Your Question:
Dear Experts,
Ok, me and my boyfriend are thinking of having sex, so the next time I visit my mom, she said we would go to the clinic to get me on the pill. But I heard its bad if you smoke cigarettes while on the pill, is that true? What if you only smoke once in a while, is it still safe?
iheartyou2, 08.12.04
The Answer:
Dear iheartyou2, The best thing to do is stop smoking. Many women who smoke are advised against taking the pill, ring, or patch. Pill users who smoke — especially those who are 35 and over — take very serious health risks. The more she smokes, the greater the danger. It's important to let your clinician know that you are a smoker if you are considering going on the pill. There are many reasons to quit smoking besides wanting to get on the pill. Here are a few: - Women who smoke die nearly seven years earlier than nonsmokers.
- Smokers are four times as likely as nonsmokers to develop lung cancer — the number-one cause of cancer death for U.S. women.
- Smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to develop cervical cancer.
- Smokers have twice as much heart disease — those who smoke two packs or more a day have three times as much.
- Smoking is also associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, pancreas, and bladder.
- Smoking seems to stimulate the recurrence of genital warts.
- Smoking is associated with early menopause.
Are you ready to quit yet? Here are some helpful Web sites to get you started:
Hope this information helps! Take care, teenwire.com ® Editors
This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.
|
Printable Version
Email this page