they refuse to use any; blame it on the poor of course. Another take on this subject is the fact that poor people are too stupid and too embarrass about their bodies to use any contraceptives. But there is one contraceptive method so far that has worked for several developing countries, the natural way. Also called natural family planning. It is used with a calendar where women know when fertilizing or not so that they can prevent pregnancy or increase pregnancy chance. It is promoted by the Catholic Church because it is the only “acceptable” form of contraception.

    Another contraceptive method that I never heard of is Immunological Contraceptive. It supposedly works like a vaccine for your immune system except that the contraceptive attacks the organs that will eventually help in pregnancy. The side effects can’t be stopped and there are may risks such as risk of birth defects, permanent sterility and many more risks. So my question is why is it so hard to find effective contraceptives for women to use? Is it science that is behind or is it because patriarchy is not ready to give up yet?
     

  2. Boston

    In the article “Barrier Methods” the author discusses the need for a contraceptive revolution. There are so many different contraceptive options now that we need to be freed from our habits. Many people just follow what their friends or family members refer to them and do not think much about it. I think that we are due for a revolution in contraceptives because people could find a method that they enjoyed and that is effective for them. I think the time is definitely coming because many people worldwide are becoming more and more contious of being ecofriendly and there are some methods that are better than others. Reusable barrier method contraceptives and feminine products are on the rise, especially across college campuses. Also, many people are beginning to question whether or not drugs are the right answer for all our problems since they seem to make a lot of “side effects” on their own. For me the right answer seemed to be birth control pills not to stop ovulating but to prevent from getting such heavy, long periods with such intense cramps that I’d black out. The medication has done the trick for those symptoms and I also feel comfortable when having sex because I know that I have control over my fertility because I take my pill religiously each night. Despite the control that I have with my body I also insist that my partner wear a condom to prevent unwanted pregnancy. We are both students so it is not the right time to be depending on one method of birth control incase of failure. After graduation I suppose I would feel comfortable re-evaluating my contraceptive methods but until then I think I have a combination that is working and I am comfortable with. I would not rely on natural family planning unless I was trying to become pregnant. The method seems to have a lot of loopholes and you must know your body very well.

  3. Liz

    “Taking Control of Your Reproductive Health” had some interesting opinions on the responsibility of birth control. Traditionally, women have had the responsibility of taking birth control or using a barrier contraceptive method. Many of these methods also have unpleasant side effects that the person has to deal with. There were many reasons stated in the article for why certain methods do not work, including: the method fails, feeling that the method is unacceptable, just plain ignorance, and being lost in the moment. The article suggests that women and men work together for their method of birth control and use the FAM method which involves no chemicals or side effects. This method seems to be ideal for a woman’s body. It also allows the woman to become more attuned to her body and its cycle allowing her to know when she is most fertile and when she is not. The partner also can play more of a role in this method and help keep charts or take temperatures.
    Although this method sounds very interesting I don’t think that I would be interested in using it myself. At this point in my life I would not consider using this type of method. I almost think I would somehow mess it up. Until I am older I would continue to use a hormonal birth control. Although I have considered not taking “the pill” at certain times during college, I continued to take it because I knew my ultimate goal was to finish and not become pregnant. This was one of the best ways I thought I could achieve that. Possibly when I am an adult I would consider using a method such as FAM. I would want to be at the point where I knew that I could afford to have a child if the method I was using failed.

  4. Finkle

    In reading the Barrier methods, Natural family Planning and Future directions I could not help but wonder how accurate that information was today but I realized it was written in 1995. It mentioned how barrier use remains considerable low in developing countries. I would be interested to see current data on the subject with the HIV/AIDS epidemic especially in Sub Saharan Africa and if that has changed statistics on barrier method. It seems like virtually every organization based in developing countries apart from religious organizations, promotes the use of condoms. Due to lack of access to health facilities among other factors it seems like condoms are heavily advertised in several low income countries that I have visited. There are also very cheap and in some cases free of charge as they are passed out in college campuses and clinics. I do agree however with the author on the need for a second contraceptive revolution. It’s a shame that there are still very serious complications associated with taking oral contraceptives. I recently read an article about the safety concerns of the popular oral contraceptives YAZ and Yazmin. The concerns were from researchers and health advocates that filled lawsuits against the manufacturers of those pills claiming that the pills put women at a higher risk for blood clots and strokes. This concerns if true could put numerous women at risk since according to an New York Times article, YAZ is the top selling birth control pill in the US. The technocratic Model article I thought accurately portrayed medicine or rather Health care in the US today. While it’s fantastic that we have all this technology, it’s sad that it is replacing the “human” element in the medical practice as evidenced in the quote “anybody in obstetrics who shows a human interest in patients is not respected. What is respected is interest in machines.” Reading about the birthing process in the hospitals was actually scary. They make it sound like a factory process line.

  5. Arewa

    While reading “Claiming Respectable American Motherhood”, I had no idea that there was an issue with mother’s choosing to perform a home birth instead of having their child in a hospital. I understand why the medical system and government are concerned and feel it is the safest way to be in a hospital and around experienced medical workers, but a mother should be able to make her own decision. That power should not be taken away from them. One mother, for example, used the metaphor of feeling raped. I thought those were a good choice of words because it shows how mothers felt they were being forced to do something they weren’t comfortable with. And it also contradicts the rights of an American citizen to be able to make her own decision. In my opinion, I don’t think the concern of safety is the only reason why the medical system and government wants hospital births instead of home births. It about the money. American likes to make money and the more home births, there will be a demand for midwifes which will bump Doctors out of the picture. I certainly would have a problem with someone telling me where and how I can have my baby, especially if the way I am choosing to go about it is also safe. People have been performing home births for a long time and there hasn’t been any major safety issues.

