Birth Control Pill

[WAVRIDR55]

What is the church’s view on Birth Control pill For Medical reasons (to regulate a cycle)?

 

[1ke]

What is the church’s view on Birth Control pill For Medical reasons (to regulate a cycle)?

The Church does not have a “view” on “birth control pills for medical reasons” because the church is not comprised of doctors.

Many medical doctors do have a view on this topic, and they do not believe the pill is the answer to female reproductive problems. And, the pill DOES NOT “regulate” a woman’s cycle. It completely surpresses her natural fertility and creates an artificial “cycle” and withdrawal bleeding.

As to the morality of** any **medical treatment that has the secondary, unintended consequence of temporary or permanent sterility-- that falls under the church’s teaching on The Principle Of Doubl Effect. You should read up on this conept.

Regarding hormonal pills and the Principle of Doubl Effect- there are theologians who believe the pill meets the criteria under the Principle and there are theologians who believe it does **not **meet the criteria… and both sides have good arguments that you should read.

“The Church” has not directly spoken on this particular topic from a moral perspective regarding the Principle of Double Effect in a definitive way.

 

[kparlet]

I gave birth to my son almost two years ago and my cycles have not been really “regular” since. I am currently practicing NFP and one of the great things about it is that it has helped track my progress in this area. I’m lucky enough to have a doctor familiar with the Creighton Model of NFP in my area and I am taking progesterone (progesterone belongs to a class of hormones called progestogens, and is the major naturally occurring human progestogen. Progesterone should not be confused with progestins, which are synthetically produced progestogens.) to assist with my situation…it has done wonders for me. My point is, there are alternatives out there.

 

[manualman]

Note that in the dubious case that ‘double effect’ might apply here in principle that double effect still requires a proportionality consideration.

If the medical need is merely convenience based (i.e. to avoid unpleasant surprise periods), then the damage done to the marriage via the contraceptive effects is not outweighed by the gain in convenience.

If the medical need is more serious, then you have to pray about it and do more diligent research than posting on the internet! Or at least ask a competent authority (possibly Fr. Serpa on the Ask and Apologist forum).