What Is This?

[LaPetiteSoeur]

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/07/should-nuns-be-on-the-pill/?hpt=hp_c3

Thoughts? I can't even begin.

[i<3LSOP]

It's awful. I don't wanna get kicked off of PM so I won't say too much.

Nuns take a vow of chastity for a reason! I think that nuns should not take it at all for any reason. It is gross that CNN would do that.

Edited December 8, 2011 by i<3LSOP

[MargaretTeresa]

I wanted to scream when I saw this. Some people need to be educated on the beliefs and practices of the Catholic church. That is all I shall say. I hope that what I wrote is ok...

[Basilisa Marie]

Well, there's nothing wrong with anyone taking birth control pills for medical reasons, because they aren't being used as birth control - they're being used as medication. But CNN is totally making something out of nothing. If a nun should go on the pill for a legitimate medical reason, her doctor can figure that out.

[i<3LSOP]

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1323309666' post='2347037']
Well, there's nothing wrong with anyone taking birth control pills for medical reasons, because they aren't being used as birth control - they're being used as medication. But CNN is totally making something out of nothing. If a nun should go on the pill for a legitimate medical reason, her doctor can figure that out.
[/quote]


I totally agree. Birth control shouldn't be used as [u]BIRTH CONTROL[/u] it is a medication!

[Sister Marie]

It's a big misunderstanding.

I have a few problems with this whole thing on several levels. The first problem I have is the scientific inaccuracies... but I'm not even going to begin to try to touch that. As a sister what makes me the most upset with this whole article is that it is built upon several false premises:
[list=1]
[*]"Nuns" are just one whole group of women who are exactly the same.
[*]Not having sex = illness
[*]That nuns are ignorant of their health and so need someone else to tell them what to do.
[*]That nuns are so ignorant that they would be unable to prudently and prayerfully make a moral decision about how to care for themselves under the authority of their superiors.
[/list]

[quote name='i<3LSOP' timestamp='1323309284' post='2347034']
It's awful. I don't wanna get kicked off of PM so I won't say too much.

Nuns take a vow of chastity for a reason! I think that nuns should not take it at all for any reason. It is gross that CNN would do that.
[/quote]

I know that this seems like the appropriate response but I would ask you to keep an open mind here because you may find that you are reacting in a way that is not exactly correct. Remember the pill is at the simplest a medication that manipulates hormones. There is absolutely nothing immoral about taking a medication that fixes hormonal imbalances. The problem with the pill is that it 1) is a contraceptive (It can only "contracept" though if one is having sex... obviously nuns are not, therefore no contraception would be occurring) and 2) it is an abortive substance (if one does become pregnant it can cause an abortion.. again, this obviously does not apply to nuns).

I know quite a few sisters who are out of extreme pain due to the effects of this hormone regulating treatment. There is nothing immoral about their use of the pill because there is no chance they will become pregnant and they are not having sex. The "pill" as we know it - has been a terrible destruction of family and society... the actual medicine in there is actually quite useful when used in line with God's plan for the life of woman and is not inherently evil. Contraception is.

[InPersonaChriste]

Birth control can highten the chance of getting cancer (I have a med student filling me in on her studies).


Just saying it shouldn't be that healthy to pump that much estrogen into someone.

Though I guess on another standpoint I know of a person who has to take birth control because the medicated pills she is on need birth control to balance it.

Edited December 8, 2011 by InPersonaChriste

[Sister Marie]

[quote name='InPersonaChriste' timestamp='1323310100' post='2347051']
Birth control can highten the chance of getting cancer (I have a med student filling me in on her studies).


Just saying it shouldn't be that healthy to pump that much estrogen into someone.

Though I guess on another standpoint I know of a person who has to take birth control because the medicated pills she is on need birth control to balance it.
[/quote]

Every medication has side effects and potential risks... I agree with you especially because the article did misrepresent the truth about the medical effects of the pill... but sometimes a risk is worth it when there is something else at work.

I'm on a medication right now that has the [u]risk[/u] of causing kidney failure... the risk of that is better than the definite other option... haha.

I love on the commercials during the news when they show all the medications and they say "Side effects may include... death...." Since when is death a side effect??

[Cherie]

That article is so ridiculous on so many levels.

While it is not sinful for someone to be on the pill for health (ie "therapeutic") reasons, I must admit I do not like the mindset of most doctors, who prescribe the pill as an "easy fix" (or, often just a way to mask symptoms) instead of going further and finding and healing the true cause of the problem. For some women, the pill is their only viable option. But for many, there are other options which would more comprehensively treat the problem and result in avoiding use of the pill. I have worked with an NFP-only practice that has done much good in this regard, and I wish more OB/gyn's would offer that kind of solution. Many just assume it's not a big deal, since over 90% of the female population in the US is on birth control (including, unfortunately, a large number of Catholics)

[MissScripture]

[quote name='Sister Marie' timestamp='1323309979' post='2347048']
It's a big misunderstanding.

