User:Peter A. Lipson/contraception
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Contraception (Lat. against conception) or birth control refers to methods of preventing pregnancy. It is one of the most important issues in women's health. There are many different methods, each having its own level of effectiveness and safety. Except for condoms, most methods offer little protection against sexually transmitted diseases.[1]
*Note on abstinence: While abstinence has been a "hot-button" political issue, there is little disagreement in the medical community. So-called "abstinence" is not truly a useful form of contraception. Many pregnancies do not result from consensual desire between a man and a woman to conceive (e.g. rape, marital abuse, unavailable contraceptives). The dismissal of abstinence as a form of contraception could also be made on the grounds that this is not actually "birth control" as there was never a risk for a pregnancy, but in common parlance, abstinence is often presented as the first line of protection from unwanted pregnancy. Abstinence-only education programs have also failed, therefore this article will focus on true forms of contraception.
History
In many cultures, contraception is either forbidden or taboo. Also, in most parts of the world, especially war zones, rape is a serious threat. In these instances, condoms are often not available or used. Contraception can still be provided to women, however, via hormonal methods and via the so-called "morning-after pill". While this will not protect women from STDs, it will protect them from unwanted pregnancies. Continued education and political activity at reducing the incidence of rape, especially as a war crime, is needed.
The history of contraception follows all of human history, but truly successful methods did not become available until long after conception itself was understood. There is also, especially in the United States, a great deal of socio-religious debate about contraception, but views about contraception among the American public at large is quite liberal. In the U.S., judgement from the Supreme Court was required to finally make contraception widely available (Griswald v. Connecticut).
Condoms
Oral Contraceptive Pills
Methods of contraception
Barrier Methods
- Male condom: latex condoms are the most effective method of preventing STDs. 85% effective against pregnancy, increased to 95% if used with intravaginal spermicide - higher effectiveness (99%) when used as directed.
- Female Condom
- Sponge: 85% effectiveness
- Cervical cap: about 85% effectiveness
- Diaphragm: about 84% effectiveness
- Shield: 85% effectiveness
Hormonal Methods
- Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs): 92-99% effective when used as directed
- Depoprogesterone (Depo-Provera): 97% effective
- Vaginal ring (Nuva Ring): 92% effective
- "Rhythm method" (also sometimes referred to as a method of "timed abstinence"): low effectiveness
- Patch: 99.7% effective
Other
- Copper Intrauterine device (IUD): 99% effectiveness: IUDs are a very effective form of contraception. They did, for a time, fall out of favor, because of an association with pelvic inflammatory disease. For this reason, they are used most often for women in a low-risk, monogamous relationship.
- Hormonal Intrauterine device: over 99% effectiveness
- Withdrawal: low effectiveness
- Spermicide: about 70% effectiveness when used alone
- Male Sterilization
- Female Sterilization
Societal and Religious perspectives
Christianity
The Roman Catholic Church is morally opposed to contraception, believing that all sexual acts must be open to procreation. In Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, he considered only periodic abstinence within marriage acceptable, which remains the Church's current position.[2] However, since day one of Vitae's publication as canon, Catholics have voiced significant disagreement with it and continue to.[3] Shortly after its release, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops issued what remains as probably the most heavily dissenting official document, dubbed "The Winnipeg Statement". In it, the bishops argued that many Catholics found it very difficult if not impossible to obey Vitae's stipulations on contraception, and that the Catholic principle of primacy of conscience should instead control in the matter.[4] In the ensuing years, Catholic theologians such as Charles Curran have criticized Vitae's stance against specifically artificial contraception.[5]
Among Protestants, four categories have been suggested as useful in understanding the group's views. These are the "children in abundance" group, such as Quiverfull adherents who view all contraception as a contravention of divine purpose; the "children in managed abundance" group, which accept only Natural Family Planning; the "children in moderation" group, which accepts a wide range of contraceptives, conditioned upon whether the motives of users are considered moral; and, the "no children" ("child-free") group, which sees itself as within their biblical rights to define their lives around non-natal concerns. Conservative Protestants tend to view contraception use outside of marriage as morally wrong, connecting such usage as an encouragement to promiscuity.[6]
References
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/birth-control/BI99999
- ↑ Humanae Vitae: Encyclical of Pope Paul VI on the Regulation of Birth, July 25, 1968 (html). The Vatican.
- ↑ A summary and restatement of the debate is available in Roderick Hindery. "The Evolution of Freedom as Catholicity in Catholic Ethics." Anxiety, Guilt, and Freedom. Eds. Benjamin Hubbard and Brad Starr, UPA, 1990.
- ↑ Canadian Bishops' Statement on the Encyclical "Humanae Vitae".
- ↑ Charles E. Curran,. Loyal Dissent: Memoir of a Catholic Theologian (Moral Traditions). Washington, D.C: Georgetown University Press. ISBN 1-58901-087-6.
- ↑ Christopher G. Ellison and Patricia Goodson (1997). "Conservative Protestantism and Attitudes toward Family Planning in a Sample of Seminarians". Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 36 (4).