    In the article about barrier methods, the point that stuck out most to be was the fact that these methods for the most part are women controlled. The article discussed how at times it can be difficult to get a man to agree to wear a condom. This could cause some problems, such as: harassment, abandonment, or physical violence. I like that there are contraceptives for females and there are actually many varieties. And this does make me feel in control. As we spoke about in class previously, schools should definitely teach more about contraceptives. I personally did not know there were so many available when I was in high school. And believe it or not, a lot of teens are sexually active and a lot of them are getting pregnant or getting STD’s. It is very important that females know they too can be in control when it comes to protecting themselves while having sex.

  6. lolo

    I was first interested in studying the anthropology of health because I originally thought that I’d like to become a midwife. The first time I entertained the notion that I wanted to become a lay midwife was after reading “Midwives” by Chris Bohjalian—ironic because it is a book about a homebirth that went wrong with the woman giving birth dying. Although I don’t remember the book being one-sided in its evaluation of home midwifery (I read it when I was a junior in high school), the fact that it revolved around the dangers of midwifery, it reinforced the idea that birth is a dangerous process. As described by Craven in “Claiming Respectable American Motherhood…”, biomedical knowledge has been deemed the gospel in all matters relating not only to childbirth, but health in general. Therefore, the power that physicians possess in the medical encounter with patients, but also in terms of law and society at large allows for practices of midwifery or non-biomedical understandings of health to be marginalized. Craven outlines the ways that biomedical institutions have used the legal system of the United States not just to legitimize their own work in obstetrics, but to devalue the practice of midwifery and place the blame on ‘pathological mothers.’

    Another issue that I’ve found is that not all women want to have a homebirth—some like the idea of a technocratic, biomedical birth for many different reasons. This is a difficult issue because I do agree with Robbie-Floyd that modern obstetrics perpetuates the idea that women’s bodies are somehow defective or inferior to men. But then I hear my own mom talk about how much she loved the obstetrician who helped her deliver my sister and brother. She said that she would’ve done anything he wanted her to do, she trusted him so much. Who am I to interfere with her relationship with her obstetrician or any other women’s positive, albeit biomedical birthing experience? Is the technocratic/biomedical model of birth inherently oppressive?

    Even if we are to take it as a given that a homebirth is the superior method or place of birth, the question of access still remains. One of the reasons I’ve decided to become a nurse instead of a lay midwife is the issue of accessibility. It is because of the power that the medical profession possesses that allows homebirths and the use of midwives to be limited to those with money. Midwifery isn’t inherently classist, it’s the combination of the power of biomedical institutions and insurance companies that allows for the practice to only be accessible for women who can pay fees out of pocket. It’s a complex problem without any easy solutions.

  7. pinkis123

    I enjoyed readnig the article “Barrier Methods Natural Family Planning, and Future Directions”
    as I definitely agreed with what the author was saying. I found her ideas interesting, about contraceptive revolutions. First in the 1960s and 1970s there was the revolution involving the pill, injectable, and other forms of reversible contraceptives. Although the pill came from this, which I believe is the most popular form of contraceptives, at least for women my age, there are still missing links that need to be filled, such as sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and AIDS. There are many health risks associated with the modern forms of contraceptives, such as the spread of STD’s and misuse in many cases. Before our contraceptive lesson in class, I was not well informed at all about different methods of contraceptives, because I was just told about “the pill.” Everyone I knew who was on birth control, such as my friends and my older sister, were on the pill, all I heard about in school was the pill, and then my all my mom and doctor suggested when I wanted to go on birth control was the pill. Therefore, I was not even aware of the other options that were available to me. The pill has worked out fine for me in terms of preventing pregnancy, but there are a few negative side effects I have experienced, such as weight gain, that are unpleasant but also managable, and therefore I have had no reason to consider switching my type of contraceptive. I found the idea od a new contraceptive revolution very interesting, and I agree with it completely. There also needs to be some change, including more awareness and education of the different options available, different side effects, and how to use them properly. There are still so many side effects and complications with drugs, such as the oral contraceptives. It is important for women to find a method that works right for them in every way, as it is a very personal situation/choice.

  8. Daisy

    In reading the article, Barrier Methods, the author made it apparent that although there was a revolution for contraception in the 1960’s and 1970’s there is a need for one in today’s society. She states that without giving up convenience, effectiveness and low cost, there needs to be forms of birth control that are safe in both the short-term and long-term without future effects on fertility or breast feeding. Even though there are methods such as cervical caps, condoms and diaphragms that have those future qualities, they need to be improved tremendously. I think that birth control today is given out freely and girls feel as if when they reach a certain age, if they aren’t on birth control that there is something wrong with them. It is as much of a social aspect today then a medical one. Groups of friends recommend different brands to their peers and talk about what ones did not work for them. Providing safe birth control options for the women of the future is essential because it allows for women to take control over their bodies. This produces more equality with men and to promote safety, condoms and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, making them a focal point of a persons sexual health. It might be a long time before a “perfect” type of contraception is available, but in the mean time it is important to stress prevention and educate people about the options that are available today. Health risks and benefits should be discussed between patient and doctor, making sure that everyone is on the same page instead of just being rushed out and given a prescription that someone is not really sure about. Having a good relationship with your doctor should help this issue and not being able to speak up and ask questions should really benefit you.

