Contraception to avoid conceiving a child with a genetic disease?

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A friend and I (both biology teachers) were discussing genetic diseases. My friend is a fallen-away Catholic. He would identify himself as Catholic b/c he was raised Catholic, his wife is very devout and he sent his kids to Catholic school. But he does not support Catholic teaching regarding contraception and abortion. I am very clear on Catholic teaching about abortion and support it absolutely.

He and I just had a conversation about another couple who chose to contracept and adopt b/c the wife had two brothers who died a miserable death due to muscular dystrophy and she was concerned about being a carrier. As always, my friend exclaimed that the Catholic Church is wrong not to recognize situations like these with their insistence on banning contraception. I didn’t know what to say, because I tend to agree. I think contraception is on a different scale from abortion. Abortion kills an actual human being. Contraception prevents a human being from being conceived. For “normal” couples, I can understand Catholic teaching, but what about couples who carry a deadly genetic disease? The couple who adopted gave a very good life to two kids who didn’t have functional parents. I tried looking in the Catechism, but couldn’t find anything about it. Anybody?
 
Being free from genetic disease does not guarantee one will live forever and never die or not die a painful death. I have trouble understanding that logic.

As someone WITH a severe genetic disease, one with no cure and no treatment, where 90% of babies like me are aborted every single day… I take this personally.

A list of the people glad to have me around:

My husband
my son
my dogs
my CCD students
my youth group members
my coworkers
my neighbors
my fellow volunteers
Even a few of my enemies!

Yes, I married and had a son (we had two pregnancies, one baby is in heaven) knowing full well there was a 50% chance he would inherit this condition. It did not matter if he was diagnosed with or without it.

Pray for your friends, for a change of heart. Getting involved in the pro life ministry at your Parish or with a secular pro life group in your town will be an eye opener.

There is no moral reason to contracept. The couple can choose to use NFP.

Adoption is a loving thing to do, it should not take the place of being open to life.
 
sophie1 said:
A friend and I (both biology teachers) were discussing genetic diseases. My friend is a fallen-away Catholic. He would identify himself as Catholic b/c he was raised Catholic, his wife is very devout and he sent his kids to Catholic school. But he does not support Catholic teaching regarding contraception and abortion. I am very clear on Catholic teaching about abortion and support it absolutely.

He and I just had a conversation about another couple who chose to contracept and adopt b/c the wife had two brothers who died a miserable death due to muscular dystrophy and she was concerned about being a carrier. As always, my friend exclaimed that the Catholic Church is wrong not to recognize situations like these with their insistence on banning contraception. I didn’t know what to say, because I tend to agree. I think contraception is on a different scale from abortion. Abortion kills an actual human being. Contraception prevents a human being from being conceived. For “normal” couples, I can understand Catholic teaching, but what about couples who carry a deadly genetic disease? The couple who adopted gave a very good life to two kids who didn’t have functional parents. I tried looking in the Catechism, but couldn’t find anything about it. Anybody?
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(1) While not your direct question, I think we need to remember that all lives are precious in the site of God. Trying to prevent children because they might have a disease and suffer basically devalues them and their life. It implies that some lives are not worth living or not valuable. Our suffering has redemptive value. Life is always worth living, no matter how short-- because we have immortal souls and will be perfect in Heaven where we will live for eternity. Don’t forget that. You would deny a person eternity in Heaven because of a short, less-than-perfect life on Earth. Keep eternity in mind.

(2) As to your question on contraception. The Church teaches clearly that contraception is ALWAYS morally disordered. It does not matter what the *intent *of the couple is, the act of contracepting is always wrong. It disorders the marital embrace. Always. This is covered in the Catechism-- if a couple has a *just reason *to space/postpone children they can use natural family planning (NFP) to do so. If a couple determines a genetic disease is more burden than they can bear-- they should seek spiritual counseling. But, ultimately if they decide they have a just reason after seeking the mind of the Church and God’s will, then they can use NFP. They cannot contracept. To do so is a sin against the Sixth Commandment and the Sacrament of Marriage.
 
