The Pill

[Guest Curious]

Lately my mom and I have been talking about me going on the pill. See I'm not sure if it is acceptable with in the Catholic teachings if it is used for medical reasons instead of birth control. Can someone clear this up for me?

Thank you--
Curious

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
6/9 - St. Ephrem the Syrian

Curious,

I am unable to give you a direct yes/no answer whether it is permitted for you to go on the pill (as I am not a moral theologian - I'll leave that sort of answer to someone who knows what's going on).

However, I can give you a bit of an insight into what the pill does. Though it may help out with certain health problems, it also causes a number of its own - irritability, mood swings, weight gain, and increased cancer risk, to name a few. Many doctors use the contraceptive pill as an easy way out of a complex problem, and I am sorry that that is the case. However, there is a national list of doctors (one in my hometown in Backwards, Indiana) who work with their patients so that they don't have to prescribe contraceptives - in fact, they simply won't do it, and their patients are not any worse off. In fact, by avoiding irritability, mood swings, weight gain, and the like, it seems that they're better off than the contraceptive users.

I encourage you to post an inquiry on the "NFP 4 U and Me" phorum here to find one of these doctors in your area. If you need any further help, don't hesitate to contact me directly. I hope this helps.

Yours,
Pio Nono