  9. Smile

    In the reading ,“Barrier Methods , Natural Family Planning and Future Directions”, it discusses today we are in need of second contraceptive revolution where we can find ways to better the contraceptives we have now and also create new and better ones that would be more effective to everyone. This reading also mentions how Third World countries do not have these contraceptives available for them or they are not promoted enough also it seems as though from the readings that women have to take control when it comes to contraceptives and that men do not take much initiative in this aspect. The reading says that “Less than 2 percent of contraceptive users worldwide use female barrier methods, and only 6 percent use condoms” Which is interesting to me since the use of male condoms is one of the most effective contraceptives and also the most effective against STDs other than abstinence. So in this case you would think that men would have more control when it comes to the aspect of contraceptives, however it is the women that takes the most initiative. Another concept that I found interesting was the Natural Family Planning and how it works and the effectiveness of it. Apparently if it is done correctly, it is highly effective. I thought that this was a great way for couples who are trying to have baby. Also it is a great way for women to get in touch with their bodies and to feel empowered by taking control of their bodies and understand what it is doing and how it functions.
    In the reading, “Claiming Respectable American Motherhood: Homebirth Mothers, Medical Officials, and the State”, was interesting to me because I never knew there was ever an issue on whether mothers can have their babies at home and how the government think that’s an issue. I mean I can understand the thoughts behind this issue however a mother should have the right to decide where she would like to have her child, and if she feels more comfortable at home their shouldn’t be a reason why she can’t unless she is trying to have the baby in an unsafe environment. It was interesting to me because I did not think it was an issue.

  10. Mew

    The article, The Technocratic Model: Past and Present, brings up a very interesting analysis of the female body being seen as a “defective machine” in society. The medicalization of female bodies and processes (menstruation, childbirth, menopause) renders women to be in greater need of “repair” medically. The article explains how female bodies are thought to be more likely to “break down,” and must thus undergo medical interventions. This reminds me of a discussion from one of my previous classes: we discussed how women are overall more likely than men to seek medical treatment. We analyzed it in terms of masculinities, since men may feel pressured to not “complain” about medical issues or to passively give power to the medical establishment to heal their bodies. This article, however, made me think about this idea in a new way. Perhaps more women seek medical treatment because they have been socialized to believe that their bodies and certain processes are abnormal and are in need of medical attention. Additionally, men may not seek treatment as often because their bodies are assumed to be idealistic compared to female bodies, and are thus more functional and less likely to “break down.”

    The article, Barrier Methods, Natural Family Planning, and Future Directions, also made me think about how medical control over the female body often goes unquestioned in our society, particularly in terms of the widespread prescribing of hormonal contraceptive methods. It seems that “the pill” (which ironically stresses my point since it is commonly referred to as the pill above all other pill medications) is prescribed to many young women today without much thought of its potentially severe side effects for some women or its long-term effects. My own experience with beginning the pill sort of outlines its unquestionable use. Granted, my experience as a young white, middle-class, woman cannot generalize how the pill is prescribed to all, but it certainly made me think critically about its widespread use. At my first gynecological appointment, my nurse practitioner asked if I wanted to go on the pill. I knew that many other women in my family had negative experiences with pill, including increased blood pressure, and I told her that I was hesitant to go on it because of this and I really felt no need to be on it. She told me that it would most likely be fine, especially since I was so young, and so, the following year she asked me again if I wanted to go on it. She seemed perfectly comfortable prescribing the pill to me, and since I had known many of my peers were also on the pill, I became more comfortable myself with the idea of going on the pill. She was also very consistent pushing me towards the pill. Now that I’ve been on it for over a year, I can’t help but look back critically at the situation. Though I have not had a necessarily bad experience being on the pill, I can’t help but wonder why my nurse practitioner never discussed any other contraceptive options, but seemed to assume that the pill was a generic and appropriate option for me to go on. In the article, Hartmann discusses how barrier methods are rarely promoted with as much enthusiasm as methods like the pill often are: “More often than not, barrier methods are simply not made available or are promoted with far less enthusiasm than the pill, IUD, or sterilization. Population Reports notes that negative “providers’ attitudes” are instrumental in restricting access to them, and that their popularity might well increase if their benefits were stressed” (274). In my own personal experience, the nurse practitioner was certainly enthusiastic about the pill and her attitude about it certainly shaped my own thinking about contraceptive options, particularly since I was not fully informed about many other choices from her. The influence practitioners have on women’s contraceptive choices is certainly a huge issue that needs to be addressed when looking at contraceptives and their use.

  11. ILoveBueno

    This week’s readings encompassed several issues we’ve already discussed in other weeks. In “The Technocratic Model” the mechanical model of viewing the body as a system of parts that break and then can be fixed fits with the biomedical model of medicine by ignoring anything about a person that can’t be fixed by medicine and in fact by assuming that everything can be fixed by medicine. The technocratic model also supports the idea of men being superior to women because their bodies are better machines. This medicalized way of looking at people ignores nature. However when I get sick I want a routine, medicalized way to make me better. I don’t want to leave it up to chance so I understand at least somewhat why this model is so favorable. It’s nice to think that there are doctors who know and can control everything and it feels safe.

