birth control

[Lo]

Since we have a thread going about abortion I thought I would start one about peoples birth control stance.

Personally, I don't believe in it. I think that people can be just as successful not getting pregnant through natural family planning and at the same time it just seems so much more natural.

what do you all think?

[SuzySunshine]

I would like to beleive that natural family planning works because right now I love not being on my BCP and I don't really want to go back on them. But...if all women's bodies worked the way they were supposed to then NFP would be great, but reality is that they don't. There is a large group of our female population that has a disease called PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom and basically your ovaries and horomones don't work like they are supposed to. They can have a 50+ day cycle one month and a 28 day cycle the next month, thermal shifts are not always as obvious and NFP just isn't practical with that condition.

BCPs actually help to not only prevent pregnancy in that situation but to regulate their horomones, which is important for issues you can have when you're older such as osteoporosis.

[Vanquisher]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison ... us_methods

NFP has a typical failure rate of 3-25% and a PERFECT use failure rate of 1-3 percent. That is WAY too high for me.

My method has less failure than sterilization, and I like it that way (Mirena IUD - 0.1%).

So don't believe in it if you don't want to, but don't begrudge those of us who prefer not to accidentally get pregnant.

Both my grandmothers had 7 children. My grandmother begged her doctor for the birth control pill, and he refused based on such notions that if God wanted them to have more children, then she shouldn't prevent it. This was obviously decades ago, but why the blanket?

If you don't want to use a birth control pill or other method besides NFP, that's fine. You should just be prepared for the failure rate. Likewise, I like using my birth control, and I have done everything I can to ensure no failure in this area.

[Auspicious]

I think birth control methods with a <1% failure rate are arguably the greatest invention of the twentieth century. And I think that the more methods available, the better--it gives more people the chance to find one that works well for them.

People are more than welcome to choose NFP if they'd like, but I find the idea that everyone should pretty scary.

[DCJenn]

That's the beauty of living in a First World country. We can afford to have large families. Ask a starving African or Asian woman whether she would like to have a way to prevent the annual pregnancy and resultant issues and I'm pretty sure you may get an entirely different answer.

Jenn

[Flynn]

NFP?

I'm pro birth control all the way.
Kids are too precious and TOO MUCH WORK to have a few "oops."

Just my two cents.

I don't have much of an opinion about what other people do -- whatever works for them. (Well, for some people, the more BC the better :> ).

I think NFP is intriguing but at this point in my reproductive life, I'm looking for something more permanent. I had plans to take a class from a groovy store near our old house but the schedule didn't work for me and it never quite happened. I imagine knowing one's cycles better, etc would also help in conceiving when that is wanted.

[Vishenka69]

I'm among those who think BC is one of the best inventions. I'm terribly attached to my patch and don't want to go back to my life before it. I love not because it eliminates condoms but because it makes my periods a lot more bearable. As a teenager I used to have horrible cramps, I'd have to spend at least two days each month in bed and had to take prescription pain killers. Plus the heavy flow coupled with anemia made me have dizzy spells. My mom took me to a number of doctors and every single one of them said my only option was BC.

Another reason I love my patch - my boobs gained a cup size.

[rainbabies]

And now she's got a DH who is still in med school with 6+ years of training still ahead, and a 1 year old baby that he doesn't want and is fairly clear about it, even now. It's very sad.

[SuzySunshine]

It is a personal choice - if you don't agree with it and have had success with NFP great - but there are people that need it for medical reasons (bad cramps, etc) and there are people that need it because they're irresponsible and there are a million other reasons.

Its a personal choice that luckily is now covered by most medical plans and hopefully nothing ever happens to take that choice away from us.

[Lo]

i agree that it is a choice, that is why we live in a democracy and i don't think it will ever be something that our gov't will take away from us just like i don't think that abortion will ever be illegal. but i agree with momof4, nfp is highly effective and life is something that is supposed to be natural and using a manmade substance to interfere with that (aside from medical issues) is interferring with the natural life cycle...IMO

[Flynn]

Yes this is a personal choice. To each his or her own.

CityChic Wrote:

nfp is highly effective and life is something that is supposed to be natural and using a manmade substance to interfere with that (aside from medical issues) is interferring with the natural life cycle...IMO

By this reasoning then -- when does medicine and science have a roll in "life?"

What if a woman is unable to carry a baby to term physically? Can she protect herself or is she "interfering with what is supposed to be natural?"

When some women take various medicine during pregnancy (doctor perscribed) is that "interfering with what is supposed to be natural?" What if the unborn baby's life is dependent on such medicine?

I think NFP is the right choice for some based on certain beliefs they hold dear. I respect that. To think that BC is wrong just boggles my mind.

[Vishenka69]

By this reasoning then -- when does medicine and science have a roll in "life?"

Completely agree. Why bother develop any sort of cures and vaccines then? Isn't it more natural to die of tuberculosis? And what about organ transplant?

[Vishenka69]

The natural cycle of life was probably not the best choice of words. It is our belief that using other forms of birth control places a barrier between you and your husband and does not allow the total giving of ones self.

Tara, I understand your point about "natural cycle of life" being taken out of context and misinterpreted. But I'm still confused how a pill or a patch can come between husband and wife.

[Stella]

I strongly admire those who choose to wait until marriage to have sex and I support that decision. In those cases, maybe birth control isn't necessary and NFP is a great option.

However, I think a lot of us here are speaking from a different perspective (or maybe it's just me ) and did not make that same decision. We use two forms because we just REALLY don't want to be pregnant now. Even married couples follow similar courses because they want to make sure they are mentally, emotionally, and financially prepared for any child.

I think it is one thing to decide that you don't want to use BC but another thing to think it is "wrong."