Is it a grave sin for a Catholic physician to prescribe oral contraceptives?I know it is against Church teaching to personally use them but is prescribing them,even for “regulating menstrual cycles”,also wrong?
Birth control pills are harmones that have many effects on the body, one of which is to prevent conception and/or implantation.
If a physician is prescribing the same harmones used in birth control pills, not for the intention of preventing conception or implantation, but for genuine, non-frivolous, therapeutic reasons, then no objective evil is involved (See Humanae Vitae #15).
If, however, the physician is prescribing birth control pills to prevent conception or implantation, then that would be an objectively grave act. Combined with full knowledge and consent, it would constitute mortal sin. If the physician is invincibly ignorant of the immorality of contraception, or full consent is lacking, the culpability for sin would be diminished , #1860Catechism of the Catholic Church).
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