The “couple” could easily be genetically tested to she if she even carries the Muscular dystrophy gene. That would answer her question of having the remote chance of passing it on. By just saying ‘no children’ is being selfish in this day and age.
 
Schluns said:
The “couple” could easily be genetically tested to she if she even carries the Muscular dystrophy gene. That would answer her question of having the remote chance of passing it on. By just saying ‘no children’ is being selfish in this day and age.
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At the time, there was no genetic test and I’m not real sure there is one now. This was an absolutely gut-wrenching decision for this couple. Believe me, they desperately wanted children. They were not being selfish. Her brothers’ deaths were traumatic for the whole family.

It’s difficult for me to articulate my thoughts here, so please don’t take any of this personally if you happen to have a genetic disease. I understand completely. When the movie Million Dollar Baby came out and was praised so highly, I remember thinking, oh please don’t let my cerebral palsy student see this movie. This was a young man who was so severely disabled he could do nothing for himself – he even needed an aide to feed him and take care of his bathroom needs. I didn’t want him to get the movie’s message: that a disabled life is not worth living.

The reason I think this issue is different from the abortion issue is because we’re not talking about a human being.

And the catechism’s explanation doesn’t help:

“The regulation of births represents one of the aspects of responsible fatherhood and motherhood. Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means…” CCC2399

NFP “methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom…” CCC2370

Why is NFP OK but artificial birth control is not? I’m just trying to understand.

The best I’m able to glean so far, is that it is better for the marriage when husband and wife give each other totally without holding back. And I agree with that. But many marriages fail as the result of the heart-breaking death of a child. I would rather die a thousand deaths than witness the death of one of my children. Yet this family was facing that very choice…
 
sophie1 said:
Why is NFP OK but artificial birth control is not? I’m just trying to understand.
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This is a question others have had on this forum. Here is a link to a previous post of mine, that time the question was specifically about condoms, but my answer applies to any form of contraception:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=2967405&postcount=3

Please take a look and see if this answers your question. If not, I’ll be happy to discuss it further with you.
 
The reason I think this issue is different from the abortion issue is because we’re not talking about a human being.
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Actually, if its the product of joining of egg & sperm, it IS a human being. As a biology teacher you know that & teach that. Genetically speaking, even someone w/ a genetic disease IS human. A fertilized egg is not just an egg - its a human baby in its earliest stage. Its not a dog, cat, monkey, or anything else. Genetically speaking, as soon as the sperm joins the egg, a human life w/ a complete set of chromosomes (even in the instance of genetic disorders w/ mis-matched chromosomes the genetic fact is that its human genes) is created. Contraception blinds people to this fact b/c the life within is so small and minute that it is easily rationalized that something that small can’t be human really. As a biologist, you know that to be false. You also should know that most contraceptives (excluding barriers) have an abortifacent action as a ‘back-up’ if the primary means fail. The pill’s main action is to prevent ovulation. However, ovulation does occur in a large percentage of women. When this happens, the pill’s initial back-up mechanism is to make the mucus less conducive to the migration necessary for implantation. Then there is another mechanism that is put in place if the 2nd one failed is making the womb itself hostile to implantation. So actually, the secondary & tertiary mechanisms of the pill are to directly affect the fertilized egg (human life) - therefore abortifacient.
Why is NFP OK but artificial birth control is not? I’m just trying to understand.
Click to expand...
NFP is NOT artificial in any means for one thing. For another, NFP requires self-discipline, self-sacrifice, & openness to life. For more information there are several threads on this board (Family life) regarding NFP. The most telling one for this discussion would be the one titled something like “NFP for just reasons”.
 
I can only begin to understand how gut-wrenching watching a child die can be for a family. I am not a parent (yet). But I speak from the perspective of a life irrevocably changed by a friendship with a young man who died of a genetic condition that I believe was muscular dystrophy.

