Additional References

_ Dr Christiane Northrup, “ Women’s

Bodies, Women’s Wisdom”, Revised 1998,
Bantam, NY, NY, mainly pp 392-407. (Some
information on Natural Family Planning,
NFP)
_ Katherine Davis, Self, Dec 2000, p.82
(more info on NFP)
_ Jackie Cissell
_ JoelBrind
 Additional References
_ Seaman, Barbara, “The Doctor’s
Case Against the Pill”, Doubleday-
Dolphin, Garden City, New York,
1980.
_ This book is on 2 hour reserve for
Chem. 100 in Milne.
 STEROID STRUCTURAL
CHARACTERISTICS:

 Structure is based on the ring structure

below:
SMALL STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES HAVE
PROFOUND CONSEQUENCES

Estradiol Testosterone
 ANDROGENS-1

•Produce secondary sex characteristics of

males.
•Used For:
•Muscle Building
•Testosterone Replacement

•Following information from Bruce Bower, Sci.

News, 13 Jul ‘89, pp30,31.
 SIDE EFFECTS/ MEN / ANDROGENS
#2:

 Blood Clotting
 Testicular Atrophy
 Difficulty in urinating
 Male Pattern Balding
 Decreased Sperm Production
 Impotence
 Hypertension
 SIDE EFFECTS / MEN / ANDROGENS#3:

 Insulin Resistance
 Inability to Ejaculate
 High Cholesterol
 Fluid Retention
 Heart Attack
 Risk of Kidney Disease Increased
 Mental Disorders (Roid Rage)
 ANDROGEN SIDE EFFECTS / WOMEN

 Enlargement of Clitoris(1)
 Loss of Body Curves
 Deepening of Voice
 Menstrual Problems
 Irreversible Pattern Baldness
(1)See Dayton, L., Women’s Sports and Fitness,
Mar. ‘90, pp 52-55.
 ESTROGENS, PROGESTINS- BIRTH
CONTROL PILLS

