Do You Use Birth Control?

leeshbeesh

New Member
This is a topic that I have debated internally and scripturally for some time. I would like others to weigh in and tell me why not. I have come across some sites that say only abortive methods are unacceptable. I also do not agree with those that talk about Onan in the OT because it wasnt that he withdrew, it was because he was being disobedient. Ok...that my question. I just dont really want to have 10 children, I understand they are God's blessing, but PHEW:spinning:
 
This is a topic that I have debated internally and scripturally for some time. I would like others to weigh in and tell me why not. I have come across some sites that say only abortive methods are unacceptable. I also do not agree with those that talk about Onan in the OT because it wasnt that he withdrew, it was because he was being disobedient. Ok...that my question. I just dont really want to have 10 children, I understand they are God's blessing, but PHEW:spinning:

Well, I've heard it all sorts of ways too. One thing that I can say is that I don't know if the Bible specifically speaks about any form of birth control. Who/what is Onan? If you are unmarried, then there should be no sex, hence, no need for birth control(unless you are using it for other medical purposes). If you are married, then I don't see a problem with it.
 
O.k. I wanted to know about this also. I used to take BC but have not been on it since I had and have been nursing my DD. I read a article also saying that BC pills can cause abortions but pharmecutical companys advise doctors not to let patients know so they can make money. I do not know how true that is but it was something I came across. I was going to try to research that article more. I am also curious as to what others will say about this birth control issue.
 
O.k. I wanted to know about this also. I used to take BC but have not been on it since I had and have been nursing my DD. I read a article also saying that BC pills can cause abortions but pharmecutical companys advise doctors not to let patients know so they can make money. I do not know how true that is but it was something I came across. I was going to try to research that article more. I am also curious as to what others will say about this birth control issue.
I dont think so. I know plenty of people who got pregnant on the pill and continuted to take the pill unknowingly until they found out they were having a baby and then stopped. As far as I know it just inhibits egg implantation.
 
O.k. I wanted to know about this also. I used to take BC but have not been on it since I had and have been nursing my DD. I read a article also saying that BC pills can cause abortions but pharmecutical companys advise doctors not to let patients know so they can make money. I do not know how true that is but it was something I came across. I was going to try to research that article more. I am also curious as to what others will say about this birth control issue.


Yes and no. It can cause abortion, but not all the time. For example, a combination of almost all birth control pills can be used much the same way as the morning after pill and prevent implantation, and in some cases of women who have a hard time holding on to pregnancy, can affect them.


I dont think so. I know plenty of people who got pregnant on the pill and continuted to take the pill unknowingly until they found out they were having a baby and then stopped. As far as I know it just inhibits egg implantation.


This is the instances where women are not affected. I think I was one of them with my first child.
 
LOL! @ not wanting 10 children! I don't blame you!

I'm recalling what my pastor's wife said about this....

And also, I need to think about the core of your question: preventing conception versus ending a pregnancy... two different things, yes? BC PREVENTS conception, not ends a pregnancy (where conception has already taken place).... So...as I consider the question that way:

The goal is, if you don't want to conceive, is to do what needs to be done to prevent that sperm and that egg from hooking up! (LOL!) And there are several options for that... although NONE of those options are 100 percent effective. Only abstinence is....And we all know somebody who got pregnant taking birth control and so on and so forth, yes....

So thinking about my mom (and another lady I know), I know that they both got their tubes tied after they were done having children. My mom got her tubes charred... she was really done! LOL!

I suppose it would help to explore the variety of BC options that will work for both you and YOUR HUSBAND (wink!). Some options are easier/cheaper than others. Some are tougher on the woman's body than others.

What I think would be an interesting conversation but does not happen with (Black) Christian women (or that I have heard) is the option for the man to get a vasectomy. That's a BC option as well....
 
People have several reasons not to.

For example, the Catholic church doesn't believe in hormonal/barrier methods. People would say it is because they want to produce as many Catholics as possible.

