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Holly3278
Guest
Is the use of birth control such as the pill or the shot acceptable if the purpose for using it is therapeutic?
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Atreyu
Guest
Under the Principle of Double Effect, if you use the Pill for therapeutic reasons and there is no other less damaging alternative, then by all means, use the Pill. Contraception that is abortive is another matter.
Actually I’m not sure I’ve got this right, so I’ll wait for other people to correct me. Don’t take what I’ve said as being absolutely right; at the moment, it’s just an opinion.
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jmcrae
Guest
In such a case it would be misleading to call it “birth control” since presumably the person is celibate while using the hormone therapy drugs - which just happen to have the identical chemical composition to birth control drugs.
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LittleDeb
Guest
There have been questions like this in the AAA forum. The answer is complicated to understand for some. Yes it is fine to use for theraputic reasons. BUT:
With that said there is some confusion as to its licit use when one is married and having sexual relations. Since it can cause abortion one should theoretically not be having relations while using it. It then gets into the area of possibly illict because of that. From a contraceptive stand-point it is easier to understand since it is clearly covered by the principle of double effect.
What I want to point out is that while it might be licit to use, there are always better ways to treat the problem that in no way contradict Church teaching.
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Natlie44
Guest
I don’t agree that there is always a better alternative to treatments that may have infertility as a ‘side-effect’. Take endometrial cancer for example (or other cancers for that matter, like cervical and ovarian). The definitive treatment for endometrial cancer is hysterectomy. No medical treatment or more conservative surgery is just as good. Now does that mean that after a hysterectomy married women should be celibate, while other couples who are ‘naturally’ infertile can be sexually intimate? And what about endometriosis? The best, conservative treatment for that is the combined oral contraceptive pill - as far as I know the other options are putting up with it (which can be ridiculous in severe cases), or surgery (which in extreme cases can involve removal of ovaries and uterus). Personally, I’m still trying to work out this issue. I do know that if I had to choose between a hysterectomy or IUD (which is abortive) for serious health reasons, I would definitely have to choose the hysterectomy.
Complicated issues!
Complicated issues!
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Teakafrog
Guest
Many non-pro-life OB/GYNs will prescribe ‘the pill’ for every ailment, whether it is an effective, or even acceptable treatment. Be wary of them! For example, I have polycystic ovarian syndrome. Most docs would say “Here–take the pill”, when that does NOT treat the problem at all, only MASKS the symptoms! The real treatment for it is a drug called metformin, which is usually used for diabetes! Most docs don’t take the time to do the research, they just hand out the pill like candy. So find out for SURE if that is really the best, most effective treatment option before you just accept what the first doc says. Always get a second opinion, especially in the case of a chronic condition. And use a pro-life Dr. if you can find one. It makes a big difference!
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LittleDeb
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I agree with parts of what you said here and I think wasn’t as clear in the other part and caused you some confusion. A hysterectomy does have the side effect of infertility but is clearly covered by the principle of double effect. There is absolutely nothing in Church teaching which would prevent a post-hysterectomy woman from engaging in relations. If that is the only option left to her then she has done nothing wrong in having a hysterectomy. There is no possibility for abortion after hysterectomy. Those relations cannot and will never result in a chemical abortion.
This is where my major point is. This is “standard treatment” in the secular medical field. Throw some pills at her and take out those pesky ovaries and other junk so she’ll just stop whining about her pain!! Having suffered severe endometriosis since puberty, I can speak from experience. I have fought these horrible treatments for 20 years. There are many, better treatments out there. The contraceptive pill has a side effect of helping pain from endometriosis because it mimics a long luteal phase. Once off it though, the pain returns. This is just masking the symptom. Research into the cause of endometriosis doesn’t happen as long as doctors can just throw the Pill at these women. The treatment for it hasn’t changed since I first was put on the pill or depo-provera in the early 1990’s. On the other hand, Catholic teaching has motivated other doctors too look for actual treatments that work. And these treatments work better.
It is such a struggle to reconcile these things. I agree that something intrisically evil like the IUD should never be an option. It is sad that women are not fully informed and so choose these things like IUDs that are harmful to her body and her soul.
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LittleDeb
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I dream of the day one is available here in Idaho. Just a dream for now. I pray often for it.
