Friday, May 30, 2008

Birth control pills, IVF, and abortion

For years I have been telling women that all forms of hormonal birth control lead to early, "silent" abortions of their babies by not allowing the newly conceived child to attach to the walls of the womb. Instead, these babies are "washed out" when the woman's monthly cycle starts.

This includes the pill, mini pill, hormone injections, implanted rods, patches, and hormone-releasing IUDs. (Non-hormonal IUDs have the same effect by poisoning the womb through the metal that is used.)

The reaction is almost always the same: disbelief, and then rejection or apathy. They hide behind "If it really did that, how could so many women be using these birth control methods? How could so-called Christian doctors prescribe these? Why have I never heard of this before?" etc.

I found the following article on Yahoo News surprisingly honest. I quote:

DENVER - A proposed state constitutional amendment defining a fertilized human egg as a person was certified Thursday for the November ballot, moving Colorado a step closer to an election battle over abortion rights.

[...]

Opponents say the proposed amendment could affect birth control because the most widely used form of contraception works by preventing fertilized eggs from attaching to the uterus. [emphasis added]


They also say the measure could deter in-vitro fertilization and stem cell research and bar doctors from treating women with some forms of cancer. [who are being treated with embryonic stem cells]

Of course, this is what the opposition had to say:

"Defining an egg as a person in our constitution and statutes isn't science-based and makes bad public policy," said Crystal Clinkenbeard, a spokeswoman for an organization called Protect Families Protect Choices, which opposes the measure.

Nobody said anything about "defining an egg as a person". An egg in and of itself does not begin dividing into more and more cells and become a growing a human being. This measure is aimed at fertilized eggs, which is really not an egg but a newly conceived human being.

My goal is not to make anyone feel bad who has used hormonal birth control in the past. Sadly, many women are ignorant of the medical facts behind it. I myself was guilty of this and took the pill for two months when we first got married, which is probably what caused the loss of my first pregnancy. I guess I should have been researching what I was popping in my mouth every day a little better. Although I discontinued taking the pill before I knew of its true effects (we actually WANTED kids right away, as soon as I was covered by my husband's health insurance), I was still shocked when I did find out how it really worked a few months later.

What gets to me is people who find out about how hormonal birth control works, and then choose to ignore the facts out of convenience. Could all those women please put the emotion aside, take their head out of the sand, and read up on the medical facts behind the pill? Is having babies really that bad that you have to knowingly KILL them? Do you really just need to save all your money for the mall, a new car, a bigger house and fun vacations? Do you care about anyone beside yourself?

The truth won't go away no matter how long you choose to ignore it.

11 comments:

  1. Hi I just found your blog through your churches Web Site. I was reading a post you have about why you disagree with in-vitro fertilization, and the woman you were mentioning does sound horrible, but in my case, would it be wrong to use in-vitro fertilization, let me give the situation... I am 24, I have been married from the time I was 17 (7years) I DO NOT use ANY form of birth control, and I am unable to conceive do to having poly cystic ovarian syndrome... (my ovaries are covered with cysts, therefore eggs are not released, and an not be fertilized, preventing me from bearing a child.) My DR. Says the ONLY WAY for me to conceive is with in-vitro fertilization, of course, I would not want any of the unborn babies to be killed, I would love to have multiple children. I am a foster parent, but there is nothing like having your own child. I hope you will respond to my comment, I would love to know what you think.

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  2. Hi Grace,

    Thanks for asking. Yes, I do think it would still be wrong. Let me explain:

    1. I do not believe in situational ethics. If IVF is wrong for one person, it is wrong for anyone.

    2. The doctor is wrong in saying that your only way to conceive is via IVF. From his perspective, it may seem that the only way for you to get pregnant is with their help, but the Bible tells us that God can do the impossible. Sarah, who was well past her childbearing years and menopause, and at age 90 was "as good as dead", became pregnant - a miracle. In fact, there is not one barren woman in the Bible who did not eventually have children when God gave her conception.

    3. When I talk about the children that get killed through IVF I am not just talking about the embryos that get discarded/left on ice indefinitely. I am also talking about the ones who are transferred to their mother's womb, but only have a small chance of survival. It is inevitable that children will die during this unnatural process. You may end up with one or even several children at the end of it all, but you will nonetheless be responsible for the death of many more children in the process.

    While miscarriages occur naturally, the rates are not nearly as high, but even if they were, that would be God's doing, and not yours.

    Hope this answers your question. If not, please let me know, and I can elaborate.

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  3. In response to what you said about Birth Control Pills, what about people like me, who have such debilitating menstrual cramps that we have no choice but to rely on hormonal supplements such as BCPs? Are you really saying that I should have to be incapacitated for a whole week out of every month, just because of your morals and beliefs?

