Posted on 06/05/2006 3:36:16 PM PDT by wagglebee
A study released last week by the British Medical Journal's subsidiary, the Journal of Medical Ethics, seemed more designed for attacking the Catholic Church than for scientific rigour. If that was the goal of L. Bovens' "The rhythm method and embryonic death", then the mainstream media fell for the ploy head-over-heels.
"How Vatican roulette kills embryos," screamed Australia's Sydney Morning Herald; "Rhythm method linked to massive embryonic death," was the headline of India's New Kerala, and Canada's Vancouver Sun styled it "'Rhythm' method a killer of embryos."
Physicians and medical ethicists, however, have responded to the journal noting that the study was "absurd science", "insulting to the general Catholic population", and just plain "wrong".
In his article, which was publicized by a BMJ press release with the title "'Rhythm Method' May Kill Off More Embryos Than Other Methods Of Contraception", Bovens speculates that use of the "rhythm method of contraception" is responsible for two to three embryonic deaths for every pregnancy that results from conception outside the "centre interval" of the fertile period.
Dr. John Shea, MD, FRCP(C), the medical advisor for Campaign Life Coalition, told LifeSiteNews.com that Bovens is wrong in that "'Rhythm Method' was not a method of contraception and in fact, is no longer used. It failed to recognize the natural variation of cycles which almost all current natural family planning (NFP) do."
Dr. Shea also points out that Bovens is far short of the mark on his science. "The generally accepted figure for spontaneous abortion is not 50%, but 10 - 15 %. Ninety percent of all such abortions are due to rejection of a maldeveloped embryo or fetus," notes Dr. Shea.
"As Dr.Mark F.Whitty pointed out in an eLetter published by the BMJ's JMEOnline, it is not true that the mythical 'old sperm' or 'old ovum' reduce an embryo's survival chances, or that there is such a thing as 'heightened fertility.' The ovum lasts 12-24 hours and the sperm 3-5 days. Any conception is as viable as the next unless there is genetic or developmental defect of the embryo," explained Dr. Shea.
Dr. Anne M Williams, a General Practitioner in Glasgow, and a Medical Advisor Fertility Care responded to Bovens in a published letter in the BMJ entitled "Absurd Science." Dr. Shea told LifeSitenews.com that Dr. Williams was correct in her assertion that "Occasionally there may occur variant forms of ovulation, or defects in implantation. Some are due to hormonal problems, a short post-ovulatory phase, or problems of receptivity of the endometrium. There is no evidence, however, that the viability of the embryo is dependent on the time or fertilization." (For further information, see http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/10/... or http://www.woomb.org/bom/science/variants.html)
"NaProTechnology, which uses the science of Natural Family Planning, aims to prevent early miscarriage with hormone support and to maintain pregnancy to full term." (see reference: http://www.naprotechnology.co.uk/miscarriage/miscarriage.htm...)
Beyond the science, Bovens fails in philosophy and morality. "Bovens fails to make the necessary moral distinction between natural loss of an embryo and loss caused by deliberate human intervention," says Dr. Shea. "NFP does not cause loss of the embryo, and is not intended to do so. On the other hand, the oral contraceptive pill, the morning-after pill, Norplant, and the IUD all cause abortion because they impede implantation of the embryo in the uterine endometrium."
See the response letters published by the journal's website:
http://jme.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/32/6/355#528
I thought this was a joke. I can't believe this guy is serious! Poor crazy man.
right...in their dreams. How can NATURAL abstinence kill embryos? Hello?? These guys are pitifully pathetic, and I don't say that of all lefties, just the ones who are invincibly ignorant. Pathetic.
God Bless You. I love big families. My family of origin just had a Mom & a Dad and two daughters.
I married into a family of 12 sibilings...and it's been one wild ride, that's for sure. My DH and his brothers (and one sister who can hold her own) are all so close; it's wonderful to be a part of that whole dynamic.
I'm glad your kids get that, too. We raised three boys; our son and two of our nephews due to family circumstance. It's waaaaay too quiet around here these days! I miss kids underfoot, but luckily I have 15 nephews and nieces to fill that void. :)
It sounds like you have plenty of children underfoot, even if they're not your offspring!
11 brothers? Your sister-in-law must be tough!
bttt
She's a private Catholic school teacher. You'd better believe she doesn't take cr@p from anyone, LOL! She's tougher than the Nuns. ;)
We have an 80-year-old Sister from a teaching Order at our parish who could chew iron and spit barbed wire, as they say in Texas. I'd rather have another dozen kids at home than be in a school classroom all day - that's real work!
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