    This understanding of the technocratic model helps me understand why home births and midwifery are vilified. Home births and midwifery put control of birth into the hands of the people who deserve that control: women and mothers. However in a society with the mechanical model where we view our bodies as machines that can be fixed when broken and where doctors are the best body mechanics people view these less regulated ways of having a baby as full of chance that something could go wrong and no one will be around to fix the problems. In essence we’re afraid of nature because it’s out of our control. Doctors know everything and hospital births are highly regimented, organized and sterilized while home births are dirty, disorganized and leave too much to chance. I believe home births and midwifery actually celebrate a natural way of dealing with having a baby. They represent what I think would be less stress to the mother and less rushing from doctors to hurry the procedure along. Also midwifery and home birth is actual much more respectable than people make it out to be and probably more dignified for women and more within their control. However instead of accepting using a midwife or having a home birth as an acceptable option to be explored women are labeled bad mothers if they don’t have their baby in a hospital. This kind of presumes that women shouldn’t have control over their reproduction and that if they take control then they are doing a disservice to their child because doctors know best.

    The third article on barrier methods and natural family planning made me think a lot about contraceptive alternatives for people who aren’t as priviledged as I am. For me contraception is easy. I feel comfortable taking a pill and telling my partner to use a condom because this is an accepted way to prevent pregnancy for someone of my socioeconomic status and age. However some women have a tougher time with contraception because they face many adversities in trying to control their fertility. We already discussed in class how methods like Depo-Provera and Norplant take control of fertility out of the hands of women on whom those choices are pressured in order to control their ability to reproduce. However for some women using barrier methods (a more individually controlled method) could be impossible. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of women who tried to control their own fertility but had husbands who didn’t respect their autonomy and beat them if they tried to control fertility or sexuality. One problem with condoms lies in that if men don’t want to use a condom they can coerce or beat their wives in order to not have to use one. This problem also exists with the natural family planning method. A “contraceptive revolution” needs to focus on these sorts of issues that women face. Women have many options but they need help finding a method that is effective with all of the adversity they face from society, religion or their husbands.

  12. Nemo

    I didn’t realize that home birthing was not legal in some states. I mean it wasn’t so long ago that there was nothing but home birthing because hospitals if they did exist were places of death and disease. It is a statement to the power of the medical profession (and insurance companies….also, we can’t forget the profit motive) that having babies in hospitals (in the biomedical model) has become commonplace, the norm. I was surprised at the attitudes of those who opposed legalized payment of midwives for home deliveries in Virginia. Close to the beginning of the article by Christa Craven she wrote that those who challenge the dominant American trends and ideologies are pathological and bad mother’s so to speak- relatively new American trends and ideologies though….this isn’t what my Grandma knew.
    The arguments over home birthing remind me of similar attitudes I’ve observed when it come to home schooling, then later in this article the language from the opposing home birth side becomes manipulative…like the anti-choice language. It isn’t a surprise really though, as this is the South. That was a stereotypical comment, I know, but it was only an opinion.
    The statement that just blew me away was from John Partridge, “Birth is by nature a medical event”. To me it contradicts itself. It must have been difficult to respond to these statements without losing face by arguing down to the level that the opposition set as a baseline. Ellen Hamblet did a nice job expressing opinions for the homebirth movement; her statement was balanced and non-inflammatory unlike her opponents.
    As an aside, I have heard a few home birthing stories from women first hand and all of them have been good, safe and satisfying experiences. I understand that sometimes medical technology is needed but women (all women, not just the privileged) should have a choice of where to give birth. To make this decision they need unbiased information from whomever they are getting prenatal checkups from (here I am in Lala land…everyone should be getting prenatal checkups), they need to honestly assess their risks and make their own decision on how to bring their baby into the world.

  13. faves06

    In “Claiming Respectable American Motherhood,” I was surprised! I had never known that midwifery is illegal in some states and access to homebirths is limited. After researching this topic for our group presentation, I have become more open to having a homebirth in the future. This is where I believe nature should overcome technology. Doctors have made women believe that they cannot have babies with a ton on interventions and technology use when reproduction is instinctive process to female bodies since we were put on earth. It is interesting to learn that we are the only country that doesn’t do homebirths with midwives regularly and health insurance companies discourage women from doing it. It is less costly but we are made to believe that midwives cannot handle the birthing process and they are uneducated. It is unfortunately that some mothers are also seen as unrespectable no matter which kind of birth they choose. Women, who have homebirths, in some places, are seen as bad mothers who are putting their baby in jeopardy. In other places, women who have births in hospitals are made to seem weak because they aren’t giving birth they way nature intended and are selfish for using pain medication. I don’t see a problem with either way but I do believe that most women in the US aren’t educated about their options to make a better decision.

  14. cupcake

    In “Barrier methods, Natural Family Planning, and future directions”, I thought that the author made a good point: there are many contraceptive are out there but they need improvement. However, I don’t think the contraceptives themselves need improvement. Instead, I think our society needs improvement.

    There are many barriers to getting contraceptives depending on your location, religion, culture, etc. Some people may not permit it or restrict based on age. Stigmas may also be attached if one is using a certain type of contraceptive.

