Humanae Vitae and Contraception
in the U.S.: A Message of Mercy
Marilyn A. D. Yee, B.S., Pharm.D.
Why this message now?
• At that time, Jesus said to His disciples:
Nothing is covered that shall not be revealed:
nor hid that shall not be known. That which I
tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light: and
that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon
the housetops. And fear ye not them that kill the
soul; but rather fear him that can destroy both
soul and body in hell. - Mt. 10:26-32
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Discussion points
How contra-ception got started in U.S.
Church and Papal teachings of Marriage, the
Human Person, the Author of Life and Family
Beginning of life - - by the numbers
Contra-ceptives
 How they work
 Effectiveness
 Side effects, warnings & adverse effects
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Discussion Points
Humanae Vitae
• Purpose
• Prophetic statements
Discussion Points
Contraception 50 years later
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Contraception/Abortion link
Abortion levels
Consumers’ health
$$ and cents
Population effect
Divorce rate
Discussion Points
• Support
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Natural Family Planning (NFP)
Retreats
Books
Prayer
MERCY
Love coping with evil.
- Venerable Fr. John Hardon
How contra-ception began in U.S.
• Malthus (1766-1834) – “…arable land area of
earth severely limits food production and this
limit is the determining factor of people the
earth can support.”
“The poor must delay their ages of marriage. Poor
relief disrupts the laws of nature which wants the
selection of the fit and the elimination of others.”
• Darwin – Theory of Natural Selection
How contra-ception began in U.S.
• Galton (1822-1911) – Founder of Eugenics =
Malthusianism + Social Darwinism
▫ Goal: to give “more suitable races or strains of blood a
better chance of prevailing speedily over the less suitable…”
• Ramifications of Malthusianism
▫ Neo-Malthusianism – Margaret Sanger (1883-1966) –
Founder, Planned Parenthood in U.S.
 “In sexual intercourse pleasure is the good and children are the
risk or even the evil to be avoided. Other persons are
interesting insofar as they procure me pleasure or profit.
Therefore, marriage is rejected, ‘free love’ is extolled.”
How contra-ception began in U.S.
• Ramifications of Malthusianism
▫ Organicism – Herbert Spence (1820-1903)
 “Human society is a body whose members have different
worth seen in utilitarian terms or as to their dignity. It is
inadmissable that the less endowed should do harm to
the whole species. Therefore it is necessary to help the
process of natural selection.
 Galton would add, “The selection had to be artificial.
Doctors would have a primary role to play in
Eugenics.”
▫ Environmentalism – Malthus
How contra-ception began in U.S.
• Sanger & other eugenecists late 19th C. – early
20th C.
▫ Newsletters
▫ Reproductive “health” centers
▫ Ministers
Church and Papal teachings – Marriage
• Vatican opposition, 1930 Pope Pius XI’s Castii
Connubii
Holy Matrimony is the principle and foundation
of domestic society and therefore of all (sexual)
intercourse - - conjugal act - - of which the desired
fruits are children.
Church and Papal teachings - Marriage
• Vatican opposition from PPXI’s Castii Connubii,
continued
Conjugal love (love shared between husband
and wife united in Holy Matrimony) exists to
unite them in holiness (unitive) and make them
co-creators of life with Him (procreative).
Church and Papal teachings - Marriage
• Vatican opposition from PPXI’s Castii Connubii,
continued
Any thing, including abortion or
contraception that frustrates the natural power
and purpose of the conjugal act deteriorates
conjugal love and undermines the Sacrament of
Matrimony.
Church and Papal teachings – Author of
Life and Human Beings
• I am the first and I am the last. Isaiah 44:6
• Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
▫ As Supreme Being, God is the Author of Life.
Creation is the beginning and the foundation of all
God’s works. All of His creatures exist and are
ordered to His Glory but man is the summit of the
Creator’s work.
Church and Papal teachings – Author of
Life and Human Beings
• The human being, of all creatures, God created
in His Image. Genesis 1:27
• The Almighty uniquely created human beings to
have a physical body, intellect, free will and an
immortal soul. We share this spiritual
dimension, our immortal soul, with God who is
Spirit.
