MUST use NFP/total abstinence while on the pill for medical reasons?

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Meagan34

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Hi, I had a question that came up while talking with a friend.

I am aware that the church allows the use of the birth control pill for medical/therapeutic purposes other than for the sole purpose of contraception (my situation). I was talking with a friend about this subject and she had told me that my reasons for taking the pill weren’t good enough and that sex while on the pill (even for medical reasons) is always sinful. I asked her to provide some proof of this claim and she came up with this…

"However if a married woman uses the birth control pill to treat a medical disorder, AND she continues to have sexual relations with her husband, the chosen act is inherently ordered toward two evil moral objects: the deprivation of life and the deprivation of the procreative meaning. Even though the good moral object of the treatment of the medical disorder remains, so that the act has three moral objects, the act is still intrinsically evil and always immoral. The use of abortifacient contraception has two evil moral object: that of contraception and that of abortion. The additional good moral object of treating a medical disorder remains, but does not remedy the deprivations of the other two evil moral objects.

St.Thomas Aquinas: “in order for an action to be good it must be right in every aspect because good results from a complete cause, while evil results from any single defect, as Dionysius asserts (Div. Nom. iv).” (summa Theologica, II-II, Q. 110, A,3). The woman who chooses to take a medication to treat a medical disorder has chosen an act with a good moral object. But if she also chooses to engage in sexual acts, knowing that the use of birth control pills by a sexually active woman is contraceptive and abortifacient, her choice now has 2 additional moral objects. The choice to use a medication which is abortive as well as contraceptive is an even graver sin. These sins are intrinsically evil, and so no purpose or circumstance can make the act moral."

Also, I am not looking for other suggestions to switching medications or treatments because this is what works for my body. I’m simply wondering if this is a chruch teaching or if this is just someone taking things overboard. 🙂
 
I hope your friend said this to you differently than I am reading it, because otherwise I might suggest you find a new friend to confide in! :o

That being said, unless your friend is a medical expert in your particular issue I would not consider her opinion to be nearly so weighty as your doctor’s. (That said, the Pill in particular does have a reputation for being overprescribed, even in secular circles, for “feminine problems” and there may be treatment options for you that don’t involve its use. But again, something to discuss with your doctor or another healthcare professional. You know your medical history and presumably your friend does not.)

I am not sure I understand the argument your friend is making. Is she citing someone else, or interpreting St. Thomas Aquinas for her argument? Some people do make that argument, but I’m not sure it holds water. You are not choosing to contracept, you are choosing to treat a medical problem with a medication that has the side effect of infertility for the duration of treatment. Say you had uterine cancer and had to have a hysterectomy. Would your friend also say you had to practice abstinence for the rest of your life because a hysterectomy would have the side effect of permanent infertility? Or would she argue that you couldn’t have the surgery?

Also, saints do not carry the weight of the Magisterium. St. Thomas Aquinas has a lot of weight in the Church because of his contributions to theology, but the Summa isn’t the Catechism, either.

This is the kind of situation where I’d consult a priest.
 
she had told me that my reasons for taking the pill weren’t good enough and that sex while on the pill (even for medical reasons) is always sinful.
A) Stop discussing your sex life with your friend, it’s not her business
B) Your friend has no authority to say your reason is “not good enough”
C) Your friend is mistaken regarding the morality of the situation
I asked her to provide some proof of this claim and she came up with this…
That quote did NOT come from any actual Church teaching or document.

That quote came from a person who is a SELF-claimed theologian. His website is NOT approved by the Catholic Church. He has NO credentials to teach. He has NO imprimatur or Nihil Obstat from a Catholic bishop. And many of the writings he has on his self-published website are in conflict with actual church teaching.

Just because it’s on the internet, it doesn’t make it true. It doesn’t make it Church teaching just because someone says it is.

Be at peace, move on.
 
Hi, I had a question that came up while talking with a friend.

I am aware that the church allows the use of the birth control pill for medical/therapeutic purposes other than for the sole purpose of contraception (my situation). I was talking with a friend about this subject and she had told me that my reasons for taking the pill weren’t good enough and that sex while on the pill (even for medical reasons) is always sinful. I asked her to provide some proof of this claim and she came up with this…

"However if a married woman uses the birth control pill to treat a medical disorder, AND she continues to have sexual relations with her husband, the chosen act is inherently ordered toward two evil moral objects: the deprivation of life and the deprivation of the procreative meaning. Even though the good moral object of the treatment of the medical disorder remains, so that the act has three moral objects, the act is still intrinsically evil and always immoral. The use of abortifacient contraception has two evil moral object: that of contraception and that of abortion. The additional good moral object of treating a medical disorder remains, but does not remedy the deprivations of the other two evil moral objects.

