Confused on birth control issue

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anjel13

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(I just tried to post this in “moral theology” but it didn’t work, sorry if it’s a duplicate)

I have a few things that are bothering me a little bit. I have posted on this issue before, but I still have questions. I understand where the church stands on the birth control issue but in some cases I don’t understand why. I’m not trying to say that the church’s stance is wrong, but I can’t help but ask myself these questions. Let me know if I’m wrong on this, but is the church against the birth control pill because it causes fertalized eggs to be miscarried? If this is right, why are other forms of b.c. wrong (non-chemical forms), if the egg is never fertalized. Here’s where I get stuck. If the egg is never fertalized, a life is never created, thus your not ending a life by preventing fertalization. Are you not aloud to prevent fertalization at all? If that’s true, then wouldn’t natural family planning even be wrong, since the couple is purposfully trying to prevent a pregnancy? I hope that nobody gets mad at me for asking these questions, I just don’t really understand what’s wrong with preventing pregnancy, by means that don’t involve the ending of a life created by fertalization.

One other question is personal to me. I have a condition called endometriosis, which if left untreated could cause me to be infertle in the future and also cause many other complicated reproductive health problems. The way to prevent it from getting worse, is either being on the birth control pill or stopping ovulation all together. I’m not going to get technical…it would take too long, but is taking the pill in situations like this still wrong? I’m asking because from the comments on another thread it sounds like it’s wrong even in medical situations. Sorry for all the questions, but I really need some answers! Thanks. 🙂
 
it is morally wrong to use bc b/c it doesnt allow you to be open to life. it seperates you from God’s Will.if you have a medical condition it is okay to take the pill.
 
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crazyage3:
it is morally wrong to use bc b/c it doesnt allow you to be open to life. it seperates you from God’s Will.if you have a medical condition it is okay to take the pill.
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I understand this, but if it’s because it doesn’t allow you to be open to life, then why is nfp okay, since people are purposfully not doing the deed at a certain time in order to prevent life? Isn’t that not being open to life?
 
Contraception allows women to be objectified, and not seen as people. If a man knows there’s a very good chance he’s going to impregnate a woman on a one night stand, chances are he’s going to re-think that and decide not to have sex with her. However, if the woman is contracepting, then it’s a free for all. The only thing that’s worth anything to him is just that part of her body. It completely undermines marriage and openness to life. When using contraception, a couple thinks they can have unlimited sex with no consequences, and when a pregnancy happens then they’re totally shocked. That’s when the woman may decide to abort, or enters parenthood completely unprepared. When using NFP, the couple knows there may be a chance of pregnancy, God willing, and they are faced with preparing themselves for parenthood. Birth control leads couple to believe they can have sex anytime they want. This attitude objectifies both partners. With NFP there is the time of abstinence, and when the woman is no longer fertile, it is like a little honeymoon.

Catholic Answers came up with this example, this is not verbatim, but it goes something like this. A miscarriage and an abortion have the same end result, but one is an act of God and the other is taking matters in your own hands. This is akin to birth control. Using birth control takes matters in your own hands. NFP may be used to negate pregnancy, but you are at least you are giving God the chance to create life.

As far as medical conditions go, you are allowed to use birth control. But I think some have suggested that couple still practice NFP just to enhance intimacy of the marriage.

NFP is over 99% effective if used correctly, and couple who use NFP have a less than 1% divorce rate. God knows what he’s doing.
 
It’s good to ask questions. God gave us intellects and it is sad not to use them.

That said…
  1. Contraception is lying with the body. The conjugal act says, “I give myself totally to you.” But if it’s contracepted, the act of love becomes a lie, for they are actively refusing to give to one another that unique part of themselves that’s built into the sexual union: their fertility.
If a couple has just reasons to space births, even indefinitely, then contraception is not the way to go, for reasons explained
  1. This is what Pope Paul VI wrote,
[T]he Church does not consider at all illicit the use of those therapeutic means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if a foreseeable impediment to procreation should result there from—provided such impediment is not directly intended for any motive whatsoever.
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If endometriosis requires the use of any drugs that *unintentionally *make one infertile, then such drugs are not wrong to use. You’re not using those drugs to intentionally prevent conception. However, there may be better alternatives than “The Pill” that doesn’t have such undesirable side effects.
 
There is sometimes a confusion that “artificial” birth control is wrong but “natural” birth control is OK. That is not the distinction. It is not sinful not to have a natural human act of intercourse. It is sinful to distort, subvert, or pervert it. E.g., masturbation and coitus interruptus are no-nos.
 