• Our soul is created by God and infused into our
body at the moment of conception. - CCC
Church and Papal teachings – Author of
Life and Human Beings
• Therefore, human life is sacred and it remains
forever in a special relationship with the Creator,
who is its sole end.
• So that man would not be alone God created
woman. Genesis 1:28
• Man and woman, though different physically
were created with equal dignity in God’s Image.
• In His infinite wisdom He created man and
woman to compliment one another.
Church and Papal teachings – Author of
Life and human beings
• Sexuality, a gift from God, which affects all
aspects of the human person concerns especially
our capacity to love and to procreate.
• Our sexuality deepens our understanding of one
another drawing us closer in communion.
• The virtue of chastity brings in union our gift of
sexuality within the person.
Church and Papal teachings – Author of
Life and human beings
• Living chastely involves…
▫ Understanding of self
▫ Faithfulness to prayer
▫ Obedience to God’s Commandments
▫ Living a virtuous life = self-control, self-mastery
… so as to avoid all acts or thoughts not in
accordance with Church teaching about the use of
our reproductive powers.
Beginning of life – by the numbers 1=ovulation 2=sperm
release 3=fertilization/conception 4=embryo implants
Two female chemical regulators
(hormones)
Estrogen
Progesterone
• Largely made by ovaries
• Regulates monthly cycle,
including menses
• Dominant hormone from
around 8 weeks of pregnancy
• Largely made by ovaries
• Regulates changes in uterus to
accept embryo
• Dominant hormone when
become pregnant up to around
8 weeks
How contra-ception began in U.S.
• The diethylstilbestrol (DES) story
▫ Man-made, estrogen-like drug, 1940’s
▫ First used to stimulate livestock growth
▫ Marketed to U.S. women 1940 – 1970 to prevent
spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)
▫ “Primum, Nil Nocere” = First do no harm
▫ Withdrawn from market – 2x rate increase breast
& cervical cancers; large number irregular findings
urinary & reproductive tracts in DES offspring
How contra-ception began in U.S.
• Eugenecists collaborate with drug companies
• First oral contra-ceptive developed during early
1950’s
▫ Clinically tested in Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, &
Los Angeles latter 1950’s
▫ High dose estrogen, Enovid, approved 1961
How contra-ception began in U.S.
• Enovid approved by FDA but held up in courts
for availability until 1965 and 1972
• In 1965 American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists changed definition of
pregnancy long held since Hippocrates (5 B.C.)
from “conception” to “…implantation of the
embryo into the uterus.”
Contraceptives – how they work
• Barrier Methods
• Hormonal
Contraceptives – how they work
• Barrier methods block sperm from fertilizing
egg; prohibit conception
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Spermicide
Diaphragm
Cervical cap
Female condom
Male condom
Intrauterine device (IUD) - copper
Female sterilization or male sterilization
Contraceptives – how they work
• Effectiveness – barrier methods
▫ The “human” factor
 “Perfect use” vs “typical use”
 Do not understand package directions
 Forget to take
 Come up with own way to take medication
Refer to handouts 1 & 2
Side effects and disadvantages –
barrier contraceptives
• Side effects
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allergies,
infections
irritations,
reduced sexual desire
(sterilization)
cramping,
backaches
leg pain or soreness
weight loss or gain
nervousness
anemia
slowed heart rate or fainting
with insertion
irregular or no menses
breakage (IUD)
• Disadvantages
 Little to no protection
against sexually
transmitted diseases
(STDs) including HIV
 must be placed by M.D.
