Ok, so my whole research into this topic happened when I received a letter from Planned Parenthood. Being a mother now, I receive lots of mail regarding families, babies and parents. I didn't know anything about Planned Parenthood, only that they provide some kind of medical help to families (I'm all for that, right?). The letter was to inform women and parents against certain pharmacist who are denying customers refils on their perscription birth control pills because it is against their moral and religious beliefs. So at first, I thought, these pharmacists must be some super religious freaks who make the rest of us Christians look like judgmental jerks. I mean, I used the pill and I'm a Christian. I know lots of women on the pill who are Christians, it's quite the norm. It just prevents pregnancy from occurring, right? So, now I'm thinking "women shouldn't be denied birth control, because that's what prevents women from having abortions down the road, and I don't support abortions." So I was all for supporting planned parenthood on this issue.
BUT, then I read further in the letter and it got weird. They said that these pharmacists are "emboldened by religious extremists and empowered by arch-conservatives in Washington DC, anti-choice leaders are passing measure in states around the country to permit pharmacists to refuse to fill perscriptions for birth control. No longer content to live their own lives as they choose, they are trying to impose their beliefs on us, right down to the pharmacy counter. Too often they succeed. And that has got to stop." So, now I'm like "what the heck? Who are these people? Why did it get political all of the sudden and totally hateful? Can't we all just get along?" So my journey to find out more about this organization and this topic begins.
Turns out, planned parenthood supports and performs abortions. So, because I believe that a fertilized egg is a human life (human mother and a human father, don't know what other kind of life could be in there), I cannot support their cause.
I read further in the letter and see mention of "emergency contraception," or as I've heard it called "the day after pill." So, now I'm thinking "ohhh, that's what this is all about, right?" Turns out yes and no. I looked up some answers from my trusty friend known as the internet, and found some very interesting results. According to this website I found off Christiananswers.net, birth control is really not a contraceptive because it can act as an abortifacient. A contraceptive prevents conception from occurring, which include condems, diaphrams and spermicides. According to medical definitions, conception happens when the sperm penetrates the ova, not when it attaches to the lining of the uterus which happens 7-8 days later known as implantation. The pill, weakens the lining of the womb so if an egg was fertilized, which is possible on the pill, it could not complete implantation. Thus, the pill can expel a fertilized egg, and so does the "day after pill."
So now I'm stumped. This is a complete 180 from what I thought about birth control before I read this. I want to hear what you think? Have you read something else that my shed some new light to this subject? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks.
7 comments:
What a scary thought. I'll have to do some more reading about this. Thank you Sharon.
Correct, but read the article that I linked to, it says that "Research has shown that neither the progesterone-only pill nor the combined progesterone-oestrogen formulations always stop ovulation." and "Under the influence of the chemicals in the pill, the lining of the womb doesn’t grow to the proper thickness. You will notice that your periods are lighter when you are on the pill. This is because the lining of the womb has not developed properly."
I'm a bit surprised you did not know that Planned Parenthood actively supports abortions. That is pretty much what they do.
You'll have to take it with a grain of salt because it is user edited, but Wikipedia has a good write up on the Pill. Generally the info there is very accurate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pill
In most cases the pill stops the ovulation from occurring, but if ovulation does occur (say because one forgets to take a pill or two) the effects of the pill generally keep the embryo from properly attaching to the uterus. There are a few reasons why this occurs so check out the link for more info, but this is why some people do consider it an abortifacient. In these cases, whether or not you see it as an abortifacient depends on when you believe that life begins with fertilization of the egg or if life beings when it is implanted into the uterus.
hmmmm that's very interesting
Wow I never learned so much from a blog before. :)
another thing to consider is - women who have been on the pill for YEARS can stil have babies after they go off of it, so that would discredit #3
I wouldn't say that discredits it, it is merely saying that only when on the pill the lining is thinner, it must go back to normal when off the pill. Women wouldn't take it if it made them infertile.
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