 Can control male as well as female

fertility- dropped as male pill
 Use as male pill dropped when one man
was found to have testicular atrophy*
 Three women died- the formula was
changed and the tests proceeded!!*
 In women, the pill simulates pregnancy
 *From Dr Ellen Grant “The Bitter Pill”
 Pill
_ “ According to the Western model,
pregnancy is a disease, menopause is a
disease, and even not getting pregnant is
a disease. Dangerous drugs and devices
are given to women, but not to men-just
for birth control. I’ve reached the
conclusion that to many doctors being a
woman is a disease.” (Italics are the
author’s)
_ P. xi, Seaman, B, (see references)
 PILL
.
_ The modern pill has a combination of
_ synthetic
. estrogen and progestin.
_ In combination these drugs influence
the pituitary gland in such a way as
to prevent ovulation and therefore
fertility.
_ There are slight variations in
administration and effect, but the
drugs all chemically induce sterility.
 PROBLEMS WITH THE PILL
 “Minor” include: weight gain, nausea,
allergic rash, dizziness, headache, facial
skin pigment change, problems w/contact
lenses, aggravation of varicose veins,
mental depression, irregular menstrual
flow*.
 “Major” include: blood clots,
thromboembolism, zinc deficiency,
possible cancer (esp. teens),
hypertension, increase of blood
cholesterol, poor glucose tolerance, vit.
B6 deficiency, bleeding liver tumors
 ESTROGEN THE VILLAIN?
 Estrogen clearly causes cancer of the
reproductive tract in animals; difficult to
prove in humans.
 Perhaps also skin and breast cancer
 Blood clotting/ approx. 1 in 2000 women
hospitalized each year; pill users twice as
likely to have a stroke as non-users.
 Not recommended for use with these
conditions: suspected pregnancy, history
of heart problems, irregular periods,
diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol,
smoking.
 ESTROGEN/
WARNING:KNOWN
CARCINOGEN
_ From Science News, 25 Jan. ‘03 vol.
163 p. 62:
_ Sex hormones known as steroidal
estrogens recognized as
carcinogens by Nat’l Inst. Health.
These include those used in birth
control pills and hormone
replacement therapy.
 ESTROGEN/
WARNING:KNOWN
CARCINOGEN
_ Listed earlier as probable
carcinogens now ALL hormones of
this class (steroidal estrogens) as of
11 Dec. ‘02 are now listed as
carcinogens.*
_ *cancer causing chemical
 Estrogen is a Carcinogen!
_ Estrogens that are used in hormone
replacement therapy and birth
control pills are carcinogens.
_ The National Institutes of Health
deemed on 11 Dec 2002 that ALL
hormones in this class are moved
from probable carcinogens be
classified as carcinogens.* * Sci. News,
163, p.62, Jan 25 2003
 ESTROGEN/
WARNING:KNOWN
CARCINOGEN
_ Unless you take these pills for a
legitimate illness or condition STOP
NOW! Being fertile is healthy- used
exclusively as a birth control method
is placing yourself at risk for cancer!
_ Doctors or others who prescribe
these estrogens simply as birth
control might be sued for
 Progestogens and Cancer
_ Dr Ellen Grant in a recent letter to GP
(21 Jan ‘02, p. 23) references an
article by Mike Dixon in the British
Med., J. that gives convincing
evidence of a cancer progesterone
link.
_ Grant cites studies that show huge
increases in breast cancer.
 Progestogens and Cancer
_ Grant’s letter cites clear evidence
that both estrogen and progestogens
cause breast cancer with figures
such as 24% increases in women 50-
54 and 42% in women under 30.
_ She states that numerous studies
have found that increases in breast,
cervical, lung and liver cancers are
associated with hormones.
 Norplant & Depoprovera
_ Both of these are progestogins
(progesterones). Both require some
form of hypodermic application. They
are long lasting (months). These can
cause severe mood changes in many
women as well as acting as birth
control. Because of mood alteration one doctor quoted
in Grant’s “Sexual Chemistry” has stated that many women
are so ornery when on these drugs that no one would get
close enough to have children.
New Addition / Progestogen
Based Birth Control
_ Levonorgestrol as a vaginal
suppository has recently entered the
market in the U.S.
_ The trade name for this drug is
_ The drug is heavily advertised as the
answer to a mother’s dream- in her
busy day she may forget the pill.
With this magic pill she can hop into
bed anytime.
 The Auschwitz Connection
 Thisfollowing information comes
from Dr. Ellen Grant’s book entitled
“Sexual Chemistry”
 Female prisoners who survived
Auschwitz have an above average
number of low intelligence offspring.
 Auschwitz Con’t
 Women seem to remember treated “soup”
They lost their period within 10 days.
 At Nuremberg trials after the second world
war- Nazis involved with Auschwitz
testified to growing S.American plants in
greenhouses. These plants produce
estrogen like substances. These
chemicals form the basis of the original
“pill”.
 Auschwitz con’t
 Conclusion was: the women and men were fed
estrogens as an experiment in birth control.
 In the 1940s Margaret Sanger convinced
Katherine McCormick to fund the research for the
“pill”. Sanger reasoned that the pill was needed
for the ignorant masses in jungles, slums, etc.
(This statement is in the Nov/Dec/’95 issue of
“The Sciences”- see slide #1). Sanger was a
leading proponent of the eugenics movement.
Her motto was “more children from the fit, less
from the unfit-that is the chief aim of birth
control”
 Pill
 The original reason for development
of the pill was not primarily to free
women, it was to rid the world of
“undesirables” -the dream of the
moneyed elite and (based on the
Auschwitz evidence) the Nazis.
 The New Scientist points out that the
World Bank calls population control
“the most cost effective form of
development aid” D. Mackenzie,New Scientist,
138, 3 Apr ‘90, p.4
 Pill
 It is well known that use of
hormones can be detrimental to
children if used too close to
pregnancy. Women get pregnant-
therefore to protect the next
generation, women should not take
chances with the pill.
 This is the impetus behind the desire
for a male pill.

