Page 47 - Special Issue: Healthy Baby

rally-occurring estrogen cannot be detected by easily. Studies show
21
the body. Clomid tricks the body into producing Leah Morton, a family physician, said in
more and more follicle stimulating hormone, a conversation we had, “Some women want to that
causing more follicles (unripe eggs) to grow than be pregnant immediately once they start trying. treatments
normal. In turn, more estrogen is produced by the I see this desire as part of a wider idea in our like Clomid
follicles, and more eggs are matured. Typically, a culture that we can and should be able to control
woman taking this drug produces double or triple our lives. We should be able to control crime, and in vitro
the amount of estrogen (and releases more eggs pollution, educational discrepancies, gender in- fertilization
at ovulation) per cycle compared to pretreatment equalities, our finances, and our fertility. Indeed, (wherein
cycles. In Our Stolen Future, the pivotal work technology now may be used to help us control
about how pesticides threaten animal and human lovemaking, pregnancy prevention, conception, conception
ability to reproduce, Theo Colburn and her co-au- labor and delivery, even raising a child. But really, takes place
thors report that “numerous studies have linked technological controls have nothing to do with outside of
estrogens, even those occurring in the body, to fertility, with being in the unknown, the mystery
cancer, suggesting that the greater a woman’s of life. It’s up to us to respond to the joy, darkness, the woman’s
lifetime exposure, the greater the risk.” and awe that we experience.” body)
According to a package insert (available from Dr. Morton also says, “If a couple is having increase a
your pharmacist) about Clomid from Merrell difficulty conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy,
Pharmaceuticals Inc., one of the drug’s manufac- my first concern is whether or not they’re eating woman’s risk
turers, “The majority of patients who are going to food that’s not genetically modified, that is or- of ovarian
ovulate will do so after the first course of therapy. ganic, whole and low glycemic (this means with cancer
If ovulation does not occur after three courses of little or no refined sugars or starches). Improving
therapy, further treatment with clomiphene citrate one’s diet is one of the hardest things to do in our (especially
tablets USP is not recommended. . . . If menses culture. It also makes for healthier parenting!” if she never
does not occur after an ovulatory response, the conceives)
patient should be re-evaluated. Long-term cy- REAL WOMEN IN THE 21ST CENTURY
clic therapy is not recommended beyond a total Most women in our culture have taken hor- and her

of about six cycles.” Merrell Pharmaceuticals monal drugs at some point in their lives to prevent offspring’s
also recommends that the first dose of Clomid or achieve pregnancy; and, young women are risk of birth
be 50 mg. commonly prescribed the pill when they have
Unfortunately, I know many women who acne, painful menstrual cramps, PCOS, and/or defects.
have taken Clomid for as many as twelve cycles; mild depression. Learning the hazards of these
I know others who took the drug at double the drugs can be discomfitting, to say the least.
dosage recommended by Merrell Pharmaceuti- I know very few people who have not taken
cals in their first use of it. some kind of risk-increasing drug. A while ago
Essentially, Clomid hyperstimulates one I read that women who have taken antibiotics
aspect of the reproductive system—which then every day for a year or more significantly increase
requires the rest of the system (which was perhaps their risk of breast cancer. What kind of dumb
out of sync before the drug was administered) to woman would take antibiotics every day for a
grasp for health and wholeness in response to year? I wondered—and then realized: a woman
being overstimulated. like me. As a teenager, I took antibiotics every
Educate yourself as much as you can before day for probably two or three years to ward off
using reproductive technology. Studies show that acne. The drugs didn’t help, but all my girlfriends
treatments like Clomid and in vitro fertilization were treating their acne with antibiotics, and my
(wherein conception takes place outside of the parents and I didn’t know alternatives.
woman’s body) increase a woman’s risk of ovar- Indeed, when most of us experience some
ian cancer (especially if she never conceives) 16,17 kind of problem with our menstrual cycles, or
and her offspring’s risk of birth defects. 18-20 Also, we want to prevent pregnancy, or we want to
Clomid can dry up cervical fluid, which makes get pregnant, the most readily available option
it difficult for sperm to reach the mature egg is usually pharmaceutical.

Wise Traditions 45