More Teens Using Rhythm Method for Birth Control

[gam197]

foxnews.com/story/0,2933,593887,00.html

I saw another thread - can’t find but this story is too important for Catholics to miss.

To me, it is just more Catholic bashing. When I did a search, it came up with over 22,000 links - increased teen pregnancies and the rhythm method. Planned Parenthood must be working overtime on this one and just in time for “The Pill Kills” events on June 5th.

They may have been using another form of birth control at the same time. But the increase is considered worrisome because the rhythm method doesn’t work about 25 percent of the time, said Joyce Abma, the report’s lead author. She’s a social scientist at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

The rhythm method, also called the calendar method or the calendar rhythm method, works by abstaining from sexual intercourse on the days of the woman’s menstrual cycle — around ovulation — when she could become pregnant.

Although estimates vary, an estimated 13 to 25 out of 100 women practicing the rhythm method for birth control for one year will get pregnant, according to the Mayo Clinic.

 

[Rence]

Ok, this is what upsets me: women have no clue about their physiology. Why is that? Doesn’t it make one mad that it’s 2010 and women don’t know anything about their body???

Yes Gam, women who use the rhythm method are over 25% likely to get pregnant.

However, by using natural family planning, which is NOT the rythmn method, and by using it correctly, they are less than 2% likely to have an unintended pregnancy.

I’m sure a bunch of folks will chime in and tell you about the type of NFP they use and how much they like it. But if you want a head-start, here:

nfpoutreach.org/whatis.htm
nfpandmore.org/

 

[Dale_M]

To me, it is just more Catholic bashing. When I did a search, it came up with over 22,000 links - increased teen pregnancies and the rhythm method.

I don’t think so. The old fashioned “rhythm method” was discarded by the Church decades ago, being replaced by the more precise Natural Family Planning.

 

[ChemicalBean]

Ok, this is what upsets me: women have no clue about their physiology. Why is that? Doesn’t it make one mad that it’s 2010 and women don’t know anything about their body???

This does make me mad. I really wish I had been taught how to chart my hormone and fertility cycle in school. Not just a 2-D picture of a woman’s reproductive system, some sample hygiene products, and a calendar for the days that I have my period, but how to document temperature, moods and energy, mucus changes, even acne breakouts, in attempting to describe and predict the whole of my fertility patterns.

But that probably didn’t and won’t still happen because of fears about comprehensive health and sexuality education.

I would be curious about the “why” of the rise from 11%-17% teen use of the rhythm method. I would be doubtful that it’s due to concerns about the morality of hormonal or barrier methods, as though they were having guilt-free premarital sex somehow in accordance with church teaching It is more probable that respondents chose “rhythm method” because they don’t know what it is, or they improperly or inconsistently use other methods due to lack of access, education, or diligence, yet still want to “feel” responsible about their sexual behavior. Maybe in a twisted way, given the recent push for abstinence-only education, those that do know how it works see it as an “abstinence” system that works for them, where it is not necessary to learn about condoms or the pill, nor suffer insecurity about asking for them.

 

[ChadS]

Would a teen today even be able to accurately describe what the “rhythm method” is or how it was understood by adults of previous generations? I have to think that they are picking that answer without fulling realizing what it exactly is. As Rence mentioned NFP, if properly and consistently used, results in only 2% of unintended pregnancies. I’d like to see another method that has a comparable success rate.

ChadS

 

[OriginalJS]

However, by using natural family planning, which is NOT the rythmn method, and by using it correctly, they are less than 2% likely to have an unintended pregnancy.

Isn’t the basic concept of both the rhythm method and NFP the same; that is, a close monitoring of the woman’s ovulation period to avoid sex while the woman is most likely to conceive? If not, what is the difference?

 

[utunumsint]

Isn’t the basic concept of both the rhythm method and NFP the same; that is, a close monitoring of the woman’s ovulation period to avoid sex while the woman is most likely to conceive? If not, what is the difference?

Natural Family Planning covers a broad range of difference methods. The rythm method was based on the premise that all women ovulate on day 14 of their cylces. It is now known that this is not true.

New and better ways have been developed that use various physical indicators to determin when a woman ovulates.

The point is that this science is progressing and getting better and better every year. My wife and I use the Chreighton method (NaproTechnology) and we have the support of a Chreighton trainned doctor as well as a Chreighton practitioner (non-doctor who is certified to teach the Chreighton method).

With this particular brand of NFP, we have been able to determine that my wife has some serious problems with her fertility which are now being treated. We were only able to uncover these problems because we were using the Chreighton method. Pretty much all other diagnotic techniques would have happened far too late to treat and prevent the progression of her condition, allowing us to avoid a very high likelyhood of diabetes and cancer.

Again, speaking in terms of the science of NFP, it is progressing to a point where I can see almost flawless ovulation predictor kits. The problem is, there is very little funding for such technological advancements. If only a fraction of the budget alocated to developing the pill were provided to NFP research and ovulation predictor kits, we would have no need of the pill anymore. You can see why big business are afraid of such advancements.

God bless,
Ut

 

[gam197]

originally posted by Rence

Ok, this is what upsets me: women have no clue about their physiology. Why is that? Doesn’t it make one mad that it’s 2010 and women don’t know anything about their body???

Yes Gam, women who use the rhythm method are over 25% likely to get pregnant.

However, by using natural family planning, which is NOT the rythmn method, and by using it correctly, they are less than 2% likely to have an unintended pregnancy.

First of all the old rhythm method was used by many woman and pretty successfully considering it was a really not accurate.

The females have little or no knowledge of the way their bodies function is that they have no need, the pill doesn’t require it so the schools are not interested. The Catholic churches never even touch the subject - probably afraid to lose church goers. I’ve had older teens tell me they ovulate two or three times a month. No Clue.

I’ve been at these clinics for many years and pro-lifers have been giving out information like Dr. Janet Smith CD and brochures on groups like CCL and such but still these kids are not yet married and the intent is not to have them use this method but just make them aware when they do marry. They read something on the internet and think they are practicing NFP but they are winging it… Then Planned Parenthood gets in there and says see, I told you NFP doesn’t work - these Catholics are crazy. The media then plays on it.

originally posted by Dale_M
I don’t think so. The old fashioned “rhythm method” was discarded by the Church decades ago, being replaced by the more precise Natural Family Planning.

I think it is Catholic bashing. Why is this article on every media outlet and all over the internet. Planned Parenthood wants the world to believe rhythm is the same as NFP and certainly wants the girls to see it as an ineffective way to spacing their children.** It is also a way of frightening girls who may be married and know about the method but think they get pregnant just by breathing.**

originally posted** by chemical bean**
I would be curious about the “why” of the rise from 11%-17% teen use of the rhythm method. I would be doubtful that it’s due to concerns about the morality of hormonal or barrier methods, as though they were having guilt-free premarital sex somehow in accordance with church teaching

In a twisted way, I think it may have something to do with trying to not use the pill and trying to use something that is ordained by churches and/or at least healthy although I doubt that health is their main concern… Many of these teens are older or young college adults and they may even be in what they see as committed relationships with the hope of marriage.

originally posted by chemical bean
Maybe in a twisted way, given the recent push for abstinence-only education, those that do know how it works see it as an “abstinence” system that works for them, where it is not necessary to learn about condoms or the pill, nor suffer insecurity about asking for them.

Twisted but true.

I’ve had college age girls tell me they got pregnant using NFP.