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Listener
Guest
Actually, I don’t think that these treatments have changed since the 1960’s. I ended up with a hysterectomy because my only other choice was to go on the pill until menopause. I did not like the pill’s side effects. However, my understanding is that it is morally correct for a married woman to solve medical problems by going on the pill. You state that pro-life doctors have other treatments for these problems. Could you state specifically what kind of treatment a pro-life doctor would recommend for endometriosis? I have seen these treatments alluded to in these threads, but I have never figured out what they are and if they really work (of course, it is way too late for me). One thing I found was that the pill really did take away all of the pain and all of the excessive bleeding for as long as I was on it. It is true that it all comes back when you discontinue it the pill. However, the same thing would be true for a diabetic who stops taking insulin or for a person with high blood pressure who stops the high blood pressure medication. In fact, it is very common for people who need medication for a medical condition to be required to take the medication until the day they die.
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Della
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Have you heard about this: NaProTechnology through clinics sponsored by the Pope Paul VI Institute? They have several clinics across the country that deal with OB/GYN needs of women and they are totally pro-life.I dream of the day one is available here in Idaho. Just a dream for now. I pray often for it.
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LittleDeb
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Yeah, normally I would agree with you but, the only way to attempt conception is to go off of the Pill. They offer nothing during this time but “put up with it.” Pro-life doctors treat overall health. They realize our health troubles are revealed through the symptoms. They treat the root not mask the symptoms. Most regular doctors just told me to get a hysterectomy after child-bearing years were done. I disagreed with it because I saw the trouble that has caused the women in my family. (Depression, osteo troubles, loss of sex drive, etc…) I am 35 and I plan to fight to keep my uterus until I die. I will be the first female on my paternal side to do so since my great-grandmother. Pray for me please! My hope seems to lie in a healthy thyroid.
Yep! They aren’t here either. The closest one is in Salt Lake, I think. If I hadn’t been able to treat my endometriosis through my D.O., I probably would have had to travel there. It’s about 5-6 hours one way.Have you heard about this: NaProTechnology through clinics sponsored by the Pope Paul VI Institute? They have several clinics across the country that deal with OB/GYN needs of women and they are totally pro-life.
I forced the treatment of my endometriosis. Most doctors just turned me away with the Pill, depo-provera and the worst (though terribly effective,) depo-lupron! It was not until I sought out a D.O. that I got any better. He treated my overall health using my sympto-thermal chart to guide him. When he treated my low thyroid, my endometretriosis got better too. I used the treatments suggested by Marilyn Shannon in her fertility/nutrition book and in her further reading articles. I did a ton of research during the mid-nineties because the pain was so bad. I was single at the time so I could not verify that I was in fact infertile.
Personal opinion only here: The only way we are going to beat the contraception movement is by teaching charting to single women. I know people worry that they might just use the information for immoral purposes, but I think, (again personal opinion here) that it is important. Right now the contraception movement is still winning because they are the ones offering “theraputic help” for single women.
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Cobbfmly
Guest
I have endometriosis. I have researched the pro-life treatment of endometriosis. The only thing I have found recommended is laproscopic surgery. However, my experience has been that the endometriosis comes back very quickly (less than a year) if I do not take BCP’s for a year after the surgery. The combination of surgery and BCP’s put me into “remission” for 2 to 5 yrs after I discontinue BCP’s.
One thing to keep in mind when taking therapeutic BCP’s is that sperm still requires specific conditions to get to the egg. Therefore, by using NFP in conjunction with therapeutic BCP’s the posibility of the BCP’s resulting in an abortion is greatly reduced.
One thing to keep in mind when taking therapeutic BCP’s is that sperm still requires specific conditions to get to the egg. Therefore, by using NFP in conjunction with therapeutic BCP’s the posibility of the BCP’s resulting in an abortion is greatly reduced.
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astegallrnc
Guest
Just be careful. This is difficult. The fertility signs are suppressed and/or altered when taking the pill.
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Corki
Guest
This depends on what you mean by “therapeutic”. If you mean that the hormones in the “pill” or shot are a treatment for an underlying medical condition, then yes, it can be acceptable. There are lots of other issues, as you have seen presented here and in other threads, but it is, by it self, acceptable.
The problem is that some people use the term “therapeutic” when they mean that there is a medical reason to avoid pregnancy such as high risk to the mother, genetic issues for the baby etc. In those cases, it is NOT an acceptable use of the “pill” or hormone shots.
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Dr_Paul
Guest
There are several medical conditions in which the use of hormones (natural and/or synthetic estrogens and progestins) are clearly therapeutic for serious disease and can be used morally. Pregnancy is not a disease, so using these drugs with the intent of preventing pregnancy does not constitute a legitimate “therapeutic” use.
