Even before implantation, embryos are human, says Vatican official

Catholic News Service ^ | February 24, 2006 | Cindy Wooden

[Im4LifeandLiberty]

Again, inevitable death vs induced death is the critical distinction. A baby who is implanted in the fallopian tube is no less a baby than one who is implanted in the womb. Though the baby has virtually no chance of survival, and his or her mother will not be able to carry him or her beyond a certain point, there remains a difference between intentional killing and death of the child as a tragic and unpreventable circumstance. There is no choice but to remove the part of the fallopian tube that contains the child, who, sadly, will not survive, but it is essential to note that the child will not be harmed deliberately or directly. The baby's life span is virtually the same as it would have been, had his or her part of the fallopian tube remained; the difference is that the mother's life will be removed from danger. The principle of double-effect is visible here.

[Im4LifeandLiberty]

"Just to be clear hormonal birth control works by supressing egg release, not by flushing out embryos. In fact pro choicers should love birth control pills because they save millions of abortions from happening."

Feel free to check up on a few of the sources listed in my second post, or simply read the insert to a pack of birth control pills. It will say that the hormones work in one of three ways: 1) To alter the viscosity of the cervical mucous, preventing sperm from reaching an egg, 2) To suppress ovulation, and 3) To thin the uterine lining, "PREVENTING THE NITTIDATION OF A FERTILIZED OVUM." This, which results frequently from the "breakthrough ovulation" common to low-dose or progesterone-only pills and patches, as well as Depo-Provera, is the abortifacient function to which I referred.

[Im4LifeandLiberty]

Thank you. :-)

[mugs99]

Okay, natural vs forced is the deciding factor. Then...Does that mean that birth control is abortion?

[mugs99]

Not to mention tubal pregnancies

Would a tubal pregnancy justify an abortion...?

[Wiseghy]

Few people understand that the Church was founded on logic and "moral" (as we call it now) philosophy. Its sort of a "if this, therefore that" kind of thing. The Church arrives at it's conclusions using this logic, unlike the proponents of abortion, who have no problem with breaking the logic train if it gets in the way of what they want.

The Constitution was based on similar logic.

[Conservative Goddess]

Thank you for posting the link to "Bork on Life"....what a wonderful piece.

Ping to Badray and SmokeyB and GeneralHavoc

[Im4LifeandLiberty]

Birth control that works after conception--most hormonal methods and the IUD often do this--is, by definition, abortion. Only birth control methods that prevent the union of sperm and egg can properly be referred to as contraception; regardless of their trade names, birth control methods that end unborn lives after they have begun are not contraception, they are abortifacients.

[klossg]

Then...Does that mean that birth control is abortion?

NFP is Birth Control ... but it is based on abstinence. There is no union of sperm and egg with abstinence. So, Birth Control by definition is not abortion. I know you know and agree with that. Who wouldn't? Abortion is not possible without union of egg and sperm - either is birth. Simple.

Note: NFP is not the Rhythm Method. The Rhythm method does not work, never has worked as effective birth control. But today's NFP (unlike Rhythm) is as effective as the Pill, better than the IUD and way better than condoms. And there are no side effects or any potential for forced rejection of an egg-sperm union.

You can see post #28 for definition of the potential for contraceptives to be abortificient. Some specifics on the morning after pill (MAP). The MAP is designed to be an abortificient - after the union of sperm and egg. The MAP does not always cause an abortion because:

1. the woman's egg may not have been any where near ovulation point and so the MAP may actually stop the woman from ovulating,

2. even if sexual intercourse had occurred at the time of ovulation - a sperm may not have reached it in time

3. or the egg-sperm union may be able to survive and implant in the harmful-environment the MAP creates in the woman's womb.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Wonder Warthog]

"Pregnancy" was defined by the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology as beginning at the initial union of sperm and egg, i.e. fertilization, until 1965. It was after a series of interactions between the AMA, AACOG, the Population Council, and Planned Parenthood regarding birth control and the "population explosion" that the physician's groups chose to modify their definitions."

No surprise here. Leftists ALWAYS manipulate vocabulary to make it "compatible" with their desired political positions---ALWAYS.

[Mr. Silverback]

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

[TXBSAFH]

Duh, my wife and I had to use fertility treatmenst to ahve our daughters. But we NEVER would use IVF.

[AliVeritas]

That's a natural process.

[AliVeritas]

Well Said.

[AliVeritas]

Repeat that to yourself a few times... that can't make sense, even to you.

[AliVeritas]

Is birth control natural by outside means?

[AliVeritas]

I've been reading your comments.

I really hope you're asking because you want the facts... not because you want to feel better about what you might have done, helped someone else do or plan on doing in the future for convenience. How about you bring some links to the discussion to view and discuss with others?

[Im4LifeandLiberty]

Thanks.

[Im4LifeandLiberty]

I'm glad to see another NFP supporter here!

"NFP is Birth Control..."

Though the Sympto-thermal, Creighton, and Billings methods of Natural Family Planning are all more effective than any form of artificial contraception, in preventing pregnancy in any given month, I wouldn't refer to them as "birth control," for one who is using NFP is not trying to "control" anything external to himself or herself. The couple using NFP does not believe it is within their power to control the miracles of conception and birth; what they do believe, and know, is that they are able to control their actions, with an eye to the consequences that follow.

Billings Ovulatory Method, over 99.5% accurate: www.woomb.org
Sympto-Thermal Method, over 99.3% accurate: www.ccli.org
Creighton Model, nearly 100% accurate: www.creightonmodel.com, www.popepaulvi.com