The Blessings of the Curse

'Dr. Rako discusses a growing body of information that deflates the notion that menstrual suppression is a viable option for women.<br>-<I>The New York Times</I></p><p>Encouraging healthy menstruating women and even teenage girls to do away with their normal menstrual cycles by dosing themselves more or less nonstop with hormones (a multi-billion-dollar-per-year industry) is in a word reckless. What every woman and her doctor MUST know about the actual benefits of the normal menstrual cycle-naturally lowered blood pressure reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes healthy bones rhythmic stimulation of sexual desire and creativity-and about the potential hazards of menstrual suppression (heart attacks strokes cervical cancer osteoporosis depressed libido) deserves a voice. I am determined that it will have one.<br>-Susan Rako M.D.</p>