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Holly3278
Guest
Hey everyone. Are Catholic gynecologists or nurse practitioners who work in the field of gynecology allowed to prescribe contraception? Is it immoral for them to do so?
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Lost_Sheep
Guest
Depends. If it is being prescribed for medicinal or therapeutic reasons, it is OK. If it is being prescribed expressly for contraceptive purposes, then no.
A
anruari
Guest
“Allowed” by whom?
The teaching of the church is that this would be sinful behaviour, and some forms of “Contraception” such as “Plan B” or “The morning after Pill” or inserting “The coil” are all forms of Abortion, and to procure a successful abortion or to cause or permit another person to do so incurs automatic and instant excommunication.
However some Gynecologists work in countries where they do not have the legal right to refuse to undertake this work. This places them into a significantly grey moral area. Such a person would need to discuss the issue with a confessor, and may need to see a Moral Theologian appointed by their diocese to guide them on the right course of action. - Not having freedom of choice often diminishes the guilt in areas of Grave Matter.
Remember: The Principal of Double Effect means that while oestrogen and progesterone tablets are most often prescribed as contraception, they have many other medical uses, such as treating Gynicological dissorders, and in some situations they can be used to increase fertility (very different prescribing techniques). They are used for HRT, and for suppressing symptoms of a range of other disorders.
For example: The use of Progesterone only therapy can be used to treat Endometriosis and slow the growth of Fibroids. This can be used to save a persons fertility until they are ready to have a family, as the only permanent “Cure” for those diseases is a full Hysterectomy. plus they are progressive dissorders, meaning they get worse not better with time.
The teaching of the church is that this would be sinful behaviour, and some forms of “Contraception” such as “Plan B” or “The morning after Pill” or inserting “The coil” are all forms of Abortion, and to procure a successful abortion or to cause or permit another person to do so incurs automatic and instant excommunication.
However some Gynecologists work in countries where they do not have the legal right to refuse to undertake this work. This places them into a significantly grey moral area. Such a person would need to discuss the issue with a confessor, and may need to see a Moral Theologian appointed by their diocese to guide them on the right course of action. - Not having freedom of choice often diminishes the guilt in areas of Grave Matter.
Remember: The Principal of Double Effect means that while oestrogen and progesterone tablets are most often prescribed as contraception, they have many other medical uses, such as treating Gynicological dissorders, and in some situations they can be used to increase fertility (very different prescribing techniques). They are used for HRT, and for suppressing symptoms of a range of other disorders.
For example: The use of Progesterone only therapy can be used to treat Endometriosis and slow the growth of Fibroids. This can be used to save a persons fertility until they are ready to have a family, as the only permanent “Cure” for those diseases is a full Hysterectomy. plus they are progressive dissorders, meaning they get worse not better with time.
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devoutchristian
Guest
No it doesn’t. It tests their moral fortitude, but it does not make the correct moral choice any less clear.
J
jediliz
Guest
why would they? If they have good knowledge, they would know there are better alternatives for helping women with medical issues that some in the medical community CLAIM Birth Control pills can help, such as natural estrogen and natural progesterone. Birth control pills contain high dosages of these and they are synthetic. Not to mention the dangerous side effects such as blood clots and risk of breast cancer.
If a woman has a terrible female related issue, she should try to see a gyn with knowledge of napro technology or something more ethical than taking what is basically poison that would not help, but mess up her body even more. I learned from one physician that the birth control pills just mask the symptoms, they don’t actually HELP.
If a woman has a terrible female related issue, she should try to see a gyn with knowledge of napro technology or something more ethical than taking what is basically poison that would not help, but mess up her body even more. I learned from one physician that the birth control pills just mask the symptoms, they don’t actually HELP.
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Polycarp1
Guest
I agree, there are no grey areas, only truth and falsehood.
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Lost_Sheep
Guest
Why does everybody have to make a big deal about everything? It’s all about intent and acting in Good Faith. Like I said in Post #2, if it is being prescribed for medicinal or therapeutic reasons, it is OK. If it is being prescribed expressly for contraceptive purposes, then no. It is not rocket science.
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mountee
Guest
The Catholic ObGyn that I have known for years will not prescribe BC for the purpose of BC. But, HRT, is not BC and this same doctor does prescribe these hormones to combat a variety of female issues for woman who are suffering just as if they came into the office for cancer treatment or some other ailment. While there are many theories regarding how to treat a variety of female issues, depending on where you live, the educational background of your doctor and their personal experience over the course of their career, the two of you will determine your best treatment approach. Many drugs have duel purposes and hormones treatments are no different. If the intent is to treat an illness not to prescribe BC then the doctor is not committing a moral breech.
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chevalier
Guest
I think it would also be wrong to just prescribe without asking, as in when a patient comes and asks for a specific prescription without saying it’s for medical purposes. Which is not to say the medic should presume the patient is intending to contracept with that drug, but I’d say the medic should still demand explanation.
Well, the point is that it’s not only wrong when expressly prescribed for contraceptive purposes but, due to the normally intended and designed function of that drug, rather when not explicitly prescribed for a purpose other than birth control.
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Lost_Sheep
Guest
I would assume that the gynecologist is already familiar with the woman’s medical history and would already know if the contraceptive drug was being used to treat a medical problem or not.
