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Holly3278
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Does the Catholic Church allow one to be on birth control for therapeutic reasons such as to regulate one’s periods?
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Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
If all other reasonable treatments have been tried and failed.
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1ke
Guest
There is no specific teaching on using “the Pill” for “theraputic reasons”.
The Church does have teachings on both the principle of double effect and medical treatment in general that has the unintended side effect of sterility.
Whether or not “regulating one’s period” is a sufficiently serious reason to meet the criteria of the principle of double effect is doubtful. The Pill has potential abortifacient properties and “regulating” your period is both a trivial reason to use the Pill, the proportionate benefit doesn’t outweigh the serious issues with the Pill, and strictly speaking the pill doesn’t actually “regulate” anything.
From a moral perspective, one should discuss this with their priest if they have exhausted all other avenues and their doctor is advising them to do this.
The Church does have teachings on both the principle of double effect and medical treatment in general that has the unintended side effect of sterility.
Whether or not “regulating one’s period” is a sufficiently serious reason to meet the criteria of the principle of double effect is doubtful. The Pill has potential abortifacient properties and “regulating” your period is both a trivial reason to use the Pill, the proportionate benefit doesn’t outweigh the serious issues with the Pill, and strictly speaking the pill doesn’t actually “regulate” anything.
From a moral perspective, one should discuss this with their priest if they have exhausted all other avenues and their doctor is advising them to do this.
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emily47017
Guest
this thread discussed the same question, and ultimately reached the same conclusion as here stated. 
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Holly3278
Guest
Thank you everyone. I will not be going on the birth control pill as I will have to lie and state that I am sexually active in order to get them as the clinic I go to does not offer them for regulating one’s periods. Therefore, I am not going to lie in order to get the pills. That would be wrong. 
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1ke
Guest
Holly,Thank you everyone. I will not be going on the birth control pill as I will have to lie and state that I am sexually active in order to get them as the clinic I go to does not offer them for regulating one’s periods. Therefore, I am not going to lie in order to get the pills. That would be wrong.
This article by Dr. Paul Hayes, affiliated with American Life League, offers some alternative suggestions regarding period issues.
What, exactly, do you mean by “regulate” your period? And, why would you want to do that?
Women’s cycles naturally vary. There is nothing wrong with a cycle varying. If you are not getting them for months at a time, there is something *else *wrong and you need to see a pro-life or NFP doctor who will take the time to do blood work, test hormone levels, and figure out what is actually wrong.
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TheGoodLife
Guest
1ke, I’ve had ‘irregular’ periods for 20 years now. I consider it a blessing to only have them 3 or 4 times a year, and nothing is “wrong” with me–just the way God made me.
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1ke
Guest
I disagree. Medically, a period every 25-35 days is defined as normal. Anything outside that range *does *indicate a problem of some sort. It may not be necessary to treat such a condition, but it also may be an indicator of something more serious and should therefore be checked out.
If you have never had any issues, then that is great.
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