Pill
It is for these reasons that I agree with some “radical”
feminists who declare the pill to be antiwoman.(For
Example- see Denfield, R. p.249 in Gross, P. et.al. “The
Flight from Science & Reason”, NY Acad. of Sci., 1996 &
Robyn Roland in “Man-Made Women”, isbn# 0-253-20450-x,
p.86)
 What is the alternative? Perhaps a partial answer
is in the British Medical Journal(18 Sep ‘93,
p.307).
 Newer self administered tests that determine a
woman’s readiness to become pregnant do work
as well as the pill in preventing untimely
pregnancy.
 The benefits are a. no unnatural chemicals and b.
an almost non-existent divorce rate among
couples using this method. See “Healh”, jan/feb, ‘01, p54 for the effects
 “Natural” (Chemical-Free)
Family Planning
_ Natural family planning also is
hormone based.
_ Because so many couples are unable
to have children, methods have been
developed to pinpoint ovulation by
observing the mix of hormones
naturally produced by a woman over
her period.
 Natural” (Chemical-Free)
Family Planning
_ Very precise timing of ovulation is
possible.
_ Carl Djerassi, an early investigator in pill
research has been quoted as being in
favor of fertility monitoring for teens and
young women- both for birth control(NFP)
and for fertility. He says there are red light
and green light hormones. (see Discover,
Mar., ‘91, p. 23.)
 Natural” (Chemical-Free)
Family Planning
_ Couples have been able in some
cases to overcome their lack of
fertility in this way.
_ The time of ovulation can be
precisely timed and this knowledge
is helpful.
_ Additionally, precise knowledge of a
woman’s cycle helps doctors to
diagnose problems.
 CHEMICAL FREE FAMILY
PLANNING
_ There are three methods-
– Monitor hormones
– Monitor temperature
– Monitor mucus
_ One or all of these methods work
either for determining the optimum
time to become pregnant or not
pregnant. The partners can then
make decisions on this basis.
 PILL
_ There are no side effects, no hormone
induced or fed cancer, no cardiovascular
damage, no Zn depletion or other
hormone induced syndromes.
_ Recently a test kit has become available in
Great Britain and should be approved in
the U.S.
 SOME NEWER ITEMS /PILL
_ “Science News” (vol 155-23/01/99-p.56)
reports that only some chlorinated
hydrocarbons, not DDT, chlordane, or
kepone are associated with elevated
breast cancer risk. High blood levels of
dieldrin, the most estrogen-like
insecticide, is associated with double the
cancer risk of dieldrin free women. (One
wonders about the wisdom of using
estrogens themselves when chemicals
that mimic estrogens are so risky.)
 Environmental Estrogens
_ An article in Chemical & Engineering
News (Bette Hileman, 31 Jan. ‘94,
p.19) indicates that environmental
estrogens and estrogen mimics may
be causing increases in breast
cancer, birth defects in male
reproductive organs, testicular
cancer, endometriosis and other
disorders.
 Estrogens/Popular Press
_ In the Parade section of the 31 Jan 99
edition of the Hartford Courant (CT)
Dianne Hales states that the longer in
life a woman is exposed to estrogen,
the greater the risk of breast cancer
(p5). She refers to self-produced
estrogen- but why not those
estrogens in the pill? Are these
estrogens safer than natural ones?
 SOME NEWER ITEMS/PILL
_ The British Medical Journal (Dec 1998)
recently reported that long term studies
indicate a lessening of risk to 0 for
profound side effects from the pill ten
years after discontinuance of use.
However, note that the effects are there
during use and for ten years after.
Additionally, only survivors were counted.
Those who died before the study were not
counted. CBS news used the headline
“Pill causes no Problems”- clearly
misleading.
 New Items/Hormones
_ Tamoxifen is a drug antagonist for
estrogen. It is used to reverse the
tumor promoting effects of estrogen
in treatment of breast cancer.* There
have been conflicting published
