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Health
Trouble with Purity Pill
by Aparna Pallavi
November 6, 2005
Shubhangi
Bodhankar teaches mathematics in a college. Every day, starting from
July until late October or early November every year, she pops a pill
called 'pali lambaonyachi goli' (menstruation delaying pill).
This is Bodhankar's way of ensuring that she is not in an 'impure' state
during any of the numerous festivals and fasts that fall during these
months. It is a different story altogether that once she stops taking
the pill, she is laid up for as many as 10-12 days with heavy bleeding
and weakness. "There is no choice," she says, "Who will do all the
work?"
Bodhankar does not remember the brand name of the pill she takes and
relies on her chemist to give her the 'right thing'. This practice of
indiscriminate consumption of hormonal pills to manipulate menstruation
is very common, especially during the four-month festival season
beginning from the monsoon month of July. It is not uncommon for women,
especially those belonging to the more orthodox communities, to consume
these pills over a long period of time, sometimes two months or more at
a stretch.
Even educated women do not feel the need to consult a doctor on this.
"The practice is quite widespread and its extent can hardly be
estimated," says Dr Jayashree Shembalkar, a hormonologist (a doctor
treating hormonal disorders). "Actually less than 20 per cent of the
women who consume hormonal pills with the express purpose of
manipulating their periods, do so with the doctor's advice. Even those
who do get a prescription once continue to use the same drug for years."
As hormonal pills are easily available over the counter, indiscriminate
consumption becomes easier.
However, this indiscriminate use can lead to serious health problems.
"By taking these pills, you are artificially raising the level of
hormones in the body, so that menstruation - which occurs when the
hormone level drops to a threshold and the inner lining of the uterus is
shed - is prevented. Basically, you are tampering with the body's
natural rhythm," says Shembalkar. Apart from heavy, debilitating
withdrawal bleeding (bleeding that occurs when oral contraceptives or
hormonal pills are stopped, because the body experiences 'withdrawal'
from the lack of hormones), these pills can cause other complications
like high blood pressure and obesity.
The pills available in the market consist of either progestron (pills
like Orgagest, Deviary, Meprate, Rejestron or Primolut-N) or a
combination of estrogen and progestron (Novelon, Ovural, Triquilar),
which also work as contraceptives. Taken indiscriminately, progestron
can raise blood pressure and can also cause obesity and water retention.
Overdose of estrogen can cause blood clots, raising the risk of a heart
condition. And more dangerously, both the hormones can cause
irregularity in the menstrual cycle and swelling in the liver.
"But there is little awareness regarding this. There is this belief that
these pills are just contraceptives, and hence harmless. Also, after
years of abuse, when the complications do occur, the pill connection is
not obvious," Shembalkar says.
Another disturbing aspect of the practice is that the social and
psychological pressures behind this harmful and regressive practice are
hardly understood. As an issue pertaining to women's health, it has
hardly been raised, let alone studied.
"The 'impurity' argument is still as effective as ever," says Shubhada
Deshmukh, a gender and political rights activist. "Even in progressive
families where the stringent 'vitaal' (impurity pertaining to a
menstruating woman) rules have been relaxed in other contexts, they
continue to be as strict as ever when it comes to religious rituals."
"It is not even perceived as a problem," says Dr Rupa Kulkarni, a
well-known social activist. "Women themselves - even educated ones -
sincerely believe in the impurity theory that has been fed to them since
childhood. They believe that they are doing the right thing by consuming
pills so that their 'inauspicious' menstruation don't interfere with the
auspicious proceedings."
The practice is sustained and passed on by women themselves, without any
obvious outside pressure. And rebels are few. "The pressure becomes very
much obvious the moment you refuse to comply," says Archana Mane, who
comes from a liberal family and does not believe in 'playing tricks'
with her system. Married into an orthodox Maharashtrian family, Mane
remembers spending three hours sitting on a stool in the front yard of
her house with her one-year-old son. "The pothi (book) of Lord
Hanuman was being read in our house that day, and my mother-in-law told
me that even a menstruating woman's voice is considered inauspicious on
such an occasion. She first suggested that I take the pill, and when I
refused, on the day of the ceremony, she told me to remain outside."
The rationale women have for this practice are varied and often
surprising. Amruta Sathe, a chartered accountant, believes that the
nuclear family is the reason why women are 'compelled' to pop the pill.
"If you are in an 'impure' state, there is no one else to do the work,"
she says.
"A negative attitude towards one's body and its functions is generated
by the rejection and the virtual untouchability that a girl is subjected
to since her very first menstruation," says Shembalkar. "The result of
this negativity is that women do not have any respect for their natural
body rhythm and do not hesitate to manipulate it for, what is perceived,
as more important ends."
Awareness, agree experts, is the only way to counteract this dangerous
and degenerating practice. "The protest has to come from women
themselves. They have to learn to treat the body and its processes with
respect, and reject systems of belief that belittle them and encourage
manipulation."
By arrangement with
Women's Feature Service
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