St.Thomas Aquinas: “in order for an action to be good it must be right in every aspect because good results from a complete cause, while evil results from any single defect, as Dionysius asserts (Div. Nom. iv).” (summa Theologica, II-II, Q. 110, A,3). The woman who chooses to take a medication to treat a medical disorder has chosen an act with a good moral object. But if she also chooses to engage in sexual acts, knowing that the use of birth control pills by a sexually active woman is contraceptive and abortifacient, her choice now has 2 additional moral objects. The choice to use a medication which is abortive as well as contraceptive is an even graver sin. These sins are intrinsically evil, and so no purpose or circumstance can make the act moral."

Also, I am not looking for other suggestions to switching medications or treatments because this is what works for my body. I’m simply wondering if this is a chruch teaching or if this is just someone taking things overboard. 🙂
I think it is not a Church teaching, and as others have pointed out, your friend knows too much about your personal life. This is between you, God and your husband.

Having said that.

If my wife was on the pill for any reason, I could not perform knowing the possible outcome and my part in it. What does your husband think?
 
I think it is not a Church teaching, and as others have pointed out, your friend knows too much about your personal life. This is between you, God and your husband.

Having said that.

If my wife was on the pill for any reason, I could not perform knowing the possible outcome and my part in it. What does your husband think?
Granted I guess it doesn’t matter now since I am going through a divorce, but I have been and still on the pill. Even if I wasn’t the likelihood of me conceiving is slim and the likelihood of carrying to term, if I did become pregnant, is slim. So, I would be having dying babies without the help of the pill. If you were my hubby I guess we couldn’t have sex on or off the pill.

OP, if you are taking the pill for medicinal reasons, you are fine. Tell your friend to hush it. 🙂
 
While it is absolutely forbidden to engage in any contraceptive act, theologians seem to be currently divided on the issue of whether or not being on the pill for grave medical reasons requires any form of abstinence. IOW, the Church has not yet ruled on this, so either opinion is all right.

What does your priest say? He is the one who will know the right questions to ask of you. Additionally, *if you felt it would be wrong *but it was causing trouble between you and your husband, it would be all right to engage in marital activity as long as your husband understood your view of the matter, and vice versa.
 
Yes,I normally only discuss these things with my closest girlfriend and this other friend happened to butt in. That being said, I can discuss whatever I please with whomever I please thank you very much. It has gotten very annoying because now I am being bombarded with Catholic articles about chastity & NFP but not to worry because I will soon put an end to this.

Since she used Saint writings I got a little confused on what to believe but thank you Pensmama for clarifying on what is and isn’t in the Catechism. Everything is great between my husband and me, we just wanted to make sure we had the green light!😃
 
Well, if I were you, I would seek an alternative treatment. It wouldn’t sit right with me that if I got pregnant, the baby would die instantly.
 
Well, if I were you, I would seek an alternative treatment. It wouldn’t sit right with me that if I got pregnant, the baby would die instantly.
Not necessarily - the secondary mechanism of the pill (preventing implantation) sometimes fails too. I have had a lot of women, including total strangers (so why they shared this with me, I don’t know) inform me of their “pill babies.”

That said, if I were the OP, I would try and find an alternative treatment, simply because I was on the Pill for years and hated it and had lots of the bad side effects (that my gyno then said weren’t real, even though they were listed right there on the package. :rolleyes:) But sometimes that’s what works and other treatments do not.

But I don’t think the OP has a moral quandary, as long as the hormone therapy really is only for medical purposes. And tell the nosy friend thanks, but no thanks on any more advice. Maybe this is a sign to use more discretion when discussing personal issues?
 
Megan34
I don’t know your situation; however, my wife uses an OB/GYN that studied at The Pope Paul VI Institute.
One thing he has talked about is that often secular OB/GYN/Gen.Practitioners use the “Full Pill” when only one part and/or lower dosing will more properly treat the medical condition in question while leaving a woman’s fertility untouched.
I would humbly ask that you contact the PPI and see if there is a physician in your area that has studied there and is accredited by their institution. There may be, valid, medical, alternatives available to you.
 