    Contraceptives should always be covered by insurance – and not just the generic brands. These are often favored because of their cost, not because of their effectiveness. Contraceptives are an extremely important part in many women’s lives and should be easy to obtain and inexpensive.

    There should also be more education. Many people, especially young girls, only know of birth control pills as contraception. There are so many different types that women can explore but only a few know all of them. Increased knowledge about different contraceptive methods could also reduce unwanted pregnancies.

  15. Blush

    I thought the article on “Barrier methods” was interesting because it stated there was a need for a contraceptive revolution and a need for a “perfect” contraceptive. On the contrary, I do not believe that there is a need for a “perfect” contraceptive, but rather just a revision of the way contraceptive methods are offered and the way information about them is given to men and women in all countries, not just the U.S.

    While I do feel it is important to develop even better contraceptives, we can work with what we already have! The issue is how to educate people reliably about the different contraceptive methods and not leave them guessing and making assumptions about them. And as far as side effects are concerned, I think it is important for women to be warned about possible side effects, but also to be given the opportunity to try any contraceptive methods, even those that may have side effects. For instance, I have been on the birth control pill Levora for two years now and have not experienced any problems whereas there are plenty of women who have experienced life altering problems with hormonal birth control. In the end, the most important thing is letting women be in control of their own bodies and providing them with the choices that should be available to all women. More work also needs to be done to assure that women are also realistically educated so that they can choose for themselves which contraceptive method is best for them.

    In terms of the “Technocratic Model” article, I thought it was interesting to read about how many medical systems and model treat the body as a machine and treat the male body as the ideal and as the “standard” model of humanity. I think we all can think of examples where the male body has been idealized and praised while the female body is left unexplained, unexplored, and mystified. For instance, males are societally taught to be proud of their reproductive organs while women are often discouraged from exploring them and are taught that those parts are shameful and unappealing. Femaleness, again, seems to be represented as “other”. Going along with this idea, menstruation is often viewed as “curse” or an “inconvenience” when in reality, it is the process through which a woman is fertile! I feel like many of the inconveniences, hardships, and embarrassments that come with menstruation are totally social in nature and could be eliminated if we as a society were more educated and more comfortable talking about menstruation and became used to the idea that it is natural and essential, not disgusting and undesirable.

  16. Love Post author

    Is there really a way of preventing HIV? There are methods to take to decrease the odds of becoming infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, some of these methods are abstinence, condom use, not sharing needles, and avoiding breast feeding if infected. The chance in breast feeding is if the mother is infected and passes it on to the child that way, whether or not it is their child or someone elses child during that time. Abstinence prevents contracting any type of semen. Not sharing is one method to prevent transfer through blood and condom use, male or ‘female’ (aka reality condom) prevents majority of the transmission of semen as well.

    Yet, none of these are 100% proof, because even if you are abstinent, there are still other ways of contracting the infection. If one takes precaution and uses condoms the correct way, every single time, their chances are low, but there is still a possibility the condom tears and semen can pass through.

    Unfortunately, similar to sexually transmitted diseases/infections, there are many stigmas and bad connotations towards people with an infection. HIV specifically is probably looked down at the most and those who do not have it, sometimes think that those who do have it are dirty! Others may believe that only sex workers may get HIV, others will bring it back to monkeys and some may bring it to homosexuality and some even bring it to race. The thing about it though, is that ANYBODY, can contract this virus and there should be no stigmas attached to it. Things happen, sometimes when you are the most careful person and take all preventative measures you can still become infected.

    There are many things that come into play when it comes to HIV. Where one lives, what ethnic background and/or racial background you come from, because when one is infected then there are treatments to take if you have the money or are in a place to be able to have the resources for it. There are so many medications that HIV infected patients have to take, but they really become a financial burden, therefore people who end up having AIDS, tend to be minorities and.or lower income people and those that are able to just maintain HIV status are usually more financially stable are white.

    HIV/AIDS is a pandemic and unfortunately there is still no cure and it continues to attack those of lower income at a higher rate, because of the lack of resources and the lack of money. One day there will be a cure, hopefully very soon, but in the mean time, there should be more awareness about the infection, not just on the level of what country is most infected and what people and who has the infection, but awareness of how one is infected and that anyone can be infected, therefore the infection can be taken more seriously by everyone and a greater push for the need of the cure.

  17. Woo

    I found the Technocratic Model article interesting although question some points in it which I feel are taken too far. Looking at issues surrounding birth through a technocratic viewpoint however illustrates the extent to which practices surrounding birth have moved toward active management of birth. A couple of weeks ago I attended a lecture by Jennifer Block at Hampshire College. She is the author of Pushed: The Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care. She spoke extensively and well about many occurrences which illustrate the negative effects of technocracy. I am interested in reading her book however will speak to some of the points she mentioned in the lecture here.

    She spoke about the new research that suggests that instead of birth being initiated, as previously thought, strictly by hormone releases from the mothers brain that evidence demonstrates that the fetus may play a part in the onset of birth. If this is the case, for I have not further researched this, this is important information to consider against induction for labor. She spoke about the high rate of inducing labor in the US which is related in many ways to the high rate of c-section. She said that just a couple of years ago the US reached the highest rate of pre-mature births. An entire 1% of births are premature in the US today. This this the highest in the world and increasing. Of these premature births more than 70% in the US are “late pre-term” births which occur between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation. The scientific studies that suggest that the baby may help to initiate birth at a point in time when they are most prepared to live outside of the womb supports the idea that in some circumstances technology can actually do more harm than good. For the high rate of premature births is thought to be linked to inductions in which conception was miscalculated. This is an example which demonstrates how science can support using more and less technology if we actually look at the data.