    Not to mention the fact that many, many women have no choice but to take BCPs for such conditions as Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. Like it or not, BCPs are medically necessary for many women, myself included. So you can stop your high-and-mighty preaching and learn to accept that you don't know everything there is to know about BCPs.

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  4. Dear "Hannah",

    no, I do not think that you should suffer from debilitating menstrual cramps. However, I have a different opinion as to how to help your condition, namely through natural sources such as red raspberry leaf tea. Since I do not know exactly what you suffer from, I cannot give you any recommendations, but any skilled midwife or herbalist would be able to.

    Reproductive problems, if they can be corrected, have an underlying cause. In your case, it seems that you have some sort of hormonal imbalance. Rather than supplying your body with the hormones needed to keep you "regular", your body needs to be brought back into balance and learn to maintain that balance on its own, rather than through a steady outside source of artificial hormones. The example you mentioned, POS, has many underlying causes that can me remedied rather easily. As an illustration, imagine if you were to break your leg. You can either ignore the problem and just ride a wheelchair around for the rest of your life, or get a cast, heal your leg, and then continue to use it without crutches. BCP are your crutch, keeping your body incapable of healing itself.

    But yes, I do think that if natural approaches don't work, I would rather be incapacitated for one week per month than to always wonder if I am killing my newly conceived children without even knowing it.

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  5. 2 cents from Europe:

    You obviously have no medical education, or any education at all for that matter.
    Reading your blog is really a jaw dropping experience, especially for European readers. I really don't understand your nerve to judge and "preach" to people your twisted ideas about family planning, homosexuality and life in general. Get of your high horse sister!
    You are a perfect example of what we (Europeans) consider a typical ignorant, uneducated, cruwel, religious nutjob American.
    By the way, English is not my first language.

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  6. What about endometriosis? I've already had surgery once and risk more internal damage and infertility if I don't take birth control pills. The pills were endorsed by 1. Two different surgeons (one educated at Harvard,the other at Yale) and 2. My pastor, who watched me struggle in pain for years before properly being diagnosed. I TRIED the natural remedies before diagnosis. I drank tea, used hot water bottles, tried acupuncture, meditation, yoga, cut out sugar and lactose, took advil and prayed until I was blue in the face. I was in constant pain, lost HUGE amounts of blood with each period and cried every time I urinated because the scar tissue was wrapped around my bladder. I had eight ovarian cysts and four kidney infections (from the scar tissue) in three years. NOTHING worked until I was diagnosed, finally, by my brilliant surgeon, underwent surgery, and am now closely managed with hormonal therapy. I'm not sexually active, so let's not pretend I'm ritually "killing babies" on a monthly basis. What about me?

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    Replies
    1. I would like to see a response to this from the blog author.

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  7. Just found this blog; found your husband first on You Tube. Well I didn't find him, someone directed me to one of his videos. I think you guys are great people and that you set a great example to the rest of us. My husband and I have been watching your husbands videos and tonight I have been reading here. Thank you both for being brave enough to tell the truth. I feel like I have aged 20 years since I started watching and reading what ya'll have to teach. Just read the birth control thing and wept because I hate abortion and I probably had a few without even realizing it; it disgusts me how things like this are lied about. It disgusts me how pretty much everything is a lie. Anyway thank you again for providing information that people need even if they don't always appreciate it.

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  8. Children are "washed out"? I don't understand how do you get that idea? This is really not how "the pill" really works. Combined methods (estrogen and progestin)work by suppressing ovulation and thickening cervical mucus; while progestogen-only methods reduce the frequency of ovulation and thicken cervical mucus. So if there's no ovulation and also a barrier for the sperm to reach the uterus because of thick cervical mucus you really have to explain to me how any sort of fertilizatuion should be possible... If you're on the pill during the monthly cycle it's just a shedding of the endometrium nothing else.

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  9. Zsuzsanna,

    I see that this post is over 8 years old but I have a question for you. I have been following Faithful Word Baptist via Youtube for several months now and I was excited to see that you have a blog. I am from Richmond, VA and I have been recently reading your blog and find this an interesting read. I heard your husband preach on this very topic. What do you suggest if someone is really trying to prevent pregnancy? I am currently 5.5 months pregnant with twins and I plan to have another baby next year but then I do not want anymore for a while. Does breastfeeding really help prevent ovulation? I hope you see this! Thanks.

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  10. even when there is no birth control involved, 50% of fertilized eggs don't implant https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/conception_how_it_works/

    By preventing most fertilizations from happening, it could very well be that BC prevents more of these "deaths" than it causes.

    also, according to Genesis, Adam was not a "living being" until God "breathed the breath of life into him", i.e. his first breath

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