reports of use as a tumor
preventative. Note the clear and
consistent connection between
breast cancer and estrogen.
_ *J Brainard, “Science News”, p.37, 18 Jul. ‘98
 FORMULA ADJUSTMENTS TO REDUCE
PROFOUND SIDE EFFECTS
 The major adjustment has been to
reduce or eliminate estrogen.
 The “minipill” introduced with
progestin only.
 Newer estrogens and progestins
tested for use in pills.
 Dr Grant was in on the testing of
reduced estrogen pills and was
unimpressed.
 Hormone Replacement
Therapy (HRT)
_ A recent article in U.S.News and
World Report shows that steroid
replacement does not do what was
advertised.
_ HRT does not reduce heart attack
(increases occur instead), cardio-
vascular problems, and
osteoporosis.*
_ *Spake, Amanda, US News & Wrld rpt, 21 Jan ‘02, p. 54
 ESTROGEN? A PROBLEM?
_ Health magazine states that a federal
advisory panel recommended that the
National institutes of Health recognize
estrogen as a cancer causing substance.
This was followed by soothing words
about risk/benefit. (P.182, Mar’01) On the
same page, a new delivery of estrogen
containing birth control chemicals (by
injection) was being touted. This magazine
is supposedly trying to help women.
 Lunelle/ Monthly
“protection”
_ Lunelle is an injectable form of
hormones: medroxyprogesterone
acetate (a progesterone) and
estradiol cyprionate (an estrogen)
_ The following is a statement in an
advertisement for the drug.
_ “Serious risks that can be life
threatening include blood clots,
stroke, and heart attack”
 Lunelle, Continued
_ As is true with all hormonal birth
control methods, the ad. states that
there is no protection from AIDS or
other sexually transmitted diseases.
_ The hormones used are synthetic
chemicals; not produced by a
woman’s body.
 Pill
_ All the chemicals used in all pills need to survive
the gastrointestinal system. None of the steroids
now used are produced naturally in the body.
These natural steroids need injection. Users of
the pill cannot avoid the fact that manufactured
chemicals produce a disorder in a healthy body.
This is identical to ingesting the pesticides, additives and
other chemicals that can cause problems.
_ Being able to become pregnant is healthy- becoming
chemically sterile is not. The body is being stressed by
synthetic hormone-like substances when the “pill” is used
in an otherwise healthy person. Dr Ellen Grant went from
staunch advocate to opponent of steroid contraceptives
based on her patients’ bad experiences.
 Hormones/Hormone -like
Chemicals in the Environment
_ Articles are appearing in the
scientific journals that show ill
effects on fish from estrogens and
estrogen mimicking chemicals.
Estradiol can affect fish at the 1 part
per trillion level. See for example G.Vines,
“Unmanned by a sea of Oestrogen (estrogen)”, New
Scientist, 138 1993 p.5 and L.C.Folmar et.al., Environmental
Health Perspectives, 104:10 Oct ‘96, p. 1096
 Environmental Estrogens
_ One of the new contraceptive rings
can contaminate 24 million liters of
water in concentrations of steroids
high enough to affect fish.
_ This puts this device in the same
category as the contraceptive patch.
*
_ *Sci News, 163, p62, Jan. 25, 2003
 PILL /Article in “Health”
_ The pill does cause breast cancer
according to researchers at the Mayo
Clinic. A study of women who used
the “pill” up to 1975 showed a three
times greater incidence of breast
cancer over non-users. The reduced
estrogen pill used post’75
theoretically was expected to be less
dangerous.* Care to participate as a voluntary lab
subject? Take the pill. You can trust them.*Zandonella, C.,
Health,jan/feb, 2000, p.144
 PILL/ Evidence for Danger
in Second&Third Generation
_ The evidence is reported in a
Medlineplus article derived from a
report by Martha Kerr for Reuters/ 8
Feb ‘02. The risk of stroke from third
generation pills is twice that for the
second generation pill. Both second
