Sweetening the Pill

I found this to be an exceptional book, and I take the Pill. This was not an easy state to arrive at, with my reluctance to depend on a powerful medication and full knowledge of how the medication worked- by suppressing the normal ebb and flow of pituitary hormones that trigger the 28-day cycle. I had come across Ms. Griggs-Spall's blog some years ago when I was having challenges with the Pill, in particular Yasmin. I questioned its impact on my health and emotional state, as did Ms. Griggs-Spall. I, too, had difficulty going off the medication, and after a significant break returned to the medication informed, wiser as to what it does and doesn't do to for my situation. In my case the benefits far outweigh the negatives, but I had to come to that choice deliberately, with full information and weighing both costs and benefits.This book is a thoughtfully wrought and powerful manifesto directed at the forces that control our world and how they impact women- including corporations, consumerism, capitalism, sexism, and a culture that sexualizes and commodifies women, often with our consent. Based on Ms Griggs-Spall's early prescription for The Pill as a teenager, from a place of expectation of impending sexual activity and because it was "the thing to do," (which lasted over ten years) Ms. Griggs-Spall's book is part memoir, part historical narrative, and current-day examination of The Pill. She particularly focuses her research on the so-called "fourth-generation" Pill (Yasmin/Yaz) that contains ethinyl estradiol (synthetic estrogen) and a novel progestin (synthetic progesterone) called drospirenone, which has anti-mineralcorticoid, antiandrogenic, and spironolactone-like effects, along with a higher risk of thromboembolism than equivalent pills. She explores the forces that funnel women into mindlessly popping a pill with powerful hormonal (and all-body) impacts from an early age. This book is so obviously crafted from a place of empowerment and liberation- as we follow Ms. Griggs-Spall's personal journey from a compliant consumer to a defiant ant-Pill crusader, she forces us to examine our beliefs and foundations thereof- that I hesitate to criticize the work. Yet, I must add that with the passionate and occasionally didactic tone of the book, women who do choose to take the Pill are excluded and marginalized. There are no gray areas. You are either for or against. The content is vehemently anti-Pill, and perhaps this is from a context of the opposition that Ms. Griggs-Spall has faced from corporations, feminists, and Pill supporters that are so narrow-minded that any criticism of the medication is verboten, as well as her dramatic improvement physically and mentally from going off the Pill. The author forces us to examine our beliefs and foundations thereof-and has crafted a strong argument against over-prescribing, at an early age, a powerful hormonal medication, particularly before puberty is completed.What is left out are the many women, collectively and individually, that have benefitted from the Pill. I can attest that natural remedies, at least in my case, didn't work for my debilitating conditions- I tried in vain to "be natural" for over fifteen years. What of women who suffer endocrine conditions, that for various reasons, feel dramatically better when their natural cycle is suppressed? I don't feel any less of a woman now that I don't ovulate. Rather, I feel relieved to end a battle that I couldn't win, and remain grateful for pharmaceutical research that led to my better health and wellbeing. In sum, this book is a powerful narrative written from a place of personal impact that leads to an examination of the forces in our society that shape our behavior and choices. I applaud its message, and the author for the courage of her conviction as well as the book's diverse array of complementary narratives- in literature, art, social movements, and culture that question our reliance on hormonal birth control. My only complaint is that it can be as counter-exclusionary as its target- those Pill supporters and promoters who have sought to quell critique. This is not a medical text, but is a brave personal and political polemic that strongly adds to discourse and debate about a key topic in women's health and well-being and is eminently readable.