If the doctor is true to his Catholic faith, then he should not prescribe it unless he knows for sure that it will be used medicinally.
Incidentally, years ago my mother’s gynecologist wanted to put her on “the pill” because of some “woman problems” she was having. She was concerned about this and wanted to talk to her priest first. He assured her that as long as she was it was intended for medical treatment it was OK. She asked, yes but what about the contraception aspect?
He winked and said “Enjoy the sides effects while you can.”
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devoutchristian
Guest
A woman who is using the pill to treat a disease can still have sex (within marriage of course), however, a woman who has painful periods and who is using the pill to prevent ovulation must abstain.Incidentally, years ago my mother’s gynecologist wanted to put her on “the pill” because of some “woman problems” she was having. She was concerned about this and wanted to talk to her priest first. He assured her that as long as she was it was intended for medical treatment it was OK. She asked, yes but what about the contraception aspect?
He winked and said “Enjoy the sides effects while you can.”
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tijeras
Guest
For contracepting, no, for some other medicinal reason, yes.
HOWEVER: is contraception prescribed for medicinal reasons really the best way to care for those medical problems? The Pill, which is really what we’re all talking about that’s prescribed for everything from acne to period regulation, is a carcinogen that causes a woman’s body to work INCORRECTLY. Is that the best way? Nope, and I think Catholic doctors DO have a moral imperative to educate themselves regarding alternative treatments that are not fraught with moral and physical difficulties (such as Lost Sheep points out - “enjoy the side effects” seriously? Cancer, stroke, heart attack, and the possible early abortions of conceived children and the sterilizing of one’s love life? Right…). Just like I think Catholic doctors have a responsibility to offer their patients NFP for when they do wish to postpone or avoid pregnancy.
Just my two cents.
HOWEVER: is contraception prescribed for medicinal reasons really the best way to care for those medical problems? The Pill, which is really what we’re all talking about that’s prescribed for everything from acne to period regulation, is a carcinogen that causes a woman’s body to work INCORRECTLY. Is that the best way? Nope, and I think Catholic doctors DO have a moral imperative to educate themselves regarding alternative treatments that are not fraught with moral and physical difficulties (such as Lost Sheep points out - “enjoy the side effects” seriously? Cancer, stroke, heart attack, and the possible early abortions of conceived children and the sterilizing of one’s love life? Right…). Just like I think Catholic doctors have a responsibility to offer their patients NFP for when they do wish to postpone or avoid pregnancy.
Just my two cents.
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Listener
Guest
I have seen a lot of suggestions here that women should use natural hormones and something called Napro Technology if they are having problems with their periods. However, I don’t think I’ve seen a single testimony about how someone with horrible periods used these methods and were cured. Can anyone give a concrete example of how they were helped by this?
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StrawberryJam
Guest
Painful periods are not a disease, because they are just painful.
Women using the pill to treat acne can still have sex.
However, a woman who has pain must abstain?
Really?
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muffindell
Guest
Surely it’s the act of taking or using contraception that’s in question here, not the person who is prescribing them? Either way, I don’t think many Catholics, practising or not take much notice of this issue so why even debate it
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devoutchristian
Guest
It’s called double effect. A morally neutral act which has both a good and an evil effect may be done provided that the evil effect is proportionate to the good effect and that the evil effect is not a means of achieving the good effect. So when a sexually active woman is using the pill to treat a disease the good effect is the treatment of the disease and the evil effect is temporary sterility. In this case, since the temporary sterility is not the cause of the curing of the disease, the pill may therefore be taken by a sexually active woman in this case. If, however, a sexually active woman is using the pill to prevent ovulation, then the direct act (from which the pain relief proceeds) is to contracept, which is never allowed, therefore a woman must abstain in order to take the pill to prevent painful periods.
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tijeras
Guest
Check it out:
naprotechnology.com/
I also know a girl who was on the Pill for painful periods, got off of it because of the Church’s teaching and because she learned about it’s being a carcinogen that causes the body to work incorrectly, and that’s when the pain stopped.
You could look up a NaPro Tech office and call them to learn more, i’m sure they’d be happy to share.
Someone on here said that most Catholics don’t care about this anyway, so why discuss it? Well, sort of - most Catholics just dismiss it anyway, usually in ignorance, usually without much thought (some do think about it, most don’t). All the more reason to discuss it. It certainly should be seen as a problem when the majority of Catholic women (and the men they sleep with, let’s not let all the blame fall on us women) are behaving as though their beliefs don’t matter, or as though God has no business having an opinion about their sex lives. Dude, who created sex? It’s not like God’s in Heaven going, “wait, what in the world are you people doing? Stop that!” He created sex, with all it’s significance for us as individuals and as a species. Maybe we should consult Him as to its proper use, by looking at natural law and revelation…oh wait, that’s what the Church already did!
Some people will say that the Church’s conclusions are worthless because arrived at by a group of celibate men. I say, as a woman, thank you, hierarchy of old men, for being the ONLY institution in the world that demands that men respect and abide by women’s fertility. What woman, if she really thought about it, would feel loved by a guy who wanted her to poison or mutilate herself for the sake of sexual availability?
Anyway, contraception is a serious thing and we should all think about it more.
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