Catholics: What are your views on birth control?

Question

My family and i are Catholic.We have twin girls and have just lost our second son to a heart defect. We do not want any more children right now because it's a genetical defect. My husband and i are deciding on if it's right to use birth control or not. I do not want to go through another loss but then God does not give us anymore than we can handle. I just want to hear other Catholics opinions on birth control?

Answer 1

First off, I'm very sorry to hear about your sons. I know you probably dont want to hear it, (like I hated hearing it when my family members passed,) but they're in a better place.

My personal opinion is that you shouldnt take the pills. It's like a form of abortion, which is not avoiding human life, but TAKING human life.

"The synthetic estrogen in combination pills works to prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg. If no egg is released, there is nothing to be fertilized by sperm and the woman cannot get pregnant. In addition, the synthetic estrogen works by suppressing the body's normal hormonal pattern (which involves one egg being developed per menstrual cycle and released for possible fertilization)."

It's screwing with God's circle of life. If you dont want to get pregnant, I suggest planning VERY carefully when you should make love. Or, if you cant help yourselves, knock yourselves out. Lol.

Dont think of babies as a possible tradegy, but a possible miracle.

<3

I'm taking a seminar tomorrow at St. John's Catholic Church in Maryland, which is all about birth control. If you're still asking about it by then, I'll be sure to give you all the new information that I learn!

Answer 2

Hi & I am so very sorry to hear that you lost your sons to a genetic problem! That's just so very, very difficult.

I am Catholic, too, and I follow the Church's teaching on birth control. When couples have a very serious reason for delaying pregnancy, it's okay to use temporary abstinence to avoid getting pregnant. It's not the old "rhythm" method that everybody jokes about. Science has come a long, long way in learning about the individual ovulatory patterns and signs of these patterns that each woman's body produces. In other words, it can be completely customized for your personal situation.

Whenever a couple has lost a child, it's difficult to be willing to take the chance again. I know a couple that lost their second daughter to severe genetic defects. She lived for 6 weeks, and they said they could never go through that again. I'm sure it was very, very difficult for them to learn to trust God to carry them through another devastating loss if it happened again, but eventually, they were able to. Three years later, they are expecting twins! They are nervous, of course, and getting the best possible medical care. Fortunately, the twins appear to have escaped any of the genetic problems their older sister had.

At any rate, I don't think it would be right for anybody to just say, "Oh, you need to have faith and trust God." When you've suffered such a great loss, it's a LOT more complicated than that. But your need to delay pregnancy for a while until you are both strong enough (spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, physically) to take the chance again is very, very real. It doesn't mean that you have to go against the teachings of the Church, though. Check out the Creighton Model of tracking ovulation -- it's a great education for any couple, even those who do use artificial birth control.

Answer 3

Wow.
i just want to say how proud I am of all of the people who have answered your question. You didn't get any rude people denouncing the Catholic faith, and that's suprising! Anyway, I'm Catholic as well. I can't say I know what you're going through, because I've never experienced losing a child. It must be painful, and I'm very sorry for your loss. As for birth control, I know many couples who are using the family planning method and it has worked perfectly for them. You should do it right though. Go take the classes. Learn everything you can about it and make sure its the right choice for you. Talk to your priest and see what his opinion is for you personally. Sometimes there are exceptions to the rules. I wish you all the best. God bless.

Answer 4

Go ahead. You know, your both intentions of using the birth control/contraceptives is not to hinder God's commandment of "going to the world and multiply". You both have a very noble intentions which ought to be praised and understood. Do not believe everything Catholic say because they are not also perfect. By the way, I am a Roman Catholic but I do not agree all the teachings of the church. If you are so keen in observation, you could have observed that not all of their teachings are really in accordance of God's purpose of creating people and for peoples' salvation. Truly, I am a Catholic and I never use birth control. But my situation and yours are very much different. I don't use birth control because I have no problem like yours. At any rate, the Catholic church would certainly not claim answerable if you will bear child with congenital defects . However, we, parents do.

Answer 5

Oh boy, this is a tough question.
As a Catholic myself I can say the only form of birth control the church will recognize is the rhythm method.
But, in your case I feel since one of you carry a genetic defect birth control is certainly understandable.
It's true God never gives us more than we can handle, but the loss of a child is just to gut wrenching ..to heart breaking.
As a Catholic you also know God forgives us for whatever we do, I would take solace in that thought.

God Bless

Answer 6

I would honestly urge you to speak to your priest about this issue. If you don't feel very comfortable talking to your own priest about it, find a priest from another Catholic parish that you can talk to. You won't get very many good answers on here, and most of the people on here are ruthless about criticizing the Catholic view on birth control, so they are definitely not going to be steering you in the direction of your faith. I feel for you and your family, because it doesn't seem as though this is an easy situation and it should be handled with sensitivity and by somebody who understands your faith and can help you make the correct choice for you and your family without compromising your faith or God's will. God Bless You. I will keep you in my prayers.

I am so sorry to hear about your son. Be assured though, that with Christ, he is more alive than ever.

Answer 7

The Catholic church teaches that it is acceptable to use NFP (natural Family Planning), the reason they teach against birth control is because intercourse should be between a married couple and be 2 things, unitive and open to creation.

The reason against the pill and other chemical forms of birth control is that they don't just block sperm from reaching the egg, it works by preventing the egg from implanting, therefore you are aborting your children.

This is a subject my husband had to really work at but its worth it, just trust in God, also use Natural family planning that way your still open to creation. I have a couple sites you should look at.

http://www.catholic.com/library/Birth_Control.asp
www.ccli.org/nfp/contraception/index.php
www.ccli.org

The sites are working right now but they are worth looking at.

Answer 8

I think there is nothing wrong with birth control. I'd rather hear of people using birth control than having abortions and such things.

In your case, I just don't think you are doing anything wrong. Going through a loss of a son must be awful and there is nothing wrong with trying to prevent such a situation from happening again.

Answer 9

the problem with birth control is with the control part. if people are given what is perceived as a free pass to have sex any time they want with anyone,anywhere, without consequences (i.e.) unplanned pregnancy, than alot of humans will take it, without thinking about the consequences until it's too late...just like anything we've been given on this planet, we need to enjoy with moderation...certain birth control methods creates the tendency to overindulge. Natural family planning is the best method, which is the rhythm method.

Answer 10

different Catholics, even clergymen, are greater liberal on their perspectives on delivery administration in a married relationship. they're starting to be greater understanding that intercourse is an imperative part of a efficient marriage, and that some couples merely are not waiting for infants or have not got the potential to help having many infants and their perspectives on delivery administration have become greater open. despite if, clergymen nevertheless condone intercourse till now marriage and don't trust delivery administration in that experience. I see delivery administration as a lesser of two evils in this international. The sexual morality of the international has replaced and intercourse till now marriage is starting to be further and further difficulty-unfastened. As I see it, there will be many human beings having intercourse without or with delivery administration and that i see delivery administration as a thank you to stay away from undesirable toddlers from being born and from STDs being unfold between the inhabitants. i could particularly have delivery administration than abortion, which i'm very adverse to.