and third generation pills are worse
than the original formulations for the
pill.
 Recent News/Hormones
_ Designer estrogen mimics: New
developments based on tamoxifen
and raloxifene seem to suggest that
by careful chemical design it may be
possible to reduce or eliminate side
effects while retaining benefits of
hormone replacement therapy.
Christensen, D., “Science News”, 16
Oct ‘99, p252.
RECENT NEWS / Hormones
_ On 24 July ‘01 the Oneonta Daily Star
reported that the American Heart
Association no longer recommends
that estrogen be given to women to
help prevent heart and other cardio-
vascular problems. It does not work
although it was previously thought to
help keep the cardiovascular system
healthy.
 RECENT NEWS/
Hormones/Zn
_ Recent data indicate that Americans
do not get enough zinc*. Zn is
essential for proper immune system
function, wound healing, taste,
protein pro-duction, maintaining
insulin, disposal of CO2, sperm
production, fetal development, bone
density and hun-dreds of enzymes.
Estrogen use depletes Zn. Best
source is red meat.*
Feder, D., Better Homes & Gardens. P.122, Oct.
1997.
 RECENT NEWS/
Hormones/Zn
_ Adults need 12-15 mg (milligrams or
.001 gram) per day.
_ Sources in mg/ounce: fortified
cereal, 15^; oysters, steamed, 9;
beef, cooked, 2; pork, cooked, .9;
nuts&peanuts^, .9; oatmeal, (not
fortified), cooked, .9; chicken, dark
meat, .75; chicken, white meat, .35.
Fish, eggs, milk, .25. ^Veg-etable Zn
is less easily absorbed.
 RU486/Prostaglandins-
Abortifacients
_ RU 486 acts by interfering with
progesterone. It is a synthetic steroid
hormone. Once again all the long
term problems associated with
steroid use are potentially present. It
acts by making the lining of the
uterus inhospitable to the new
human being. Deprivation of
nutrients starves the baby and it
dies.
 Use of Misoprostol
(Cytotek), a Synthetic
_
Prostaglandin
Once the RU486 does its job and the baby is dead, the
remains must be flushed from the uterus. Typical usage of
RU486 requires the woman (day 1) with a verified 3-9 week
pregnancy to ingest RU486. After 48 hours, she returns to
the doctor (~3% of women will have miscarried the baby at
this time). Women who have not yet miscarried then receive
misoprostol to induce labor. She must remain in the
doctor’s care for at least 4 hours to be monitored for side
effects. Another 54% of miscarriages will occur at the
doctors office during this 4 hours. If no miscarriage occurs,
the woman is released . A miscarriage may occur anywhere
now. In 43% of the cases the woman leaves the office to go
into labor on her own. Bleeding can occur and last up to 14
days. (continued on the next slide)
 Cont’d from Previous slide-
Ru486/Cytotek abortions
_ The patient returns to the doctor after 14 days for a
checkup. She will then undergo a dilation & curettage (D&C)
to remove any remains that may cause an infection. Some
women (5-10%) will not have the abortion and will require a
surgical abortion. (NOTE: the percentages used will not
necessarily add up to 100 due to an uncertainty of up to 5%
in many percentages given.)
_ G.D. Searle has issued a warning to doctors about Cytotek.
On 23 Aug. 2000, Michael Cullen, MD wrote to the nation’s
obstetricians about serious side effects when used off-
label. The company has incomplete risk research for use
with RU486 or similar chemicals. The chemical is not
approved by GD Searle for induction of labor or abortion. It
is approved for use in preventing the bleeding that occurs
from NSAIDS such as aspirin and ibuprofen. cont’d on next slide
 Ru486, Continued
_ There are some uses for RU486 that are not connected with
abortion. Among these are possible use for breast cancer.
As with all scientific discoveries there are wise and unwise
uses. As for Citotek, prevention of bleeding from aspirin
and other NSAIDS is a boon for arthritis patients and others
