HOW IT ALL WORKS…

JOURNAL QUESTION: What do you believe about the morality of using contraception? Is using contraceptive devices (condom, the pill, etc.) moral or immoral? Does it depend on the situation? What do you think?

THE PILL Also known as the “Combination Pill” because it utilizes two hormones: Estrogen Progesterone It prevents pregnancy by 3 main ways: Suppressing Ovulation Cannot fertilize the egg Thickens Cervical Mucus Difficult sperm migration Thins lining of uterus Fertilized egg cannot implant & is passed out

THE MINI-PILL This uses only progestin (a synthetic hormone) This works by stopping ovulation in some women (and therefore stopping the monthly period) It primarily works by thinning the lining of the uterus so a fertilized egg cannot implant

PRACTICAL POINTS… There is absolutely no 100% effective contraceptive method (see chart) There are some reproductive technologies that are extremely effective (99% for perfect-use) The most effective methods introduce hormones into the woman’s body Question of health risks

POINTS ON CONTRACEPTION: Up until 1930, every Christian Church denounced using contraception The Church of England and the National Council of Churches accepted marital contraception in 1930-1931 From 1930 onwards, the Catholic Church has still taught that using contraception is sinful

HUMANAE VITAE Encyclical written by Pope Paul VI in 1968 This encyclical discusses artificial contraception and its connection to sex It states that “sexual intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive…is intrinsically wrong.” (#14) However, 75% of Catholics believe it is OK to be a faithful Catholic and use contraception.

Consequences of Artificial Methods This document was written 40 years ago and made some predictions about birth control: It leads to marital infidelity A general lowering of moral standards Men “may forget the reverence due to a woman” (#17) Men “reduce [women] to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires”

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Was he right?

WHAT IS N.F.P.? Natural Family Planning— Uses naturally occurring signs in your body to identify times when you are ovulating Consequentially, it identifies times when you are naturally infertile Numerous studies show that a perfect-use rate is 99% effective in not achieving pregnancy Supported by the Catholic Church

HOW N.F.P. WORKS There are three phases in a woman’s cycle: PRE-OVULATION INFERTILITY (6) Begins with the first day of the period FERTILE TIME (10) Begins with signs of cervical mucus Ends with three days of elevated temps POST-OVULATION INFERTILITY (14) Cervical mucus is drying up