This is good, solid stuff. Contrary to my review title, I do already discuss the principles with both my pre-pubescent children, though obviously I tailor it to their developmental levels. The author is passionate, and backs up everything she says with anecdotes and references. My only quibble is that she misrepresents Creighton Model NFP.I took the full two year course:1) from a nonCatholic teacher (exCatholic, actually),2) while I was a single (divorced) woman.3) Creighton is a mucus-only method and discourages temperature-taking as possibly indicating non-fertility a day too early, and they don't like cervical checks, either, though I never really figured out why, except maybe that some women find that distasteful, so it's a marketing bonus to advertise that you don't have to do it. I used more indicators than the program teaches, because I think more info is better, so every once in a while the instructor was required to remind me that I was going outside the bounds of the program, but it was no biggie.4) There were no religious references in the teaching materials, except to "spirituality" as part of the overall relationship of the couple. They do make a point of talking about nurturing those other areas of relationship while you're avoiding sexual contact. I'm sure how much that gets emphasized would depend on the instructor and the woman/couple.5) Also, the reason Creighton discourages using a barrier method during the fertile phase is because you're then technically using NFP to achieve pregnancy rather than avoid--having sex when you know it's most likely you'll conceive. Barrier methods aren't super reliable, so trusting them during the most fertile phase seems a little silly if you really want to avoid pregnancy. Your mileage may vary. They do *not* teach the specifically Catholic position that contraceptives are sinful.In my birth/breastfeeding group, I refer to Creighton as OCD NFP, because they are so thorough in the teaching, with frequent check-ins and repeated "quizzes" to make sure you really know what you're doing. You review and correct your charts in every meeting, and if there are any surprises, the instructors consult expert teachers and trained physicians. I would never hesitate to recommend it to any woman of *any* political/religious persuasion, because it is so incredible thorough. If you get an instructor who feels uncomfortable to you, pick a new one. Good teachers in any discipline know how to respond to students' particular needs.

After 8 years of mindlessly popping hormonal birth control pills, I had recently become a more health conscious person. I had switched to organic tampons and eventually a menstrual cup... and then one day I started to question what was in those "harmless" little guys I took every day. After googling the ingredients in my brand of pill, I discovered everything I was trying to avoid was blindly being put into my body anyways...ugh.. so I delved even deeper into internet land, uncovering articles, blogs, and threads of what happens to women while on BCP's, first-hand stories of women who were describing things that I too was experiencing the past few years. I had no idea it could've been because of that pill! I had to stop, but how? I'd get pregnant! Oh thank you mysterious internet ladies, I could try to learn about Fertility Awareness. So I googled that too. And hours later I think to myself: WHY THE HECK AM I 26 AND JUST LEARNING ABOUT MY CYCLE!!?! Girls need to know more about this. I needed to know more.... so I went on Amazon and found Sweetening The Pill, read some reviews, ordered it, and it became the first book I've been able to finish in a looong time. Holly's story just verified my decision so much more. It is truly scary how many women are living in a blah of a life not knowing why they feel so crappy, let alone the risks they are taking! Thank you for the facts, Sweetening The Pill, I am so very excited for the documentary. Anyway, it's been 6 months since I took my last Birth Control Pill, and quite a roller coaster of changes, but I am truly happy about my decision and this book has played a huge role in that. Awesome :)

This book absolutely needed to be written. Where it is good, it is brilliant. The science of what hormonal birth control does to women gave me the final push to go off it myself.And it's hard to overstate the joy of seeing someone go after Planned Parenthood from a left wing, secular viewpoint. It really is beautiful.But it's rambly outside of that. Short as it is, it could've done with cutting by between a third and a half. At the very least, she could've disentangled all her issues and has them as separate essays.The last section is a bit embarrassing. She goes full earth mother, with wild speculation as to ancient history. The book is far better when it lasers in on the science.3 stars might be unfair, considering what I got from the good bits, but the editor in me wanted to chop out vast hunks of it, and carefully separate out the rest.

Absolutely a must read book. It gave me a huge amount of mixed emotions. Really provokes thoughts. 5 days i took to read. Day 3 i binned my pills after 16 years.

Informative and easy to read. I have advised that everyone I know give this a go, just so their eyes can be opened. Unfortunately though it doesn't seem to have been proof read properly and could have done with a better editor in order to omit all the mistakes - I hope this doesn't result in it not being taken seriously!

Although I now realise there is quite a lot of literature on the subject this is the first book I read about hormonal birth control and the many (non contraceptive) ways the pill is prescribed.Underpinned by the author's own experience of the pill and her, at times funny at times scary, account of the experiences of others the book gives a facinating insight into things not often talked about, even among close friends. It sparked a few lively pub conversations between me and my friends and I realised how little I know about my friends experiences of birth control and the strong personal opinions they have on the subject.Grigg-Spall has managed to critique and question the establishment, and the ways in which hormonal birth controls are marketed and prescribed, without questioning or criticising the women who choose to take them. The book eschews judgement of individual women's choices but seeks to tell a story about people and encourages us to question the world we live in. If knowledge is power Grigg-Spall shows us how to take the power, over our bodies at least, back.

This book is extremely informative and helped me make my decision to come off the pill immensely. But, my God, the grammar and punctuation is SHOCKING at some points... was this book not proof-read??!! I'd still recommend it; just be prepared to wince at the grammar every few pages.