    To add onto that point she spoke about how first time mothers who are induced are three times more likely to have CS than vaginal births.

    I will briefly touch on some other pertinent points that she made:
    The NHS in England suggests waterbirth saying that they are rated overall the safest and most effective form of pain relief for women in childbirth. I found this point specifically interesting because of the negative notions that are often thought of with waterbirth in the US- be that it is seen as excessive, overly “granola”, etc.

    Also, she talked about research which shows that random fetal monitoring is as effective as consistent fetal monitoring. And that the later is associated with increase of medical procedures. I have not researched this yet either although I am interested in seeing the study cited.

    Lastly, she spoke about the price and insurance issues with midwifery/homebirth and hospital birth. We, the US, spend twice as much per capita of what other countries spend on child birth yet we still have one of the worst maternal and infant mortality rates in the industrialized world. While medicaid only overs homebirth in 11 states. With all the talk about health care reform a change to having 10% of women give birth outside of the hospital is estimated to be able to save $9 billion dollars per year. This is a big blind spot in healthcare reform.

    This are just some of the points she made and I am very interested in reading more and checking out this book.

  18. HM

    In the article about barrier methods of contraception, my first assumption was that barrier methods wouldn’t be a good idea to promote in Third World countries, or really anywhere, because most of them don’t adequately protect against HIV infection, which is a huge issue in Africa, where rates of HIV infection are high. However, every woman deserves the right to choose what sort of contraception they use, even though we usually only give that choice to women in industrialized nations. It was disappointing to read that certain methods are chosen for promotion in the Third World without regard to what women may want. When only certain types of contraception are promoted they are the ones that get used because women don’t have access to other methods. I think the article didn’t stress enough, however, the impact of women’s life situations to what methods of birth control they used. While it isn’t accurate to paint women in third world countries as completely lacking agency in their ability to negotiate birth control with a partner, it does seem like women in certain cultures are less able to choose a method of contraception that fits their interests as opposed to choices guided by what their partner desires. It also seems like, even in the US, many men don’t bother with taking responsibility or any action at all in choosing contraception, it is left in the hands of women, but women aren’t able to access forms of birth control that best fit their needs because research money is only spent on certain types of birth control. Personally I don’t really support natural family planning or most barrier methods, it seems to me like they would only be feasible and effective for women who are wealthy and have extra time on their hands. I don’t even think I have either the time or energy to monitor my body in such a way as is required for natural family planning, plus I think that for a lot of women, or at least for me, I really don’t care on a daily basis how my body works because I’m too busy trying to get an education and make money and often the only time I worry about aspects of my body are when something is so wrong that my routine is impeded by it. I’m not advocating that condoms or the Pill are best, I just question how much the type of people who write articles advocating for the less used forms of contraception actually know about the lives of women who aren’t in academic fields.

  19. b.green

    What i took from the article “Barrier Methods” was that it seems there is a push to make contraceptives as medicine based as possible, including making them last as long as possible. The article stresses that these methods are not that reversible and have effects on fertility. I definitely think that more research needs to be done to make and improve contraception that is reversible. Barrier methods are effective, but we are taught that nothing is as good as the pill. I feel that this is misinformation in some sense. I have been reading a lot about the pharmaceutical industry and I feel like they want a market for these pills so they will do what they can to discredit other methods that aren’t medicine based. Even though natural family planning can have a 30% failure rate I think we should be educating people about because many people are ignorant about fertility and have been taught that preganancy can result at any time. I feel that if women and men were more in tune with the fertility cycle, than especially women might not be so reliant on using hormonal methods, and may be more receptive to barrier methods at certain parts of the month.

  20. Hot Chocolate

    In the article “Barrier Methods, Natural Family Planning, and Future Directions,” the author calls attention to the need for a second contraceptive revolution. Judith Bruce and S. Bruce believe that “tomorrow’s contraceptives must be safe in both the short and long term, fully reversibly and free of effects on future fertility…” Ironically, these methods already exist. Barrier contraceptives include spermicides, condoms, diaphragms and cervical caps. Although they are safe and simple to use, they are unavailable to the Third World and not recommended for use in western countries. They don’t seem to cause any major side effects or delay or risk to fertility. On top of that, they protect users from sexually transmitted diseases and even cervical cancers. So why are barrier methods not used more? In order for barrier methods to be effect, they must be used every time you have sex, which requires cooperation from both partners. Sometimes, barrier methods are not even made available and instead, the pill, IUD or sterilization is promoted to prevent pregnancies.

    After taking this course and participating in discussions in class, I have learned about so many more contraceptive methods that I didn’t even know existed. I did wonder why I was so clueless about these methods and why were they never advertised or introduced to us in high school. I believe that barrier methods should be advertised more because it will give females more choice of choosing which ones they are comfortable with and cause the most pleasure during intercourse. It is also a good idea to learn more about these methods because I know personally for myself, I hate taking medication and using any sort of pills even when I am sick. I wouldn’t want to worry about side effects or any health risks when choosing a contraceptive.