who depend on NSAIDS for pain and inflammation relief. A
contact with representative Sherwood Boehlert, Represen-
tative to the House led to some information justifying the
FDA’s approval of Citotek. The information in the Searle
letter is disputed by the American College of Gynecologists
and Obstetricians who see Cytotek as a useful drug in their
practice.
_ See an edited version of the RU-486 news in Health
Magazine, jan/feb 2001, p. 147
 RU486 Continued
_ They see the risks listed in the Searle letter as overblown
and they assert that at the concentrations they use the risks
are minimal. (Perhaps because it is not administered to
them.) Please note that it is very unusual for a drug
company to not maximize use of their product as Searle has
done .
_ The letter from Rep Boehlert and the information sent me
on cytotek is available from the instructor
 Natural Family Planning
(NFP)- Further Information
_ Call ELIZABETH COLLINS AT 607 432
9264 OR
_ MARY KAY KENNEDY AT 607 746
3049
_ HOME STUDY: 1 800 745 8252
_ Email: ccli@ccli.org
 ABORTION & ESTROGEN
_ Dr. Joel Brindof Baruch College
SUNY has published some research
that indicates an increased risk of
cancer after an induced abortion.
Once again abnormal estrogen
production or response may be at
the bottom of this observation.
 Additional News/Steroid
Related
_ Full term pregnancies spur tumor
suppressor chemical (Sci. News, vol
160, 20 Oct ‘01, p.247). Breast cancer
reduced when naturally occurring
steroids produced during pregnancy
induce a cancer protecting protein
named p53.
 CHEM100/newer material
_ Evidence for the embryo as an inde-
pendent individual comes from the
discovery that the mother’s body
rejects it as a foreign invader.
_ The reason the new embryo is not
ex-pelled is that a hormone called
cotropin releasing hormone is
excreted by the embryo. (con’t on
next slide)
 CHEM 100/ Newer items
_ Pregnancy spurs a tumor
suppressor.
_ Women who undergo a full term
preg-nancy at an early age are less
likely to develop breast cancer than
those who do not become pregnant.
_ Reason: During pregnancy a protein
called P53 is secreted that protects
against carcinogens and radiation.
Con’t on next slide.
 CHEM 100/ New material
_ This hormone stimulates a protein
that suppresses the mother’s
immune system to protect the
embryo.
_ Information from B.Narder, “Sci.
News” , vol 160 (20 Oct ‘01) p. 247
 CHEM100/An Alternative
New Material/latex condom?
_ What about condoms as an
alternative to steroid based birth
controls.
_ It is well known that the pill and other
hormone based birth control does
not prevent sexually transmitted
disease STD.
_ Condoms are touted as a method to
prevent transmission of STDs. (Next
Slide)
 CHEM 100/An Alternative?
New Material/latex condoms
_ The U.S.Government Agency
National Institutes of Health(NIH) has
recently released a report that shows
the effectiveness of condoms is
weak or inconclusive.
_ There is evidence that condoms can
reduce incidence of AIDS and
gonorrhea, but not herpes, syphilis,
and human papillomavirus(next
CHEM 100/ An Alternative?
New Material/Latex Condom
_ The centers for disease control
(CDC) and Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has pamphlets
saying that con-doms are effective in
all STDs.
_ There is little or no evidence for this
claim according to this recent report
from the( NIH). (Next Slide)
 CHEM 100/ New
Material/Latex Condoms
_ Although some in congress are
saying that this is just another
government cover-up, we (Chem 100)
can see it as related to the tentative
nature of science. (next slide)
_ REF: Kinkaid, C. “Unsafe Sex”
American Legion Magazine, Dec.
2001, p. 46.
 CHEM 100/Latex
_ The formation of latex polymer
results when the monomeric units
form a polymer.
_ These units will not polymerize while
in a basic medium.
_ As demonstrated in class, adding
some acid allows the latex
monomers to polymerize to a rubber
ball.