David was one of my close friends. I met him in first grade. When I knew him, he had a full time nurse who came with him to school every day. Although when I first met him, he could only communicate by blinking, I believe by the time he died, he had gotten a computer that he could use to communicate with others. His smiles were priceless, but he gave them to everyone who passed. Sometimes I would go out of my way to find him in the halls just to give him a hug and say hi. He would always greet me with a huge smile that lit up the room. He was a beautiful light in the school. He was an incredibly sweet boy.

I remember clearly the day I was called down to the office and told that David had died. I was in sixth grade, and it was near the end of the school year. It was painful - and in some ways it still is. I still miss my friend a little, although I rejoice that he is in heaven. That was 13 years ago.

My life would have lacked something if David hadn’t been a part of it. He suffered well - and will always be an example to me of someone who brought joy to others lives, even in the midst of his pain. I am so grateful that his parents chose to give him life.
 
I was born with a cleft palate. I’ve heard statistics saying that 80% of babies pre-diagnosed with my condition are aborted. You know woh else kileld those with a cleft palate? The Nazis. Ancient Sparta.

Who are we to say someone does not deserve the right to live, even if we do so out of compassion?
 
sophie1 said:
At the time, there was no genetic test and I’m not real sure there is one now. This was an absolutely gut-wrenching decision for this couple. Believe me, they desperately wanted children. They were not being selfish. Her brothers’ deaths were traumatic for the whole family.

It’s difficult for me to articulate my thoughts here, so please don’t take any of this personally if you happen to have a genetic disease. I understand completely. When the movie Million Dollar Baby came out and was praised so highly, I remember thinking, oh please don’t let my cerebral palsy student see this movie. This was a young man who was so severely disabled he could do nothing for himself – he even needed an aide to feed him and take care of his bathroom needs. I didn’t want him to get the movie’s message: that a disabled life is not worth living.

The reason I think this issue is different from the abortion issue is because we’re not talking about a human being.

And the catechism’s explanation doesn’t help:

“The regulation of births represents one of the aspects of responsible fatherhood and motherhood. Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means…” CCC2399

NFP “methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom…” CCC2370

Why is NFP OK but artificial birth control is not? I’m just trying to understand.

The best I’m able to glean so far, is that it is better for the marriage when husband and wife give each other totally without holding back. And I agree with that. But many marriages fail as the result of the heart-breaking death of a child. I would rather die a thousand deaths than witness the death of one of my children. Yet this family was facing that very choice…
Click to expand...
Ok so she wishes her brothers had never been born? So to protect your own heart you’d rather not give your child life at all? My sister died of cancer at 21, it nearly destroyed my mother -really, and it pretty much ruined my family but not for second did I ever wish, nor did my mother or my father, that my sister had never been born. The idea makes me want to vomit. Life is painful, sometimes excruiating but also beautiful and worth it.

I was born with a severely defective heart, I’ve had multiple surgeries and my life expectancy is much shorter than most. I gave birth to one completely healthy daughter, thanks be to God. I was advised trying another pregnancy would but almost certainly take my life. So for my daughter and my husband’s sake I use NFP, and my own too I don’t really have a death wish. I also had one, idiotic doctor say to me plus you don’t want to take a chance on getting sadled with a child with a heart condition. Umm…I don’t know, you mean a child like me?.. moron.

A human being’s value is not deminshed by defects, we’re all worthy of life, even if it makes others “uncomfortable”.
 
Please do a search on NFP to better educate yourself on it. NFP may be used to avoid fertile times. BCP’s prevent implantation of the zygote (read: infant) BCPs do not prevent fertilization of the ovum. With NFP the married couple are open to life if it occurs by God’s will, even with health risks.

And yes, there is genetic testing for MD and has been for 10-20 years. While I am sorry about the example couples desire not to bring a MD child into this world, I am sorry for them also for missing out on having the joys of children. My question is did they adopt instead?