    Natural family planning (NEP) is an interesting method women could practice. It is like periodic abstinence and women can identify their fertile and infertile periods during their cycle. Although it sounds really cool, I don’t think I would want to use this as it requires time, patience and a lot of effort to do it correctly. I’m glad it’s available as an option to those women that would like to try it out or are planning to get pregnant. It was upsetting to read that those women that did choose abstinence in El Salvador, were not successful in doing so. It was not the women who were incapable, it was their husbands or boyfriends coming home drunk and forcing their wives or girlfriends to have sex and if they refused they would be beaten or cheated on. In Kenya, it was reported that women will make the effort to learn more about contraceptives and abstinence, but it was the men who did not make an effort to keep the rules. It is very important for both partners to be cooperative and decide on a method that is most effective and comfortable for both during intercourse. If only the world was really like that…

  21. Mufasa

    After reading the Barrier methods, I thought of how people do not know all the options of contraceptive methods they can choose from. One of the most common methods I see being used around college campuses are birth control pills. I see many of my friends using this method because it is easy and effective for them. As a result, I tried to follow my friends who found this method both easy and enjoyable and did not have the same results. Many of the side effects are not stressed enough. After trying the pills, I got my period for a full 2 weeks and felt like I had no control with the pills, especially when my period is very regular. After doing more research on the pills I decided not to let my body adjust to the pills. There are more serious complications linked to birth control pills like blood clots and stokes. I am more comfortable using condoms and feel like they work for me. This method is highly used in developing countries. I have been to many different parts of Asia and I do not see methods of contraception as an open topic. These cultures are more reserved compared to different parts of the world and this play a large role to what is acceptable. Girls at UMass take birth control very openly where as in India, my cousins never even thought of using pills till after marriage. Girls are viewed as promiscuous if they are on the birth control pills. I was also told from their experiences with friends and contraceptive methods, the abortion rates are higher and are not talked about at all. Different viewpoints limit women to what types of contraceptives they can use. I would also not consider using the FAM method because I feel it is a big risk to take in college. Even in the future I would not opt to use this method if I am not trying to get pregnant.

  22. Pearls

    WIthin our society there is a certain way that people view contraception. It is mellowed over time, but there is still a strict view on what people view as acceptable. There is a revolution that has been going on regarding the types of methods that people use. I think that it is great that the forms of contraception have been changing, but that does not seem to change the way that out society views contraception.
    There are thousands of different ways that contraception could be revolutionized in the future, but that does not meant that the way that people think will change. Our society needs to be educated on why contraception is changing. Once people are educated then there will be a way for them to understand the way that young people trying to protect themselves.
    The article “Barrier methods, Natural Family Planning, and future directions” does a great job of showing that this revolution is only going to help our society!

  23. Lilly

    The Barrier methods article was very informational and throughout the article that author stresses on how now days many contraceptive methods are becoming very open, even though they can have many side effects. For example, the most common and easy contraceptive method in today’s world is the Birth Control Pills. There are many prescription options available to women. For example, these days you can easily get a prescription for birth control pills by answering just minimum questions to the health care providers. The doctors can just check the vitals and ask a family and personal history and if there are no problems, the health care provider will probably write a prescription right then. I mean I think it’s a great way to protect yourself from getting pregnant but girls these days often tend to ignore the side-effects to these pills. Barrier methods have often been very effective, but we are also kept unaware from the major effects from them. I mean side-effects like blood clots and strokes cannot be neglected. I perosnally would not take the pills unless there was some sort of an imbalance in my hormone levels.

  24. Jazzy06

    There were many aspects of Hartman’s “Barrier Methods” which angered me in terms of the inequalities of men’s and women’s contraceptives, natural family planning, and the lack of choice given to women in this genre. According to Hartman, organizations which promote the use of contraceptives such as the birth control pill, intrauterine devices, and other injected contraceptives claim that there is not sufficient time or resources to educate the general population about barrier methods and natural family planning. This implies that the risks and side effects of these birth control methods are acceptable for those who use them, and therefore that they do not deserve to learn about natural family planning.

    However, I think this is selling short the importance of natural family planning in a woman’s life, and stealing the very necessary aspect of choice and option from birth control usage. I believe that there is a large issue of power struggles being displayed within this issue, mainly occurring between men and women, as well as between physicians in the health care system and women. Because of these inequalities of power, women are often seen as inferior and uneducated in the birth control that they use. Additionally, Hartman reports that there is a hesitation from men in using the natural means of birth control, which, in some countries, can limit women’s accessibility to barrier methods of birth control, thus furthering the inequalities of women in terms of their own fertility.

  25. Sashi29

    As an adult birthed at home by a politically progressive mom, the topic of mothers’ making their own choices of how and where to have their birth is an issue particularly close to my heart. The article, Claiming Respectable American Motherhood, articulates a judgment that mothers’ face when they choose an alternative to the biomedical hospital birth. The biomedical model speaks as an authoritative force of what is right for both mothers’ and babies. I was intrigued by the shared interests the state and physicians have in maintaining a hospital birth as the norm. The article articulated for me in a new way, that mothers’ who choose to have a homebirth to be pathological and negligent. My aunt who is a respected nurse found it unreasonable and negligent that my mother birthed both of her children at home. My mother stood alone in her family as the only woman to have a homebirth. I have witnessed a discourse within my own family that painted my mother as a ‘risk taker’ and a mother that was not being safe. It was interesting to me that a classmate attended a lecture given by Jennifer Block the author of Pushed: The Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care which discussed new research suggesting that instead of birth being initiated, as previously thought, strictly by hormone releases from the mothers brain that evidence demonstrates that the fetus may play a part in the onset of birth. It makes total sense to me that the birthing process is a constant interchange between the fetal organism and the fetal environment and anything contrary to this seems unreasonable.