I have a few problems with this whole thing on several levels. The first problem I have is the scientific inaccuracies... but I'm not even going to begin to try to touch that. As a sister what makes me the most upset with this whole article is that it is built upon several false premises:
[list=1]
[*]"Nuns" are just one whole group of women who are exactly the same.
[*]Not having sex = illness
[*]That nuns are ignorant of their health and so need someone else to tell them what to do.
[*]That nuns are so ignorant that they would be unable to prudently and prayerfully make a moral decision about how to care for themselves under the authority of their superiors.
[/list]



I know that this seems like the appropriate response but I would ask you to keep an open mind here because you may find that you are reacting in a way that is not exactly correct. Remember the pill is at the simplest a medication that manipulates hormones. There is absolutely nothing immoral about taking a medication that fixes hormonal imbalances. The problem with the pill is that it 1) is a contraceptive (It can only "contracept" though if one is having sex... obviously nuns are not, therefore no contraception would be occurring) and 2) it is an abortive substance (if one does become pregnant it can cause an abortion.. again, this obviously does not apply to nuns).

I know quite a few sisters who are out of extreme pain due to the effects of this hormone regulating treatment. There is nothing immoral about their use of the pill because there is no chance they will become pregnant and they are not having sex. The "pill" as we know it - has been a terrible destruction of family and society... the actual medicine in there is actually quite useful when used in line with God's plan for the life of woman and is not inherently evil. Contraception is.
[/quote]
While it is definitely true that the pill can be legitimately used for medical purposes that have nothing to do with contraception, it is frequently prescribed for those things without further investigation into the cause of the problem. And this results in the symptoms being masked, but it does not really fix the problem, when there are treatments out there that CAN, they just aren't as well known or as promoted as the pill, and I feel bad for anyone who is told that their only option IS the pill without being told of the possibility that other things could be tested and looked into and used as treatment, particularly things with significantly fewer side effects!

[ThyHolyLove]

I have to agree that the premise that all nuns should be on the Pill is a bit ridiculous. Also, citing a study from 1969 doesn't help your credibility. I do have the unique perspective of having been a religious sister who had to take the Pill for medical reasons. Trust me, this is not an easy situation! My doctors tried to use other methods, but the Pill was the only long-term option. I had to appeal to the bishop of the diocese to grant me an exemption in the health insurance plan.

[FutureSister2009]

Our world is going downhill so fast

[MarysLittleFlower]

I read somewhere that the birth control pill actually increases risk of breast cancer.. I think because it increases estrogen levels.

[she_who_is_not]

Note: I'm still really upset about my sister and I'm tired and soporific from the wine so this may be rambly and incoherent. My apologies.

I think it is weird to use the pill as a preventative treatment. There are some legitimate medical uses for oral contraceptives and each woman needs to evaluate the benefits and risks of using it as such. What irritates me about this article is that it seems to should be prescribed as a preventative treatment against some cancers and premenstrual/menstrual discomfort. Pregnancy and menstruation are not diseases that need to be treated, controlled, or prevented. And there are a myriad of studies indicating the different methods of healthful living that may be beneficial in reducing cancer risk. Exercise can help with some menstrual disorders. There is also the potential for researchers and smart medical pharma types to find treatments for cancer, PMS, PMDD, and other menstrual/reproductive disorders that do not fundamentally alter a woman's natural reproductive cycle.

I don't think it is helpful for women when the answer to all our woes is the pill. This great "liberating" device of the twentieth century has really only served to reinforce the status quo. We take the medicine the good doctors prescribe without question. We attempt to conform our bodies to a man's schedule, and contain our emotions in order to approximate the male standard. As women, I think we need to ask more questions. I think we need to do more research. I think we need to learn about our bodies and learn to listen to our bodies and then share our information with one another. Recently, my sister had a pulmonary embolism in her lungs. She is very lucky to be alive. It was caused by the use of oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptives that were prescribed to her due to complications from several failed pregnancies. To be fair to her doctors, they were probably trying to prevent further pain and suffering, however, the cure proved to be much more harmful than the initial problem itself. I don't have a problem with women using the pill for legitimate medical reasons. I do have a problem with women being pressured or bullied into using the pill by medical professionals.

I don't want to accuse the whole medical profession of pimping oral contraceptives onto women. However, it is my opinion that the pill is often prescribed to women by default. A few years ago, I was prescribed a medication and the doctor asked if I was on birth control. When I said no, he told me that I should take it while on the medication because it could cause birth defects in utero. I told him I wasn't married nor was I sexually active. He responded that I should go ahead and take the contraception just in case. I said no. He told me it would help regulate my cycle. Again, I said no. Finally, he told me that the risk that I might get pregnant while on the medication was too high and wrote me a prescription anyway. He said that all single women should be on contraception if not for contraceptive purposes than to help with hormonal regulation. I never filled the prescription.

I don't think that all doctors are like this. In fact, I think this guy was pretty extreme. And yet, I know from conversations with other women that these types of conversations are not uncommon. We need to look out for each other. We need to look out for ourselves. We need to speak up in the doctor's office and the university and the research lab and the board room. We need to write letters to CNN and Newsweek and Cosmo and Vogue. Every medication has side effects and every medication has risks. I still think we can do better than birth control. What if we put everyone who exhibited symptoms of depression on Lithium? Not such a good idea. Thank goodness for SSRIs. I agree that oral contraception is very beneficial as a legitimate medical aid for some women. My problem with this article is that furthers the idea that it is good for most women. We can do better.

[Chiquitunga]

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