My cousin has a boy with MD, her mother and my mother are sisters, so the genetic trait would come from the same line, my grandmother, so unless it is a flaw that started with my cousin or her son, I have the risk of carrying it also. That would not stop my from having a child. But then again that’s just me.
 
25+ years ago, when I was newly married and no children on the horizon I was out to eat in a very fancy restaurant. I don’t remember if it was Easter or just a routine Sunday. While I was there, a family came in nicely dressed, obviously had been to church. There were 3 or 4 children and the parents. One of the children was in a wheelchair. He was probably a young teen. He had poor head control and most often his head was bent back so he was looking up. His arms flailed around with no control.

I know I was being rude by staring, but I was so drawn to watching this family in action. The boy was as nicely dressed as the others. His wheelchair was pulled up to the table so he was as part of the meal as the rest of the family.

When their food came, the father spoonfed his son. With love, tenderness, respect, not hurrying his son or seeming to be impatient about having to take on this task. When the father and son made eye contact, the love that passed between them was so complete that it brought tears to my eyes.

It was truly the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. It still brings me to tears 25 years later.
 
BiologyBrain said:
Actually, if its the product of joining of egg & sperm, it IS a human being. As a biology teacher you know that & teach that. Genetically speaking, even someone w/ a genetic disease IS human. A fertilized egg is not just an egg - its a human baby in its earliest stage. Its not a dog, cat, monkey, or anything else. Genetically speaking, as soon as the sperm joins the egg, a human life w/ a complete set of chromosomes (even in the instance of genetic disorders w/ mis-matched chromosomes the genetic fact is that its human genes) is created. Contraception blinds people to this fact b/c the life within is so small and minute that it is easily rationalized that something that small can’t be human really. As a biologist, you know that to be false. You also should know that most contraceptives (excluding barriers) have an abortifacent action as a ‘back-up’ if the primary means fail. The pill’s main action is to prevent ovulation. However, ovulation does occur in a large percentage of women. When this happens, the pill’s initial back-up mechanism is to make the mucus less conducive to the migration necessary for implantation. Then there is another mechanism that is put in place if the 2nd one failed is making the womb itself hostile to implantation. So actually, the secondary & tertiary mechanisms of the pill are to directly affect the fertilized egg (human life) - therefore abortifacient.

NFP is NOT artificial in any means for one thing. For another, NFP requires self-discipline, self-sacrifice, & openness to life. For more information there are several threads on this board (Family life) regarding NFP. The most telling one for this discussion would be the one titled something like “NFP for just reasons”.
Click to expand...
Yes, of course, I do know that. I was referring to unfertilized egg and sperm.
 
kage_ar said:
Being free from genetic disease does not guarantee one will live forever and never die or not die a painful death. I have trouble understanding that logic.

As someone WITH a severe genetic disease, one with no cure and no treatment, where 90% of babies like me are aborted every single day… I take this personally.

A list of the people glad to have me around:

My husband
my son
my dogs
my CCD students
my youth group members
my coworkers
my neighbors
my fellow volunteers
Even a few of my enemies!

Yes, I married and had a son (we had two pregnancies, one baby is in heaven) knowing full well there was a 50% chance he would inherit this condition. It did not matter if he was diagnosed with or without it.

Pray for your friends, for a change of heart. Getting involved in the pro life ministry at your Parish or with a secular pro life group in your town will be an eye opener.

There is no moral reason to contracept. The couple can choose to use NFP.

Adoption is a loving thing to do, it should not take the place of being open to life.
Click to expand...
Kage - you can add me to that list of “people glad you are here”.

Now for the OP, there is no reason, ever, to contracept. You many need to use periodic abstinence more diligently (NFP) if you are concerned. For a variety of reasons we finally used NFP (my husband only agrees for me otherwise he did the contracepting) to prevent a pregnancy, one being the parents of a baby with a genetic disorder which caused her to die at 2.5 years old.

I am going to say that there was not a person around though who would say that they were not touched by this babies life.

Brenda V.
 
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