  26. TEASE

    Sure, we need improvements on contraception as well as access to them, but I think the bigger problem here is education. Many, if not all, Third World countries are lacking the education they need to prevent STDs, HIV and pregnancy. Many people in these countries are not aware of the many different methods of contraceptives, and therefore cannot access them or even afford them. It wasn’t until this class that I finally learned in depth of the many contraceptives that are available to me. I started being sexually active at age 15 and it would have made a significant difference in my sexual habits if I was educated on contraceptives, other than condoms, earlier. There is always this argument that teaching kids about sex and protection at such an early age would promote to have sex but today, kids are getting more curious and becoming more sexually active at an early age. I believe that it is better to be safe than sorry, and this is what society needs to realize.

    Growing up, I’ve always had a male pediatrician as my primary doctor. I was very comfortable with him so I never thought to change to a female doctor. For all of my life, I did not hear one word about sex or contraceptives come out of his mouth. What I’m concerned about is if kids are having sex at an early age, shouldn’t their doctor question them about their sexual activity and advise them on safe sex? It wasn’t until this year that they added a female nurse to the staff that actually spoke about sex and contraceptives. I felt so relieved because I had so many questions to ask, questions that I was too afraid to ask my own doctor. Luckily, when I came to college I was introduced to Tapestry. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t think I would be as healthy and happy.

    I agree with the article, “Barrier methods, Natural Family Planning, and future directions” that we do need a second contraceptive revolution but I think that before this revolution can start, people need to be more educated on contraception and the importance of their uses.

  27. Phoenix

    In the article, “Barrier Methods, Natural Family Planning, and Future Directions” many of the topics/issues that we have discussed in previous classes were reiterated. The article mentioned that soon, there will probably be a need for another revolution regarding contraceptions for various reasons. Today, the most common forms of birth control are the pill, the patch, the injection, the IUD implant — and all of them come with their plethora of side effects. Despite the high risks of blood clotting, migraines, moodiness, or even the possibility of infertility; women still continue to rely and spend hundreds of dollars on the biomedical method of contraception over an extended period of time because it is easy and convenient. However, the article pointed out that this is really only true for developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Japan, etc and not for under developed countries such as India, the Philippines, etc. This is largely due to the fact that women of under developed countries are illiterate and may not understand specific instructions about how to maintain and regulate the common forms of birth control that are used in the United States. Birth control methods such as the pill, the patch, the injection, and the IUD implant require follow-up check ups and also will require a large amount of money to teach the women how to actually use the contraception methods… and let’s face it, unfortunately in under-developed third world countries, no one wants to spend money on beneficial public health programs for women such as Birth Control Methods or Family Planning Education. This is why countries such as Puerto Rico and India encouraged their doctors to perform historectomy surgeries as a method of population control — there would be no need for follow-up check ups or education classes to teach the women about birth control methods.

    In terms of barrier methods and natural family planning, it seems that many people do not participate in it because it isn’t advertised as openly as all the other contraceptive methods out there. For example, there is a stigma surrounding condoms that there is “no feeling” for the male when it is used for vaginal intercourse. Spermicides, female condoms, and dental dams are also not advertised as often as condoms. When was the last time you saw a commercial on tv or heard a commercial on the radio for either of the three methods that were previously mentioned? The first time I heard about some of the barrier methods was in Professor Gerber’s, “My Body, My Health” class. As for Natural Family Planning, it’s surprising that not many more people actually participate in this method because technically it’s the cheapest method out there. The only things that you are required to purchase to maintain this method is a thermometer and charts. Essentially, anybody using this method could actually SAVE money, not to mention the lack of side effects such as migraines, blood clotting, etc… but again, people don’t use it because it’s not as reliable as a birth control pill that could be taken at the same time every day. People are more comfortable with a consistent regiment, and with no form of hormones involved or the requirement of a doctor… people still tend to stick to the methods that could potentially be harmful if usage is continued over an extended period of time and cost them A LOT of money.

    Personally, I used the birth control pill for 3.5 years for two reasons: Firstly, I had irregular periods that sometimes were so bad that I blacked out and wanted to regulate them; Secondly, I got into a relationship and wanted to prevent any unwanted pregnancies. At first, it seemed that the birth control pill was a good idea because all I had to do was take it at the same time every day. During the time that I first started taking the birth control pill, my boyfriend was studying abroad in China so when he came back, we didn’t use a condom when we had intercourse (stupid, i know… but i figured that with a 5 month period of taking the pill regularly we would be ok)… So at first, everything seemed ok, and then I started to get intense migraines (which I never had before taking the pill) and I started to get really moody and emotional which affected my relationship. I tried to change the brand of the pill 4 different times, to see if my symptoms would change… but they didn’t. I still had the migraines, and I was still moody and emotional which was starting to negatively impact my relationship, so April of this year, I decided to completely stop the birth control and just rely on condoms with my boyfriend. Although the sex was great without one because I was able to rely on the pill at the time, it’s not worth risking my health or my relationship.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *