I agree. From countless females, from birth control ALONE, they had difficulty conceiving. Now remove that aspect ... after YEARS of taking this and I have little doubt infertility will be the minor of consequences. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more problems with thyroids ... that too is hormone regulated - hypothalamus - and the list of very real consequences continues. You'd have to be a real fool to use this as a convenience of sorts.
Don't try to tell anything to the current crop of young women. They will be quick to call you a dinosaur and to tell you that birth control is "just hormones and completely 'natural'" ... and they are so self-indulgent that nothing ... nothing ... 'inconvenient' [like a menstrual period] can be tolerated.
{sigh} I am reminded of my late mother-in-law often saying Why must [you / or fill in the blank] climb fool's hill so often ... ?
I was thinking the exact same thing. Usually women start having problems with thyroids in their 40's and 50's. This may start a whole new generation of thyroidal problems such as toxic goiter or Graves' disease for women in their 20's. Unfortunately, once that starts, these women will be taking medication for the rest of their lives to offset those problems. Becoming pregnant could become very difficult after that.
Did you read the article?
I've done the 4x a year thing for years and years, started back in basic training in 1992 and never looked back, with the full blessing of my ob/gyn. Went off it last summer so hubby and I could conceive and was pregnant within the month. (Imagine our surprise. And we now have a very healthy son.) Many of my friends and female relatives have done the same thing with the same results.
What I've found with friends/relatives who can't conceive are those who wait until after 35 years of age, have high-stress jobs, etc., and those that are impatient. It can take as long as 5 years, with or without a history of taking the pill, to conceive naturally. Yes, 5 years, with no reproductive problems from either the man or women. Yet the fertility business has led us to believe that one year is the mark for infertility. Of course, they get more business that way.
If you spend any amount of time reading about ovulation you'll know that ovulation - the actual act of a follicle bursting to release an egg, is slightly damaging to the ovaries, month after month, year after year. Not ovulating as much, and therefore not having a "regular" cycle is okay. Biologically, women are meant to be pregnant most of their fertile years, and therefore, don't ovulate very often. The pill mimicks the process of pregnancy without having 16 children in the process. As a result, you have less risk of some types of reproductive cancers. Further, with the 4x plan, you have less "ups and downs" in your hormones which means less PMS, less bloating, etc.
I think the fear of the pill, as well as fear of menstrual suppression started with high-dose pills years ago and began this whole nonsense about the pill being so damaging. That and anti-contraceptive groups, along with ignorance, misuse, and idiots who smoke and take the pill (esp. those 35 & over). Those who do can get bloodclots which are often fatal.
Bottom line? Please read more on the subject, and read lots of unbiased, scientific research. And as always, there are some women who just can't tolerate the pill - short-term or long-term. Just like there are other meds that some can't tolerate. Me? I can't take any cold meds or sinus/allergy meds. Over the counter or Rx. Yet millions do so and have no problems.