Some people don't do it on a teleological argument, which is pretty much where the Catholic church stands, although I feel they inaccurately use the Onan story to support their argument.

In fact, most people don't realize that all churches saw BC as sinful until 1930. In 1930 the Anglican church was the first to say it is OK in marriage but only for serious reasons (whatever that means).

Most churches made BC acceptable in 1963 (is it any coincidence that it was a few years after the pill became widely used and available?)

The Catholic church refused to acquiesce, with the pope citing BC as leading to the encouragement of sexual immorality, which is true on some level, as once the fear of disease (condoms) and pregnancy (the pill) went out the window, the sexual revolution went into full swing. Which isn't to say that BC makes people immoral. All it does is to take away some of the consequences of immorality that would otherwise keep only some people behaving.

I also had a Catholic person argue to me that he sees sex as a reflection of the trinity. The man and woman are the representation of Christ and his relationship with the church. The man and woman have sex and produce a child (3 persons).

Some people even feel that withholding bodily fluids (condoms) is not really giving yourself to someone.

Also, there is the fear of causing failed implantation due to luteal phase defect that hormones cause. However since BC works primarily by supressing ovulation, the chance of this happening is very small, and almost impossible to study because how do you know if a woman conceived before she implants? We test pregnancy via hCG. EPF apparently can but is too expensive and difficult to be viable. So, for people who feel strongly convicted about life beginning at conception, they many not even want to take a micro-chance of causing the failure of a pregnancy.


I don't necessarily believe these arguments. I see and respect the stance, and at the same time, a part of me just doesn't feel birth control (hormonal and barrier) is right. Perhaps it is the teleology of it, and the side effects of the hormones. I don't know.

But, you won't catch me with 10 kids...So, my stance, until I can be convinced otherwise, is if you are married or for medical reasons, it is okay. Also, for societal reasons, if you are going to screw around, please spare us the disease and unwanted/unplanned pregnancies.
 
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People have several reasons not to.

For example, the Catholic church doesn't believe in hormonal/barrier methods. People would say it is because they want to produce as many Catholics as possible.

Some people don't do it on a teleological argument, which is pretty much where the Catholic church stands, although I feel they inaccurately use the Onan story to support their argument.

In fact, most people don't realize that all churches saw BC as sinful until 1930. In 1930 the Anglican church was the first to say it is OK in marriage but only for serious reasons (whatever that means).

Most churches made BC acceptable in 1963 (is it any coincidence that it was a few years after the pill became widely used and available?)

The Catholic church refused to acquiesce, with the pope citing BC as leading to the encouragement of sexual immorality, which is true on some level, as once the fear of disease (condoms) and pregnancy (the pill) went out the window, the sexual revolution went into full swing. Which isn't to say that BC makes people immoral. All it does is to take away some of the consequences of immorality that would otherwise keep only some people behaving.

I also had a Catholic person argue to me that he sees sex as a reflection of the trinity. The man and woman are the representation of Christ and his relationship with the church. The man and woman have sex and produce a child (3 persons).

Some people even feel that withholding bodily fluids (condoms) is not really giving yourself to someone.

Also, there is the fear of causing failed implantation due to luteal phase defect that hormones cause. However since BC works primarily by supressing ovulation, the chance of this happening is very small, and almost impossible to study because how do you know if a woman conceived before she implants? We test pregnancy via hCG. EPF apparently can but is too expensive and difficult to be viable. So, for people who feel strongly convicted about life beginning at conception, they many not even want to take a micro-chance of causing the failure of a pregnancy.


I don't necessarily believe these arguments. I see and respect the stance, and at the same time, a part of me just doesn't feel birth control (hormonal and barrier) is right. Perhaps it is the teleology of it, and the side effects of the hormones. I don't know.

But, you won't catch me with 10 kids...So, my stance, until I can be convinced otherwise, is if you are married or for medical reasons, it is okay. Also, for societal reasons, if you are going to screw around, please spare us the disease and unwanted/unplanned pregnancies.

