A study has shown that six percent of Saudi women take contraceptive pills without consulting a doctor, relying instead on the advice of friends or pharmacists. Dr. Hisham Arab, Secretary General of the Saudi Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology and who carried out the study, said that only 30 percent of Saudi women using the pill do so under the supervision of a doctor. “Acquiring the pill straight from the pharmacy without consulting a doctor is dangerous and can cause health problems, especially if the lady suffers from afflictions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or heart or kidney problems,” Arab said. Dr. Muhammad Yahya Qattan, Gynecology and Obstetrics Consultant at Jeddah's Al-Thaghar Hospital, agrees. “Taking the pill without a prescription from a doctor can lead to health complications. If used properly, however, contraceptive pills can help ease menstruation pains and bleeding and reduce the chances of pelvic inflammation, and cancer of the ovary and uterus.”