Well, if I were you, I would seek an alternative treatment. It wouldn’t sit right with me that if I got pregnant, the baby would die instantly.
When this subject comes up on CAL it is common to refer someone to a pro life OBGYN or if that is not satisfactory, to the NAPRO tech website to look at alternative treatments. I would think it prudent for any Catholic to do this. One of the Doctors from NAPRO has said that he has never seen a case where the pill was the only method of treatment for a medical condition.
We cannot give out medical advice on the forums, but I think pointing out what CA apologists say is prudent.
 
When this subject comes up on CAL it is common to refer someone to a pro life OBGYN or if that is not satisfactory, to the NAPRO tech website to look at alternative treatments. I would think it prudent for any Catholic to do this. One of the Doctors from NAPRO has said that he has never seen a case where the pill was the only method of treatment for a medical condition.
We cannot give out medical advice on the forums, but I think pointing out what CA apologists say is prudent.
Just because a medical practice calls itself pro-life does not mean that the doctors there will understand the issues Catholics have… or that they will even care more than medical practices which don’t. Find a doctor who has specialized in what you need 🙂

Definitely NAPRO doctors are very good for the type of problems often “cured” by the Pill (altho often the Pill just masks the symptoms). In some areas they are far away, tho 😦
 
Just because a medical practice calls itself pro-life does not mean that the doctors there will understand the issues Catholics have… or that they will even care more than medical practices which don’t. Find a doctor who has specialized in what you need 🙂

Definitely NAPRO doctors are very good for the type of problems often “cured” by the Pill (altho often the Pill just masks the symptoms). In some areas they are far away, tho 😦
You also have to think about health insurance too. Pope Paul VI Institute only accepts:
Blue Cross Blue Shield
UnitedHealthcare
Midlands Choice
 
Thanks for all the advice and yes, I don’t just make blind choices when it comes to my body, I am well informed on my conditions and all possible treatments.

I was wondering if someone could point out, link, or quote the part of Catechism that says that the birth control pill is ok for medical/therapeutic purposes? I would very much appreciate it!
 
Thanks for all the advice and yes, I don’t just make blind choices when it comes to my body, I am well informed on my conditions and all possible treatments.

I was wondering if someone could point out, link, or quote the part of Catechism that says that the birth control pill is ok for medical/therapeutic purposes? I would very much appreciate it!
The Catechism does not specifically address this issue.

The issue has been discussed many times on this forum, so you can do a search. If you search specifically in the “ask an apologist” forum you will find the most clear explanations from credentialed theologians and priests. The relevant teaching is contained in Humanae Vitae and it is explained well in the “ask an apologist” forum.
 
Thanks for all the advice and yes, I don’t just make blind choices when it comes to my body, I am well informed on my conditions and all possible treatments.

I was wondering if someone could point out, link, or quote the part of Catechism that says that the birth control pill is ok for medical/therapeutic purposes? I would very much appreciate it!
Section 15 of Humanae Vitae covers this:

"Lawful Therapeutic Means
  1. On the other hand, the 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. (19)"
Source: w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html
 
One condition that even Napro can’t always help is Endometriosis. I personally just deal with the painful, heavy periods cause I would feel I needed to abstain while on it. But the pill can successfully manage endometriosis symptoms by helping prevent further scar tissue from developing. A body can only go through so many surgeries. Most people with severe endo need surgery at least once every other year to eradicate painful scar tissue.! :eek:
 
One condition that even Napro can’t always help is Endometriosis. I personally just deal with the painful, heavy periods cause I would feel I needed to abstain while on it. **But the pill can successfully manage endometriosis symptoms by helping prevent further scar tissue from developing. ** A body can only go through so many surgeries. Most people with severe endo need surgery at least once every other year to eradicate painful scar tissue.! :eek:
I did not kknow that. I am sorry you are having to go through this.
 
You also have to think about health insurance too. Pope Paul VI Institute only accepts:
Blue Cross Blue Shield
UnitedHealthcare
Midlands Choice
However, physicians that have studied there and are in their own practice or group may also accept other insurance plans.
 
The website that your friend pulled her information from has been predicting the imminent appearance a of a warning related to Garabandal for six years running now. Ever undaunted by past failures our Nostradamus is currently predicting Good Friday 2016.

He also predicted that Hillary Clinton would win the presidency in 2009, and Iran and Iraq would enter a period of cooperation forming one state in the middle east.

So, yea, check your source.
 
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