I think that's a sound position that any Christian can find something in which to agree.... I mean, if you're not married, you shouldn't be having sex...and if you're not having sex, you don't need to do anything to prevent pregnancy....

And, as an aside, I wonder what could be said in relation to birth control about married couples who have children that they may not be able to afford.... that's probably a different conversation.

I did take BCs for period irregularity before. And then once everything got regular, I came off of them and I didn't want to stay on them. In fact, the enemy is so subtle: it was like he whispered in my ear about the "possibilities" of being on the pill.... YIKES! FLEE FORNICATION!!:yep::lachen::look::ohwell:
 
i'm married and i used condoms sometimes and i have the mirena iud. i can't deal with any more children then i already have. i love my babies, but i don't want to just sit up and have babies and being pregnant for the rest of my good years. my body can't handle another pregnancy.
 
Well forgive me for not making it clear, but I AM married and we do not currently have any children. A vasectomy is definitely an option for us, but I just am discussing for the meantime. My issue with BC is the inhibition of implantation. My stance is that it is a BABY once the egg is fertilized...if that fertilized egg cannot implant I am then torn. Does that make sense? I guess its my "sensibilities" versus my faith. I know that I can get pregnant no matter what if that is what God wants. So that is the first thing. Also I know that if God intended for me to have 10 kids, then oh well, Amen. I guess I have a bigger issue it seems of feeling like I am doing a disservice to having faith by trying to control things. I am still a little bit back and forth and I wanted to see what you ladies thought.
 
I'm married I had 3 C sections so medically I am advised not to have any more, I use the mirena and I'm happy with my decision. Without the medical restriction 3 children would have been my maximum anyway.
 
Well forgive me for not making it clear, but I AM married and we do not currently have any children. A vasectomy is definitely an option for us, but I just am discussing for the meantime. My issue with BC is the inhibition of implantation. My stance is that it is a BABY once the egg is fertilized...if that fertilized egg cannot implant I am then torn. Does that make sense? I guess its my "sensibilities" versus my faith. I know that I can get pregnant no matter what if that is what God wants. So that is the first thing. Also I know that if God intended for me to have 10 kids, then oh well, Amen. I guess I have a bigger issue it seems of feeling like I am doing a disservice to having faith by trying to control things. I am still a little bit back and forth and I wanted to see what you ladies thought.

If you mean specifically birth control pills, that's one of several options. I'm not sure about how birth control pills work with regard to inhibiting implantation.

There are other forms of birth control on the market that work to ensure that the sperm and egg don't meet. I believe it was vivmaiko who gave a good description to distinguish hormonal (birth control pills, Depo, etc.) versus barrier (condoms, etc.)

I don't even (want to) know how an IUD works....
 
If you mean specifically birth control pills, that's one of several options. I'm not sure about how birth control pills work with regard to inhibiting implantation.

There are other forms of birth control on the market that work to ensure that the sperm and egg don't meet. I believe it was vivmaiko who gave a good description to distinguish hormonal (birth control pills, Depo, etc.) versus barrier (condoms, etc.)

I don't even (want to) know how an IUD works....
BC pills thickens the cervical muscus to block sperm too.

IUDs are non hormonal and it's inserted in your uterus to block sperm.
 
Ohh... ok... thanks for the info....

does that mean that the thickening of the cervical muscus(?) can inhibit implantation?
sorry I meant to say mucus.


this is what most bc pill websites are saying:

The hormones estrogen and progesterone prevent ovulation (the release of an egg during the monthly cycle). A woman cannot get pregnant if she doesn't ovulate because there is no egg to be fertilized. The Pill also works by thickening the mucus around the cervix, which makes it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus and reach any eggs that may have been released. The hormones in the Pill can also sometimes affect the lining of the uterus, making it difficult for an egg to attach to the wall of the uterus.
 
Ohh... ok... thanks for the info....

does that mean that the thickening of the cervical muscus(?) can inhibit implantation?

