My experience with contraception back in the late 1960's

[HockeyMom]

I made the decision to go on the Pill months before I ever decided to have sex. Not married, but living in NYC that would not be a problem? Not so, I was told by my female co-workers. It may be legal, but most MALE GYN's won't give contraceptives to unmarried women. Great. I was working at the time at the corporate headquarters of a pharmaceutical firm that actually manufactured the Pill, and covered it under their health plan for FREE. Ironic, huh? Employer would pay for it, but try to find a doctor to write a script for it. That p'od me to no end.

I kept asking and asking among all my female friends and acquaintances. A few recommended a female GYN who asked no moral questions, only medical ones.

So I went to see Dr. Anna H. Sitting in her waiting room, I looked at all her medical degrees on the walls, and then saw a picture of her graduating class. She was the ONLY female in her class of about 50 men, from a long time ago it appeared.

She came to the waiting room to greet me herself. Tiny woman in her 60s with a very thick German accent. Could not be sure, but she also had a Jewish sounding last name. Did she come to America during WW2? Did she escape? Did she come to America to become a doctor? While I did not ask any of these questions, I did comment to her on her graduation picture and being the only woman there. She was very willing, and did, talk about that and how difficult it was back then for women to get an advanced education, let alone go to medical school. A woman could not just be equal to the men in class, she had to be BETTER than the men to make it back in those days. I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts that Dr. Anna was a Feminist!!! "Morality and Religion" was not going to stop her, or any other woman who came to her for their health care.

Dr. Anna took my medical history, gave me a physical, and handed me a script for contraception. No "moral" questions asked. As a young woman myself back then, kuddos on all levels to Dr. Anna.

Pass it on, older women, pass it on to the next generation.

[littlemissmartypants]

1. Thank you. nt

[Spacemom]

2. I thought these battles were fought and won

By my mothers generation.

Now at 42 it's so disheartening to be fighting them all over again.

Thank you to Dr. Anna H for leading the way.

[theHandpuppet]

3. Thanks for sharing this, HockeyMom

"Pass it on, older women, pass it on to the next generation."

[Gormy Cuss]

4. In the '80s a friend told me that her doctor wouldn't sterilize her without her husband's consent.

I've had other friends who were denied tubal ligations even though their medical histories made it clear that pregnancy was dangerous because the doctor thought they were too young, or that they'd change their minds after finding the right man.

That's how it is when the law lets others decide.

[HockeyMom]

5. It applies to Men too

If they somehow think they are in charge and above it all, I had to give MY permission for my husband's vasectomy, listen to a lecture, and wait 24 hours. This was in 1984 after the birth of our 2nd child and we were both in our mid 30s. As his wife, I told that doctor that I found all this insulting. Not only HIS body, too, but what are we CHILDREN?????

Maybe we need to tell MEN too what it really was like in the "good old days".

[Gormy Cuss]

6. In the really good old days, doctors just refused to perform vasectomies.

My father and uncle had to drive an hour away to find a doc who would do it in the '60s. Between the two of them they had fathered over a dozen children. They knew what they wanted.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. In 1969, the Ex got a vasectomy without me even knowing beforehand.

I had wanted a tubal.
But at that time, it required:
my husband's WRITTEN permission
2 MDs to agree
a psychiatric examination
and the number of my children times my age had to add up to some number above a 100.

Seriously.

My then husband was against it, he said if I was "fixed" it would make me "run around" on him.
But we did both agree 2 was enough kids.
so he went off one day and got his vasectomy.
Just like that. Did not even mention it till the next day.

I divorced that Neanderthal in 1970, took my 2 kids, went on welfare, and they happily paid for a tubal, no questions asked.
2 years later, I went off welfare, paid my way thru college, and started a career in Social Work.

The "kids" are grown now, and report that their dad is still a Neanderthal.

[theHandpuppet]

8. WOW.

I had wanted a tubal.
But at that time, it required:
my husband's WRITTEN permission
2 MDs to agree
a psychiatric examination
and the number of my children times my age had to add up to some number above a 100.

Seriously.

As the saying goes, you've come a long way, baby!

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. from 1968 to 1970 was like day and night....

It's been a long strange wonderful surprising journey, for sure.

[Girl powers]

10. Male Doctors

I had my fourth child, a girl, in 1970. I spent most of my pregnancy in surgical stockings because of my leg veins. After delivery my male Ob-Gyn told my husband It would be dangerous for me to have any more children. The Doctor NEVER mentioned this important information to me.