Is natural contraceptive still contraceptive?

[bradley1986]

I heard an advertisement for classes on natural contraceptive on EWTN. Apparantly there are certain times when you can have sex and not get pregnant. Isn’t this the same as regular contraceptive? I get the impression that natural family planning is the same as “contraceptive” family planning only more difficult. Are natural contraceptive methods okay if there purpose is to help people naturally avoid the procreation of life only for pleasure?

 

[StratusRose]

Contraception should not be correlated with NFP. Contraception means “against the beginning.” NFP couples are not against anything, they are open to life and open to “surprises” if God decides to step in. Contraception works against the body while NFP works with the body. It requires a short period of abstinence, which from what I hear, is greatly beneficial to marriage.

Catholic.com has a wonderful analogy pertaining to NFP and Contraception. One article stated that NFP and contraception end in the same result, no pregnancy, so why shoud one be deemed sinful and not the other? It’s the same as saying, that an abortion and a miscarriage have the same result. Only, in one instance a person took matters in his/her own hands, an in the other instance God stepped in. Check out some of the articles on the site.

 

[Binney]

StratusRose:

Contraception works against the body while NFP works with the body. It requires a short period of abstinence, which from what I hear, is greatly beneficial to marriage.

One thing I have a hard time figuring out is why people say this. The short period of time that NFP couples are suppose to abstain to avoid pregnancy is the most desirable time for female. What I mean is a woman’s best desire/pleasure span is during the fertile span. Also, there are physical manifestations which happen during this fertile time which makes copulation best. It always seems that women are getting the short end of the deal in NFP.

 

[StratusRose]

Binney:

One thing I have a hard time figuring out is why people say this. The short period of time that NFP couples are suppose to abstain to avoid pregnancy is the most desirable time for female. What I mean is a woman’s best desire/pleasure span is during the fertile span. Also, there are physical manifestations which happen during this fertile time which makes copulation best. It always seems that women are getting the short end of the deal in NFP.

Hmm. That may be true. But, every woman’s body is different and responds differently in almost every situation.

 

[Binney]

StratusRose:

Hmm. That may be true. But, every woman’s body is different and responds differently in almost every situation.

Certainly women can respond naturally throughout the cycle but the biological fact is that women are more receptive to positive stimulation because of chemical and physical reasons throughout the short fertile period. Sexual awareness and responsiveness is peak at fertile time. NFP tends to feel like a catch-22 to me.

 

[Binney]

Furthermore, have you ever noticed people who are denied what they desire the most yearn for it all the more? This is kinda like a dieter jogging past a pastry shop.

 

[Jennifer_J]

2 Things

1. If desire is that great during the fertile time, then maybe the couple is being called to have another child!!!
2. We are not animals, We can decide to have sex or not to. The brain is the most important sexual organ!!! Saying that because our hormones and chemicals are all lined up means we HAVE to have sex is just wrong!!

Just my $.02
Jennifer

 

[Binney]

2 Things

1. If desire is that great during the fertile time, then maybe the couple is being called to have another child!!!
2. We are not animals, We can decide to have sex or not to. The brain is the most important sexual organ!!! Saying that because our hormones and chemicals are all lined up means we HAVE to have sex is just wrong!!

Just my $.02
Jennifer

Response to :

1. Yes!
2. Animal? Think about a person who is hungering for food and water. They can for awhile pass on the dinner invitation but after sometime they are going to need to relieve the natural human urge to quench.
   A women maybe able to pass on the urge to be satisfied sexually in a marriage once in awhile and yes the man may be able to pass up that ripe fertile time that his wife is alluring him to also. For how long? One month? One year? Eventually all couples on NFP face the fact that they can’t resist sitting at the table and feasting on each other. Is a woman an animal for relieving a natural urge within a marriage? Is she to be denied the best time of the month for marital pleasure for the sake of preventing conception? Look at my first post I state to begin with I think women have the short end of the deal. I fail to see how this helps nuture a marriage. Guy gets equal sexual gratification throughout month except for a couple days a month his girl looks so darn good to him and she pushes him away. Girl’s body is best prepared mentally and physically to get with guy a couple days a month but she pushes him away for fear of contraception.

