Contraception
The
Bible, in the New Testament, makes no explicit judgment against birth control,
which it surely would if such action was sinful. But this is arguing from silence
which is a dangerous way of arguing from the Scripture. We must be careful to
present arguments that are based on positive commands. Nonetheless, the are
many Scriptural principles to establish Christian ethics in matters of
contraceptives. Christian prudence and wisdom can be founded on such principles
that are espoused in the ensuing argument.
The
reason for this presentation is to fill up the existing gap in obstetrics and gynaecology.
My own experience with gynaecologists and obstetricians when it comes to giving
counsel about contraception is basically to take the patient to a road junction
and ‘counsel’ the person to take any of the birth control routes! They may tell
you the dangers in each road and even tell you what benefits each may have over
the other but they don’t really help by saying that you have to ‘see what works
for you’, in other words – be a guinea pig! Some of the methods can even kill!
What
do Christians have to say on contraception? Birth control for reasons of social
responsibility, the health of the mother, or for spiritual duties (1 Cor. 7:5)
either by abstinence or intervention, does not appear to contradict the
teaching of the Bible. There are those who are troubled by Genesis 1:28; 9:1;
38:9. But we have no reason to believe that these commands were intended as an
order to every couple for all time, since there are those who can’t bear
children anyway, by God’s own design.
Equally,
those who prefer to use no form of birth control have a perfect right to their
conviction. In most Protestant Christian circles, there is commonly little
reservation about the use of contraceptives. There are ethical implications
concerning the use of certain types of contraceptives that you will need to
weigh and prayerfully consider in your own intimate life.
In the methods outlined below the
average statistical failure rate for each method, used perfectly and with
spermicide creams, if relevant, are put in brackets.
1.
Fertility
awareness or natural family planning
These
prevent egg and sperm from meeting and fertilizing. These include the
withdrawal method and the rhythm method. Aids to the latter include monitoring
the woman’s fertility using calendar, Billings, thermal, symptom-thermal, or
commercial systems. Used perfectly, the failure rates of these methods range
from 1-4% in studies and do not involve the loss of an embryo. Besides, they
encourage male-leadership and self-control. These methods do not have
troublesome side effects, but require organization, and discipline. They can be
problematic if menstruation is irregular.
2.
Barrier
methods
These
prevent egg and sperm from meeting and fertilizing. They include the male (2%)
and female (5%) condoms, the diaphragm (6%), cap (9-26%), sponge (9-20%)
usually in conjunction with spermicide creams. These methods can be a bit messy
and fiddly but again never involve the loss of embryo. The male condom is the
most preferable considering the biblical aspect of male leadership. Male condom is one of the very few contraceptives that have been manufactured for men.
3.
Hormonal
These
have a threefold mode of action. (a) Stop the release of the egg by hormonal
influence (b) render the mucus in the cervix thick and hostile to the sperm,
and (c) make the lining of the womb thin, so that the embryo cannot implant.
Modes (a) and (b) are considered tenable by the pro-life group, but not mode
(c).
Hormones
include the mini Pill – progesterone only (0.5%), and the combined Pill –
oestrogen and progesterone – (0-1%). Though statistically safer in preventing
pregnancy, studies have shown that the mini Pill may fail in modes of action
(a) and (b) above. Therefore the mini Pill would be operating in mode (c),
stopping the embryo implanting – which means effectively it works through
deliberately causing the loss of a fertilized egg. If the fertilized egg is
considered to be ‘life’, the mini Pill is therefore causing an abortion if it
only works in mode (c).
The
Pill comes in varying doses of oestrogen/progesterone – to help reduce
unpleasant side effects on the woman’s health (e.g. weight gain, acne,
depression, headache, nausea, dizziness, thrombosis etc.) but the degree to
which the oestrogen is reduced may mean that the mode of action leans towards
mode (c) and therefore being abortifacient (causing abortion). However, doctors
are still unclear and divided about this, depending on whether one is pro-life
or not. However, Pills can be taken by ‘tricycling’ which is not usually the
prescribed method which many doctors would not advice. This method completely
prevents ovulation and is recommended by prolife doctors.
Depot Provera™ injection
(3%), and the Implanon™ rod implantation
(0%) – though very few studies to date have been done). There is no conclusive
evidence currently that these cause the loss of an embryo, though as the levels
of hormones run down when replacement is due, it is theoretically possible, but
biologically unclear, whether contraception is achieved by mode (a) or the
abortifacient mode (c). these methods
may both have side effects (pain/acne/irregular bleeding).
4.
Intrauterine
methods
Coils,
which may or not contain additional hormones are fitted inside the womb by
trained staff. These work in different ways from hormones, but also threefold:
(a) killer cells produce an inflammatory reaction and destroy the sperm and egg
preventing fusion (b) by having a direct chemical effect killing or
immobilizing the sperm or egg (c) by blocking implantation of the embryo. These
include the Copper Coil ™(0.8%), and the Mirena™ intrauterine system (0.1%)
which also has a progesterone life effect akin to the mini Pill™. Coils,
because of mode (c) are considered abortifacient by pro life doctors. They also
have a variety of unpleasant side effects.
5.
Morning
after pill
This
is taken after unprotected intercourse. However, it acts in several ways,
including preventing implantation in the womb so that the embryo is aborted,
unless it is taken too late – in which case the embryo has already been
implanted.
The problem with 3, 4 & 5 is
that they put undue responsibility on the wife. This is Biblically unadvisable,
and unloving since the man abdicates his male-headship responsibility on such
an important matter. Besides, why should the woman, who is the ‘weaker vessel’
both bear the burden of child-carrying/bearing be loaded once again with the
responsibility of contraception? It is advisable that the Christian men take
this important family planning responsibility seriously and show godly
leadership.
6.
Sterilization
When
a couple are sure that they should have no more children, for whatever reason,
the ultimate form of limiting family size is sterilization. This is achieved by
simple operations which tie off the tubes leading, in the woman, from the ovary
to the womb, on in the man, from testes to the urethra. Your family doctor can
arrange this operation. The simplest operation is that on the man (vasectomy),
and is not very expensive. Both partners should realize that for all practical
purposes this is irreversible step. Reversal operations are not often
successful. Only in exceptional circumstances, therefore, sterilization
appropriate for a newly married couple. Even if you have both agreed that you
do not want children, we would strongly recommend against sterilization, a few
years of marriage often changes your attitude towards having children.[1]
[1] Brian and Barbara Edwards, No longer Two, Christian Guide for engagement and marriage, Day One, HR, UK 1994,
p.112-115