Since I am a pediatric endocrinologist (hormone doctor), one disease I encounter frequently is an adolescent girl with primary ovarian failure. In this condition, the body is not capable of making its own estrogen, which is very important for bone mineralization. Just because hormones are also used inappropriately as contraceptives does not make all uses of these medicines evil. Obviously in this setting pregnancy is not possible. However other conditions (including some cases of PCOS) do require the use of estrogen/progesterone treatment. Metformin is a great drug, but it does not work in all women affected with this condition.
Due to the potential abortive effect of these drugs, care must be exercised to reduce this unintended side effect. The same can be said of many other classes of drugs that have adverse effects on the developing baby.
Since I am a pediatric endocrinologist (hormone doctor), one disease I encounter frequently is an adolescent girl with primary ovarian failure. In this condition, the body is not capable of making its own estrogen, which is very important for bone mineralization. Just because hormones are also used inappropriately as contraceptives does not make all uses of these medicines evil. Obviously in this setting pregnancy is not possible. However other conditions (including some cases of PCOS) do require the use of estrogen/progesterone treatment. Metformin is a great drug, but it does not work in all women affected with this condition.
Due to the potential abortive effect of these drugs, care must be exercised to reduce this unintended side effect. The same can be said of many other classes of drugs that have adverse effects on the developing baby.
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Elizastaci
Guest
I’m glad I stumbled across this thread, because I was going to ask a similar question:
As a 20-year-old girl, obviously I’m way too young to get married, so, again obviously, I’m not sexually active. But I’m thinking about going on the Pill to cope with certain things that come with my period–migraines and horrific cramps, actually, because I’m rendered useless 3 days out of the month currently.
So would that be okay, considering I’m not having sex?
As a 20-year-old girl, obviously I’m way too young to get married, so, again obviously, I’m not sexually active. But I’m thinking about going on the Pill to cope with certain things that come with my period–migraines and horrific cramps, actually, because I’m rendered useless 3 days out of the month currently.
So would that be okay, considering I’m not having sex?
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jmcrae
Guest
I think it would be better for you to find a pro-life doctor, and find a way to cope with these symptoms without interfering with your fertility, for two reasons: the first, these drugs only mask the symptoms - they don’t actually solve the problem, and second, if you get married, you will have to go off these drugs and find safe alternatives, anyway.
A third reason is that I consider it a bad idea to flood your body with chemicals on such a regular basis. The long-term consequences of a daily overdose of estrogen can’t possibly be very good.
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cialovesyou
Guest
If your intention is to prevent life, then it is morally wrong. However, if your intention is something else, and you have sufficiently grave reason to do it, then it is not wrong.
The issue is whether you are using the Pill “as a means or and end”. If for instance, as I understand happens with some women, a grave medical reason arises for using the Pill, such as regulating periods with are dangerously inconsistant, then you are not using the Pill as “and means or an end” to prevent life, but this is an unintended side-effect. In such a case it is perfectly acceptable.
This is because of the Principle of Double-Effect. I will be happy to outline this principle for you if you want, but it is a little technical, and may confuse the matter.
The issue is whether you are using the Pill “as a means or and end”. If for instance, as I understand happens with some women, a grave medical reason arises for using the Pill, such as regulating periods with are dangerously inconsistant, then you are not using the Pill as “and means or an end” to prevent life, but this is an unintended side-effect. In such a case it is perfectly acceptable.
This is because of the Principle of Double-Effect. I will be happy to outline this principle for you if you want, but it is a little technical, and may confuse the matter.
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Ygor
Guest
My daughter and I had a fight over the Pill. I told her many are abortafatiens (don’t know the spelling). She came back with only Plan B was. Could someone reference me to some clear data about this and specifically Alese? I would also love to give this Data to my Catholic family physician who too readily proscribes The Pill.
She gave me data on how the Pill prevents uterine cancer and other beneficial preventative aspects. She thinks the Catholic Church has not researched this info carefully or with an Anti pill bent. I would love to steer her in God’s right direction.
She gave me data on how the Pill prevents uterine cancer and other beneficial preventative aspects. She thinks the Catholic Church has not researched this info carefully or with an Anti pill bent. I would love to steer her in God’s right direction.
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jmcrae
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All I know for sure about them is that they cause infertility - isn’t that bad enough?
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