I understand the reason behind the ban on artificial contraception. I don’t question anything but the short end women have with NFP.

 

[Jennifer_J]

But you’re saying that people are unable to go for a few days without sex. NFP doesn’t require constant abstinence–only 5-7 days for most women. The “need” for sex isn’t like the need for food! No one will die without sex!!! Priests, nuns and single people all do without sex. And as a women, the sex throughout the month can be just as good as during that fertile time–most sex is mental, anyway, as I stated before. I don’t feel I have the short end of the deal at all. Maybe some women do, I don’t know.

Jennifer

 

[RCMom]

As a woman, I do not feel I am getting the short end of the stick at all. NFP only REQUIRES abstinence if you are not open to conceiving that month. I agree with Jennifer - if the desire is so great, there must be a reason for it!! The REASON for sex is procreation. You can argue that using NFP is better than using another means of contraception, but as many other posters have pointed out in previous posts, NFP should only be used as contraception if you have serious reasons to avoid pregnancy at that point. So to answer your question, yes, if you are using NFP as contraception, it is STILL contraception. Is it more permissable that other forms of contraception? Perhaps. That is not for me to decide.

J

 

[gardenswithkids]

The Church doesn’t have any set of criteria for what makes a “serious reason” to avoid pregnancy–it leaves that to the couple to determine. But if there is a serious reason to avoid pregnancy, abstinence during the woman’s fertile time is a licit means of avoiding pregnancy. As Binney says the difficulty of NFP falls mostly on the woman. But pregnancy affects the woman more too. They could abstain during the man’s fertile time to avoid pregnancy–that’s not called NFP, that’s called total abstinence.

I also agree with RCmom that some people use NFP with a contraceptive mentality, still seeing children as something to be avoided rather than a desirable blessing. I wish more of the serious Catholics who care enough about the Church teachings to use NFP had larger families. Large families speak volumes to the world about the blessing of children.

 

[Binney]

gardenswithkids:

The Church doesn’t have any set of criteria for what makes a “serious reason” to avoid pregnancy–it leaves that to the couple to determine. But if there is a serious reason to avoid pregnancy, abstinence during the woman’s fertile time is a licit means of avoiding pregnancy. As Binney says the difficulty of NFP falls mostly on the woman. But pregnancy affects the woman more too. They could abstain during the man’s fertile time to avoid pregnancy–that’s not called NFP, that’s called total abstinence.

I also agree with RCmom that some people use NFP with a contraceptive mentality, still seeing children as something to be avoided rather than a desirable blessing. I wish more of the serious Catholics who care enough about the Church teachings to use NFP had larger families. Large families speak volumes to the world about the blessing of children.

I like your signature. Mommies change the world one diaper at a time. funny but true

 

[mercygate]

RCMom:

So to answer your question, yes, if you are using NFP as contraception, it is STILL contraception. Is it more permissable that other forms of contraception? Perhaps. That is not for me to decide.
J

Small technicality: NFP is not CONTRA-ception. It IS birth control, but it is not contraception. The mentality, of course is key. NFP does not distort or thwart a natural human act of intercourse. The distinction is not really all that subtle.

 

[DVIN_CKS]

I enjoy sex much more during my fertile time than at other times of the month when my desire isn’t as strong. I never realized this when I used to be on the pill (didn’t realize my sexual appetite was being supressed by the hormones in the pill). Now that I’m not on the pill I’ve noticed a HUGE difference. So, I would have to agree with Binney.

 

[1ke]

bradley1986:

I heard an advertisement for classes on natural contraceptive on EWTN. Apparantly there are certain times when you can have sex and not get pregnant. Isn’t this the same as regular contraceptive? I get the impression that natural family planning is the same as “contraceptive” family planning only more difficult. Are natural contraceptive methods okay if there purpose is to help people naturally avoid the procreation of life only for pleasure?

You are confused Bradley.

Natural Family Planning is not contraception. For couples with serious reasons to postpone a pregnancy, they may abstain. NFP allows a couple to monitor their fertility and know when the woman is fertile and only abstain during those particular times. NFP is an alternative to complete abstinance.

No, it is not licit to use NFP to avoid pregnancy for the reasons you describe. That would be misusing the knowledge of the fertility cycle.