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anjel13:
I understand this, but if it’s because it doesn’t allow you to be open to life, then why is nfp okay, since people are purposfully not doing the deed at a certain time in order to prevent life? Isn’t that not being open to life?
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nfp is used when people abstain from sex. Church moral teachings don’t tell us when we can have sex, only what type of sex is permitted (natural sex between a husband and wife to its natural conclusion without obstruction).

And we are only supposed to use nfp if we have some severe reason to…
 
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mercygate:
There is sometimes a confusion that “artificial” birth control is wrong but “natural” birth control is OK. That is not the distinction. It is not sinful not to have a natural human act of intercourse. It is sinful to distort, subvert, or pervert it. E.g., masturbation and coitus interruptus are no-nos.
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You are exactly correct. But abstaining is permitted.
 
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Vincent:
If endometriosis requires the use of any drugs that *unintentionally *make one infertile, then such drugs are not wrong to use. You’re not using those drugs to intentionally prevent conception. However, there may be better alternatives than “The Pill” that doesn’t have such undesirable side effects.
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Thanks Vincent for answering my questions. I understand what you are saying. I wish there were better alternatives to endometriosis, but unfortunatly the drs. don’t know enough about the disease yet. I actually hate taking any medicine (especially this kind, because of the hormonal side effects 😦 Thankfully, being pregnant(which I am) and breast feeding also helps keep it at bay, so I won’t have to worry for a while! 🙂
 
Thank you for being so open about your concerns regarding birth control. I too have a medical issue, female related, that required me to stop ovulation and the healthiest way to achieve that was by puting me on the Pill. I tried many alternatives before giving into taking the Pill from changing my diet, excercise, and other meds but nothing helped. My doctor, a truly devout Catholic, advised me and my husband to obstain during days 11 - 18, days when we were most likely to ovulate during a regular cycle. As for NFP the simple differance between it and artificial birth control (abc) is that with NFP you are obstaining but open to the possibility of life. It is ok to be conservative with NFP but always open to the possibility. With abc you are never open to life, thats why you use it. With NFP for most of us it is for child spacing, however, I do know lots of women who practice it who are pretty done with having babies, but again still open. I even know several who practice NFP who have major medical issues and should not get pregnant for danger of the baby or their own life. The Churchs’ problem with any type of abc is that is closes the user’s heart and soul to a baby. The Pill’s abortificiate side effect is clearly an issue, as it should be, and that is why you should obstain during days 11-18 while on the Pill for any reason. I hope this has cleared up some confussion.

(Just a note of caution: After you have your baby, congradulations, your doctor may advise you to go on the “Mini Pill”. It has the same side effects as the regular Pill and because you will be nursing, medically it will not be needed.) Hope that makes sense.? If you want more info you can always email me seperatly. I had endometriosis as well and four kids later I have a clean bill of health.

Good luck to you and listen to your heart.
 
Using “contraception” i.e. the pill for medical purposes is not sinful. It is allowed per Humanae Vitae Ch 15. But, if there is another means that would do less damage to your body, then you should choose that. also, you may never, morally speaking, use a pill that could induce an abortion. Not all pills, do this. You’ll need to talk to your doctor about that.
 
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my4ducks:
Thank you for being so open about your concerns regarding birth control. I too have a medical issue, female related, that required me to stop ovulation and the healthiest way to achieve that was by puting me on the Pill. I tried many alternatives before giving into taking the Pill from changing my diet, excercise, and other meds but nothing helped. My doctor, a truly devout Catholic, advised me and my husband to obstain during days 11 - 18, days when we were most likely to ovulate during a regular cycle. As for NFP the simple differance between it and artificial birth control (abc) is that with NFP you are obstaining but open to the possibility of life. It is ok to be conservative with NFP but always open to the possibility. With abc you are never open to life, thats why you use it. With NFP for most of us it is for child spacing, however, I do know lots of women who practice it who are pretty done with having babies, but again still open. I even know several who practice NFP who have major medical issues and should not get pregnant for danger of the baby or their own life. The Churchs’ problem with any type of abc is that is closes the user’s heart and soul to a baby. The Pill’s abortificiate side effect is clearly an issue, as it should be, and that is why you should obstain during days 11-18 while on the Pill for any reason. I hope this has cleared up some confussion.

(Just a note of caution: After you have your baby, congradulations, your doctor may advise you to go on the “Mini Pill”. It has the same side effects as the regular Pill and because you will be nursing, medically it will not be needed.) Hope that makes sense.? If you want more info you can always email me seperatly. I had endometriosis as well and four kids later I have a clean bill of health.

Good luck to you and listen to your heart.
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Thankyou for your response! It’s good to get advice from someone who knows about my condition. The fact that you’ve had four kids is very encouraging! When I first found out I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to have kids at all. Again thanks to you all for clearing up my concerns. God Bless 🙂
 
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