CHAPTER 7 – PREVENTING PREGNANCY

Common Ways of Preventing Pregnancy

Preventing ovulation or killing the sperms (contraceptives)
These methods are interventions which suppress the generative functions which may or may
not leave the reproductive glands intact.

 Breastfeeding –stimulates natural hormones which prevent ovulation; also provides 98%
contraceptive protection for up to 6 months after delivery, provided that there is little or no
supplemental feeding.
 Surgical castration – achieves permanent sterility ( an infertile state) by removing the
reproductive organs; may be considered a form of mutilation.
 The hormones estrogen and progesterone administered as pills, injections and skin implants
stop the ovaries from releasing eggs.
 Spermicides such as gels, creams, or suppositories inserted into the vagina kill the sperms.
 Intrauterine devices (IUDs) induce an inflammatory reaction which kills the sperms as they
enter the female genital tract.
Preventing sperm from reaching the egg in the fallopian tube (contraceptives)

 Vasectomy- surgical procedure that cuts the vas deferens of men , blocking the pathway of
the sperms and preventing their release when man ejaculates; a method of permanent
contraception
 Condoms – sheaths, often made of latex, worn over the erect penis during intercourse.
They trap the ejaculate with the sperms it contains; prevent pregnancy in approximately
85% of the time if used correctly. Some sources say that condoms are less effective in
preventing the transmission of AIDS because they have holes of approximately 5 microns.
The sperms are more than 5 microns in diameter but the HIV virus is 0.1 micron. However,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published that the consistent and
correct use of condoms can greatly reduce but not completely eliminate the risk of STD,
including HIV transmission.
 Tubal Ligation- a surgical procedure that cuts the fallopian tube, blocking the pathway of
the egg from the ovaries and the sperm from the uterus so no fertilization can occur.
 Diaphragm and cervical cap- are cup-like structures covering the vagina or lower uterine
orifices to obstruct the entrance of the sperm.
 Progesterone hormones thicken the mucus in the vagina and the lower uterus to prevent
the sperm from reaching the egg.
 Interrupted intercourse (coitus interruptus)- also known as withdrawal method, refers to
the pulling out of the penis before ejaculation. This method is not totally effective as some
semen may already be secreted into the vagina before actual ejaculation.
Preventing the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall (abortifacients)
 IUD may be considered both as contraceptive and an abortifacient. These are artificial
structures inserted into the uterus that increase uterine contractions to prevent
implantation
 Hormonal contraceptives keep the lining of the uterus thin to make it difficult for the
embryo to implant (contraceptive and abortifacient)
 Another manner of abortion is by dislodging implanted egg or embryo. This process uses
drugs or mechanical devices which remove the implanted embryo from its nesting place in
the uterine wall and cause it to be prematurely delivered before it can survive. Abortion is
murder. It is immoral, illegal, unnecessary and dangerous.
Risks of Contraception
Physical Problems

 Surgical procedures carry all the usual surgical and anesthetic risks.
 Hormonal contraceptives may cause side effects that include tumors; cardiovascular, blood,
lung and gallbladder disease; weight gain depression or mood disturbances; nausea;
menstrual disturbances; decreased sexual desire or response; acne, breast tenderness. Its
dreaded complications are blood clots which can clog vital organs and cause death.
 The IUD has associated risks of expulsion, cramping, menstrual irregularities, perforation of
the uterus, pelvic infection, and ectopic pregnancy.
Psychological and moral problems

 The use of contraceptives has been associated with depression, divorce, sexual dysfunction
and anxiety. Some studies show that this effect is due to the act of contraception itself. For
some people, practicing contraception weakens moral values and causes loss of respect for
women and children. For married couples, preventing pregnancy without acceptable
justification opposes the procreative good of the marital act and treats the child as
something to be avoided or disposed of as seen fit. Contraception may also lead to sexual
permissiveness, marital infidelity, premarital sex, and the accompanying risk of STDs.
Some people even believe that no justification is acceptable; couples who practice
contraception merely want to enjoy the sex act without consequences or even worse, to
have a license to immorality.
Natural Family Planning (NFP)

 Natural family planning is a scientific method that respects life and life processes and
involves the systematic observation of a woman’s bodily signs of fertility and infertility. The
date of ovulation is determined by the calendar record of the menstrual cycle, basal body
temperature rise (thermal method) or change in mucus ( Billing’s ovulation method)
 Following NFP, the couple will only engage in sexual intercourse during the infertile period
(no egg in the reproductive tract) and will practice abstinence during the fertile period
 (possible egg in the reproductive tract) which is 5 to 7 days before and 3 days after
ovulation.
Benefits of NFP

 Natural family planning strengthens the love and maturity of the married couple through
communication, cooperation and self-control. It is safe, healthy (no side effects of
hormones) and inexpensive. Likewise, it neither interferes with the natural reproductive
system nor distorts the sexual act because it does not use mechanical devices, hormones
and unhygienic or distasteful procedures. NFP is effective if used properly. It is reversible;
couples can avoid or achieve pregnancy anytime. Moreover, it is the Catholic Church’s
accepted method of planned parenthood.
 The choice of method to be used in planning for parenthood depends on the couple’s
health, socioeconomic conditions, and religious and cultural values.