EMAIL OF THE DAY

“In response to the “defense of the pill” posting. Under Catholic teaching, it is always permissible to prescribe the pill for non-contraceptive, i.e., medical reasons. And as it turns out, endometriosis is regarded by Catholic natural family (NFP) ob/gyns as the only condition for which the pill is a useful medical treatment. (I am not a physician but did once conduct research into this question.) The objection of Catholic pharmacists is to prescribing it for lifestyle/contraceptive reasons — non-medical reasons. I don’t see why it is so objectionable for Catholic providers to have the right to decline involvement in elective care.
NFP, promoted by the Church, has its medical benefits, too. My charting revealed something a little odd in my cycles and, as it turns, out — hormone testing confirmed that I had a problem (an estrogen dominance). I know of an NFP teacher who discovered a tumor based on the the readings of her client’s NFP chart. Unfortunately, most physicians are too quick to discount the benefits of NFP and put patients on the pill without discovering the underlying problems in cycles.
The problem today is in finding providers respectful of NFP. Visit any ob/gyn office and one is bombarded with contraceptive literature and gimmicks. A friend’s ob/gyn was totally dismissive of her once my friend indicated that she was not wanting to go on the pill but rather was interested in NFP following the birth of her son. There is not a lack of providers and pharmacists willing to distribute the pill. Why not protect the innovative minority ob/gyns and pharmacists who don’t want the pill to be a part of their professional practice?” All fair points. I have a particular fondness for Natural Family Planning, since I am one its unintended consequences. My mother read the calendar the wrong way and – voila! Or as my mom put it to me: ‘You sister was an accident; but you were a mistake.” Awww. More feedback on the Letters Page.