Something Controversial

I am at the stage in life when many of my friends are getting married. They are embarking on the next stage of life including the union of two lives into one. They are pursuing the merging of their life with someone else’s; working together to accomplish God’s will for their lives. This is an exciting stage; a new step; almost like a new beginning. It is full of new discoveries, new plans, and new decisions. And this is where it is going to get controversial.

Last semester I had the opportunity to write an extensive research paper for my Marriage and Family Systems class on the topic of birth control options and family planning methods. What I found out was surprising and a little disheartening. In addition, this summer I am completing my internship in order to graduate and I am doing it at an amazing crisis pregnancy and family ministries center. Because of my involvement there I have been involved in various discussions regarding the pill, the shot, and birth control in general. Before I go too far into some of what I have found out about some of these methods of birth control let me preface by saying, I want women on the verge of marriage or even those who have been married for a while to consider their options. I also want men to research with their wives and understand what the different birth control methods involve and what they actually do to a woman’s body and her children. Ok, next I have to confess I feel strongly about this topic. Mostly because I understand it better now, but also because it seems that many people make ill-informed decisions about birth control and how it actually works. So first, I’ll attempt to explain how a couple methods work [briefly] and why they should be reconsidered.

First, the pill. It has a technical name, but nobody knows it by that so we’ll stick with “the pill”. The pill works by thickening the cervical mucous to prevent sperm from traveling to the egg. It also prevents an egg from being released [prevents ovulation]. Lastly, it thins the walls of the uterus so that if an egg is fertilized it is not able to implant into the uterus. The pill accomplishes all of these tasks by releasing additional hormones into the woman’s body. Depending on one’s conviction of when life actually starts would determine whether or not they feel comfortable using the pill. If one believes life starts at fertilization, when the sperm meets the egg, the pill should not be considered an option for birth control. However, if one believes life begins at implantation, when the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus, then since the pill prevents this from happening, they would be comfortable with it. So there you have it.

Next, the Depo shot. The Depo shot prevents the period altogether. It releases additional hormones so that the woman never experiences a period, thus, never ovulates or has a fertile time of her cycle. The Depo shot is often accompanied by very uncomfortable side effects that cause girls not to return for the follow up shots, which put her in the position of being able to get pregnant without realizing it.

The last birth control option I want to share a little bit about is natural family planning through the use of a temperature method. A woman’s temperature fluctuates depending on what part of her cycle she is in. Therefore she should be able to determine when she is fertile depending on her body temperature. This method does not use any additional hormones, it has no side effects, and it doesn’t prevent implantation or mess with your body’s natural cycle. In fact, this is the most natural, and arguably, one of the most foolproof and dependable ways of determining fertility and planning for or preventing pregnancy.

Lastly, I want to share a little bit about early fetal development that I recently learned in my work as an intern at RETA. Within the first 24 hours after fertilization, before implantation occurs, the egg and sperm have joined and are already beginning to divide into different cells and structures. The fetus has already gone through multiple divisions at the time of implantation; in fact, all 46 chromosomes needed for the zygote to continue developing into a fully functioning human being are present at conception/fertilization. Here are a few more highlights of the early development of a baby:

     -Immediately upon conception, cellular development begins. Even before implantation, the genetic identity is complete, including sex, hair color, etc.

     -At 17 days, the new life has developed its own blood cells.

     -At 18-22 days, the child’s heartbeat begins.

     -At 36-42 days, brain waves are measurable. The eyelids, fingers, and joints are all forming.

     -At 50-56 days, all organs are present and the central nervous system begins.

     -At 56 days all organs are functioning. There are lines in the palms. All future development of the new life is simply that of refinement and increase in size (The Love Approach Manual, Heartbeat International).

These are only a few highlights of the first few days and weeks of development, but hopefully it causes you to think and consider what you believe about birth control and conception.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.” Psalm 139:13-15