(diaphragm & IUD)
 may become damaged or
removed during sexual
intercourse
Warnings and adverse reactions –
barrier contraceptives
• IUD
▫ copper toxicity
▫ ectopic pregnancy,
▫ pelvic infection often leads to
infertility or sterility
especially in women who
have not had children or wish
to have them later
▫ embedment of IUD
• IUD continued
▫ torn uterus, bladder, small or
large intestine, appendix or
cervix
▫ future miscarriages
▫ cysts
▫ blood infection leading to
shock
Contraceptives
• Hormonal – estrogen/progestin combination,
progestin only
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The Pill – oral contraceptive
Contraceptive patch
Vaginal Ring
Injection
Intrauterine device (IUD) – hormonal
The “Morning After” Pill = Emergency Contraception
= Plan B
▫ Implant
▫ RU-486 = The “French” abortion pill plus misoprostol
▫ Ella
Hormonal contraceptives
Hormonal contraceptives – each works
one or more ways
• Block ovulation – hormonal release of egg from
ovary
• Thickening of cervical mucus making it difficult
for sperm to reach egg
• IUD may detach sperm tail from head
• Slow embryo travel through fallopian tube
• Block inner lining of uterus from normal
development to receive 5-7 day old embryo
Hormonal contraceptives –
effectiveness, refer to handout 1
Side effects – hormonal contraceptives
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nausea
breast tenderness
increased blood pressure
headache
breakthrough or irregular
bleeding
• fatigue
• mood changes
• osteoporosis, abdominal pain,
nervousness, depression
(Depo-Provera injection)
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increased appetite
weight gain
acne
oily skin
more hair growth
more LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
less HDL cholesterol (“good”
cholesterol)
• weakness or fatigue
Disadvantages – hormonal
contraceptives
• Cost
• easy to forget once, twice or
more during cycle
• if forget requires another
method of contraceptive
(usually barrier)
• no protection from STDs
• immune system (infection
fighting part of body) always
weakened - -> increase
chances bacterial or viral
infections
• Constant state of pregnancy so
feel this way, e.g., nausea,
vomiting, spotting, breast
tenderness, weight gain
• several common drug
interactions which can lower
effectiveness of oral birth
control, e.g., anti-epilepsy, all
antibiotics, some anti-fungals,
some anti-depressants, and
others
Warnings and adverse reactions –
hormonal contraceptives
• Risk of breast, uterine &
cervical cancer
• Low dose estrogen may
cause breakthrough
ovulation which can lead
to an abortion
• More blood clots may lead
to stroke, deep vein
thrombosis (DVT) or
death
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Cysts on ovary (IUD)
• Embedment of IUD
• May cause sterility or
infertility
Chemical abortions per year – U.S.
• Estimate based upon 2007 hormonal contraceptive
use (oral contraceptives, IUD, implant, injection)
• 82 million chemical abortions each year
Between 1965-2007, an estimated 2.2 billion
chemical abortions have occurred in U.S.
Clowes, B. Ph.D. Facts of Life: Chapter 19: U.S. Abortion Statistics: The Number of
Surgical Abortions that have Been Committed in the U.S.
RU-486 with misoprostol – warnings &
adverse reactions
• Intense cramping and contractions mimic real
labor
• Extreme bleeding possibly leading to death
• Prolonged bleeding – reports up to 90 days
• One in 12 failure rate leading to surgical
abortion
• If baby survives abortion very high risk for
mental/physical birth defects
• Life-threatening infections
Warnings and adverse reactions –
hormonal contraceptives
• Oral contraceptives
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Liver cancer
Gall bladder disease
Endometriosis
Fibroids in uterus
Migraines
Mental depression
Cycle irregularities
Vaginal bleeding
Catholic Church teaching –
contraceptives
• The practice of contraception, apart from any regrettable
circumstances associated with its use, is and of itself,
evil. This is because contraceptive intercourse
deliberately acts against the basic human good of
procreation, a good that, by God’s arrangement, is meant
to be fostered or respected in every engagement in or
abstention from marital intercourse. Furthermore, in
the case of a birth control drug that is also an
abortifacient, the destruction of the basic good of human
life is risked as well.
Mirkes, R.: The Norplant Debate: A Rebuttal. Ethics and Medics. Pope John Center
Braintree, Massachusetts, 4:1, April 1991.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of
the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from
God, and that you are not your own? For you
have been purchased at a price. Therefore,
glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Pope Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae, 1968
• Purpose
 Natural Law engraved and written in the soul of each and every man, because it is
human reason ordaining him to do good and forbidding him to sin
 Catholic teaching on life, love & human sexuality
 Responsible parenthood within marriage for the benefit of children & holiness of
couple
 Restore understanding of totality of women, e.g., dignity, respect, nurturing,
reproducing role
▫ address so-called need for population control
Church and Papal teachings – family
• CCC
▫ Christ chose to be born and grow up in the bosom
of the Holy Family of Joseph and Mary. The
Church is nothing other than “the family of God.”
