Ensoulment happens at conception but when does conception happen?

[SonCatcher]

Not quite, it is allowed as long as it is taken within 24 hours. It takes approximately 48 hours from the point of fertilisation for an egg to implant on the side of the womb, so as long as you take emergency contraception within that window it’s not considered an abortion, as the egg is 0% viable until its implanted.

Note - it would be useless to give plan B to a rape victim if ovulation has not occured as they couldn’t get pregnant, so what you’re suggesting doesn’t make sense.

Actually, since Plan B is a superdose of standard hormonal contraceptive, it can prevent or delay ovulation in a cycle. Prior to ovulation is the only time the Catholic Church permits it. The Church does not permit it after ovulation since it could prevent an embryo (newly conceived person) from implantation.

Plan B supposedly has no impact on an already implanted embryo.

From Princeton:
Emergency contraceptive pills … prevent pregnancy primarily, or perhaps exclusively, by delaying or inhibiting ovulation and inhibiting fertilization. We can’t always completely explain how contraceptives work, and it is possible that any of these methods may at times inhibit implantation of a fertilized egg in the endometrium.
The underlined section is why the Church permits it (to rape victims only) if ovulation has not occurred. The bolded section is why the Church does not ever permit it if ovulation may have already occurred.

 

[tonyrey]

How?

Ignorance is not a ground for making a decision!

 

[tonyrey]

I think he means, lack of certainty RE: time of conception makes the question of whether or not you are pregnant a matter of guess-work so we don’t really know when abortions occur or not.

That’s my question too, if we don’t know the when of conception, then what does this imply about the use of birth control pills or abortificients? Are they still a moral problem or is it the Church’s stance to err on the side of caution?

If a person’s life is at stake the answer is obvious…

 

[JanetF]

when I read the question, I chuckled, the first thing to cross my mind was Bruce Willis’ voice saying I’m in, I’m in, I’m in…in that moving from the 90’s John travolta and Kirstie Allie I think???

 

[ivebeenshown]

Viability is not a condition of ensoulment.

Which is really neat to think about… how many children some of us have that we never even knew!

 

[tonyrey]

Viability is not a condition of ensoulment.

As usual Shakespeare put it in a nutshell;

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”