So, my husband is getting snipped soonish (most likely about a year out, but I'm researching ahead and I currently have an I.U.D.), and I'm pondering whether I should continue taking hormonal birth control or not. As far as I see it, there are some benefits (reduced risk of some cancers, reduced period associated nastiness, etc) and some draw backs (increased risk of some cancers, increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, etc). I don't personally want to get sterilized because I really don't like medical procedures and I don't see the need when my husband is getting snipped.
Has anybody had this choice? Any suggestions?
I had to stop hormonal birth control, so went to be sterilised (husband couldn't have vasectomy). The were reasons for me stopping it, the first is I have a tumour in my leg which has affects the circulation there (increasing risk of blood clots), the second is I've been on it for more than 20 years, and recently I've noticed changes in mood and absence of a withdrawal bleed which I found unsettling.
The pro to stopping, well, obviously reduced risk of clots is high on the list. I also have noticed improved mood and an improved libido. As for cons, instead of 4 days of a light bleed I have 2 days of "oh my god" with some pain (very manageable) and 3 days of not much. My skin has gone to hell in my opinion (spots, but I'm wondering if that will balance out), but other people have said I look generally perkier. As for cancer, my end result would differ from yours, since I had my fallopian tubes removed I've drastically reduced the risk of ovarian cancer.
Just mentally though, I feel a bit better taking 1 less medication, having one less reason to go to a doctor and not messing around with my body in that fashion.
Don't know if that helps, but it's my 2 cents.
As for some of the other discussion on this thread, pretty much any conversation regarding being childfree is going to include someone who says they changed their mind, look how wonderful life is for them now and are we sure we're not missing out.
To me this is sometimes motivated by them not wanting other people to miss out on something good they've tried (reminds me of my Grandma "What do you mean you don't like broad beans?? You just haven't had them cooked well, you'd love them"), sometimes it's also motivated by them having made a different choice that they're still trying to justify to other people ("see, this is why I changed my mind, and I was right, so you should do it too"). Whatever the reason though, no matter how innocent and genuinely well meaning the person saying it is, when you've had your choice questioned for the thousandth time it can grate.
And sometimes a child-free persons reaction to this can seem out of proportion, but it can be a case of the straw breaking the camels back. I've been told I'll change my mind, I'm selfish, I'll never know *REAL* love unless I do, I'm evil (that was interesting), it'd be different if it was my own, I'm unnatural, I'll regret it, I'm missing out on the experience, I'll never know self-sacrifice, I'm not a real woman, I'm not achieving my true purpose, I'm failing the economy.... etc. So that one innocent comment comes in that particular context, where a childfree person having been attacked previously feels they have to be constantly on the defensive.
As for my personal definition of childfree, I don't include the necessity of surgery, but I'd say if hypothetically someone could give you a one off tablet that had no side effects but could guarantee you'd never conceive would you take it? If you could answer yes, that to me is childfree, anything else is a bit on the fence (my opinion only).