▫ “A man and a woman united in marriage, together
with their children, form a family.”
▫ “The family is the original cell of social life.”
Church and Papal teachings - family
• CCC
▫ “The importance of the family for the life and wellbeing of society entails a particular responsibility
for society to support and strengthen marriage
and the family. Civil authority should consider it a
grave duty “to acknowledge the true nature of
marriage and the family, to protect and foster
them, to safeguard public morality, and promote
domestic prosperity.”
Pope Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae, 1968
• PPVI’s Prophetic statements – consequences of
life lived outside Catholic teaching.
▫ Contraception would lead to
 conjugal infidelity
 a general lowering of morality
 men ceasing to respect women in their totality
leading to women treated as “mere instruments of
selfish enjoyment” rather than cherished partners
 a massive imposition of contraception by
unscrupulous governments
Contraceptive impact today - U.S.
• Divorce rate within marriages using
contraception
▫ 80% of marriages use contraception of which 5060% end in divorce
• Population effect
▫ Replacement level fertility (RLF) = necessary for
maintenance of stable population numbers of
youth to elderly in a society
▫ U.S. RLF = 1.99. Minimum RLF = 2.1
Contraceptive impact today - U.S.
• $$ and cents
▫ Contraceptives – barrier & hormonal = $7 billion industry
annually based upon 2007 figures
• Consumers’ health
▫ More than 65 million infected with STDs
 19.5 million new infections each year
 Now 25 more STDs than 1950’s (5)
▫ Breast cancer
 Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) = aggressive with high death
rate
 If start oral contraceptives before age 18  3.7 times risk of TNBC
 If recent users oral contraceptives in past five years  4.2 times
risk of TNBC
Contraceptive impact today – U.S.
• Teen pregnancy rate
▫ 750,000 annually still sky high despite slight
decline after abstinence use under Bush
• Abortion numbers annually
▫ Over 1.3million surgical abortions
▫ 60% of women have abortions because of failed
contraception
Contraceptive impact today – U.S.
• Emotional impact
▫ Mothers are more unhappy today than ever before. Why? If the pill
made motherhood “better,” then one would expect that mothers would
be happier now than they were in 1972 before the birth rate fell
dramatically as contraception use expanded. Instead, as between 1972
and 2006, the happiness of U.S. mothers fell just as dramatically. Wharton School of Business
▫ need for post-contraception counseling due to Post Abortion Syndrome
• Ella makes 100 oral contraceptives
WHY?
Contraception/Abortion link – Janet
Smith, J.D. and Ethicist
• Contraceptive mentality – 3-1/2 decades
▫ More contraceptives prevent abortions
▫ Freedom depends upon my way of thinking
▫ Abortion used as back-up in case contraception
fails
▫ Sex for casual relationship “in”
▫ Planned Parenthood founders – men/women
animals, cannot control passions
St. Paul to Timothy
• For there shall be a time when they will not
endure sound doctrine but according to their
own desires they will heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears, and will indeed
turn away their hearing from the truth, but will
be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant,
labor in all things, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill the ministry. - II Tim. 4:1-8
Support
• Natural Family Planning
▫ Natural method of birth control without drug use
▫ Dependent upon woman’s fertility biomarkers
▫ Inexpensive & highly effective (99.6%) for achieving or
avoiding pregnancy
• Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats
▫ Provide post-abortion/post-contraception counseling
• Books - Bibliography
• Prayer
Mercy
• My truth and My mercy shall be with him: and
in My name shall his horn be exalted. - Ps.
88:25
• Mankind will not have peace until it turns with
trust to My mercy. Diary, 300 of St. Maria
Faustina, Apostle of Mercy
• Popes JPII & Benedict XVI gave us “mandates”
to “go forth & be witnesses of God’s mercy.”