Cervical mucus naturally thickens during unfertile periods of your cycle so as to inhibit sperm motility. The pill also does this. The thick mucus cannot interfere with implantation.

As the poster above pasted, the pill works primarily by suppressing ovulation and the secondary mechanism is to thicken the mucus just in case you do ovulate. Scientists say it CAN cause implantation to fail, because it affects the luteal phase of your cycle, which is important for implantation. However, they say CAN because there are no definitive studies to prove or disprove this theory. Also, the percentage chance that you will ovulate on the pill is like less than 5%. On top of that scientists can't study the implantation failure rate because they can't really feasibly study pregnancy before implantation, so they can only speculate.

But if you read about this, you will see that even with the morning after pill (plan B), there is little chance that it prevents implantation. The percentage of reduction of pregnancy if it is take after ovulation is so negligible that they can only speculate that it may have another mechanism of action. I can post the article if you want to read it.
 
Cervical mucus naturally thickens during unfertile periods of your cycle so as to inhibit sperm motility. The pill also does this. The thick mucus cannot interfere with implantation.

As the poster above pasted, the pill works primarily by suppressing ovulation and the secondary mechanism is to thicken the mucus just in case you do ovulate. Scientists say it CAN cause implantation to fail, because it affects the luteal phase of your cycle, which is important for implantation. However, they say CAN because there are no definitive studies to prove or disprove this theory. Also, the percentage chance that you will ovulate on the pill is like less than 5%. On top of that scientists can't study the implantation failure rate because they can't really feasibly study pregnancy before implantation, so they can only speculate.

But if you read about this, you will see that even with the morning after pill (plan B), there is little chance that it prevents implantation. The percentage of reduction of pregnancy if it is take after ovulation is so negligible that they can only speculate that it may have another mechanism of action. I can post the article if you want to read it.
good explanation. I would like to read that article too:yep:
 
OP, if you don't want to use hormonal bc and you don't want to use barrier methods all of the time, I would recommend reading this book:

TCOYF_jkt2.jpg


I learned so much from this book. I think every woman can benefit from it.

Also, if you are not comfortable measuring your fertility yourself, there are other options. My husband and I are not ready for children right now. I researched Ladycomp (http://ladycomp-babycomp.com/show.php/index) and it was a good option for me. It's pricey, but when I calculated the amount of money I had already spent on hormonal BC and took into consideration that I would use this for at least 10 years, I decided to take the plunge.

I hope you find what is best for you and your husband.
 
Cervical mucus naturally thickens during unfertile periods of your cycle so as to inhibit sperm motility. The pill also does this. The thick mucus cannot interfere with implantation.

As the poster above pasted, the pill works primarily by suppressing ovulation and the secondary mechanism is to thicken the mucus just in case you do ovulate. Scientists say it CAN cause implantation to fail, because it affects the luteal phase of your cycle, which is important for implantation. However, they say CAN because there are no definitive studies to prove or disprove this theory. Also, the percentage chance that you will ovulate on the pill is like less than 5%. On top of that scientists can't study the implantation failure rate because they can't really feasibly study pregnancy before implantation, so they can only speculate.

But if you read about this, you will see that even with the morning after pill (plan B), there is little chance that it prevents implantation. The percentage of reduction of pregnancy if it is take after ovulation is so negligible that they can only speculate that it may have another mechanism of action. I can post the article if you want to read it.

Thank you for the info!
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Thanks guys for the massive amounts of info. I believe that I feel more comfortable about the BC with the info given...the inhibition of implantation was what was bothering me. SO having said that...THANKS! I also am interested in that book. My husband is supposed to be going off on a remote tour for 12 months so that is guaranteed birth control :grin:. I am very excited and at times ready to be blessed with children. I always am careful to try and remain unselfish in my desires to think that children will be the end all to my "youth" :nono:. If there is anymore input it is greatly appreciated, just a topic that I have never felt people (I know) were willing to discuss in the past.
 
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