Editorial

The Terrible Legacy of the Pill

Mainstream Media Misrepresents Pill’s Danger
News stories from the mainstream media have been ‘celebrating’ the 50 years of the birth control pill. All of them have touted the tremendous health benefits, even claiming it decreases the risk of ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. In reality studies show the pill increases the risk of cancers of the breast, liver and cervix.
More than twice as many American women die every year from the cancers the pill causes than from cancers it may prevent.

Mainstream journalists unconscionably ignored last year's study on oral contraceptives and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive form of breast cancer associated with a high mortality rate. The study reported that users of the pill within the last one to five years multiply their risk of TNBC -- by 4.2 times. Women who started using the pill before age 18 multiply their risk of TNBC by 3.7 times. Women who had had abortions in the study had a statistically significant 40% increase in risk for breast cancer, whether or not it was TNBC.

Time Magazine stated that one of the world's largest studies of the Pill -- 46,000 women followed for nearly 40 years -- found that women who take the Pill are less likely to die prematurely from any cause, including cancer and heart disease, yet many women still question whether the health risks outweigh the benefits. The truth: Of the 46,000 in the original study, only 10,000 were actually followed for the whole study, and even so, the follow-up for those 10,000 ended in 1996. An analysis shows no significant difference in longevity between pill users and non-users. Not taken into consideration was the fact that most pill users now are very young (teens and early 20s), unmarried and with no children. These are the women whose future risk of breast cancer and other life-shortening illnesses is increased the most by the pill.

The Wall Street Journal ran a lengthy and misleading article, "The Birth Control Riddle" by Melinda Beck, calling the arrival of the birth control pill the "dawn of dependable contraception" which "ignited the sexual revolution, ended the post-war baby boom and helped millions of women enter the work force." Beck's column includes such blatant lies and misrepresentations as claiming the benefits of taking the pill outweigh the risks.

Hopefully, both scientists and journalists dedicated to the cause of reproductive rights will ask themselves in good conscience whether it is really worth causing large numbers of women to undergo radical mastectomy or cut short their lives. Is it really worth causing children to lose their mothers to cancer?

The Facts
In any study focusing on the link to breast cancer it is important to know when women choose to take the pill (or have an abortion). Women in the 1960s took the pill after they had already completed their families. Today, women take the pill before the birth of a first child during the "susceptibility window" - the period between puberty and first full term pregnancy when nearly all of the breast lobules are cancer-susceptible Type one and two lobules. Ninety-seven percent of all breast cancers develop in Type one and two lobules (where ductal and lobular cancers arise).

On the other hand, by the end of the first full term pregnancy, 85 percent of the lobules are permanently cancer-resistant. The more carcinogenic time to be exposed to the pill is before first full - term pregnancy. Abortions before first full-term pregnancy are called "highly carcinogenic."

Dawn of Demonic Deception
Human Life International (HLI) states the pill and the widespread use of other contraceptives in reality ushered in the 'Dawn of Demonic Deception' in America. One need only review some of the bitter fruits of "The Pill" to appreciate why. A Mayo Clinic study said women who use hormonal contraceptives for a minimum of four years prior to their first full term pregnancy have a 52 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer. Women who use a hormonal contraceptive for more then five years are four times more likely to develop cervical cancer.

HLI comments that prior to the sexual revolution and the pill, there were known to be five sexually transmitted diseases: Today there are more than 30 and most of these apply to women only. There are over 50 medical studies which indicate that use of oral contraceptives and Depo-Provera place women at higher risk for almost all known risk factors of HIV.

Alternatives to the Pill
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is not the rhythm method used many years ago. Its advantages over the use of contraception are enormous. It is extremely reliable for preventing pregnancy.

Physically: In comparison to the pill there are no side effects. Used with ecological breast feeding, promotes important bonding and reduces chance of breast cancer.

Social: It costs nothing to use. It is difficult for unmarried to use. Upon learning about NFP, sexually active teenagers often stop being sexually active and cohabitating couples generally either break up or marry.

Relational: Very few NFP marriages end in divorce. ‘Surprise‘ pregnancies are accepted. There is better communication between couples, mutual respect, greater trust. Abstinence can be good for a married couple: it fosters the virtue of self-mastery and generosity, promotes self esteem, creates a courtship period to be followed by a honeymoon, and couples become better lovers. Couples become less materialistic and more open to life.

Spiritual: Couples learn to appreciate the wisdom of the Church. They respect the truth of sexuality and the language of the body. They become cooperators and co-creators with God.

Humanae Vitae
When Pope Paul VI wrote and published the prophetic encyclical Humanae vitae July 30, 1968, over one hundred American bishops and priests objected to it in writing, and the bishops have not recovered since. In this encyclical the Pope prophesized the long- term effects of The Pill. In every country (over 83) where contraception became legalized, abortion followed almost immediately. Then the more subtle destruction of marriage and increase in promiscuity soon became rampant.

As we look around today, we see how accurately Pope Paul VI predicted what would follow if contraception were adopted on a wide scale: a general lowering of moral standards, an increase in infidelity, ever-greater objectification of women, and the use of contraception as a weapon. Smaller and more broken families, rampant homosexuality, pornography, and China's coercive one-child policy are just some of the sad and obvious reminders of Pope Paul's wisdom in reaffirming the Church's perennial teaching against contraception in Humanae vitae.

Father Paul Marx
Father Paul Marx is often called the founder of the Pro-Life Movement. He was a strong advocate of NFP which he sometimes jokingly said meant “Not for Protestants.” He believed that Catholics cannot:1) practice contraception; 2) rarely go to confession; and, 3) routinely receive communion without losing their faith. He stated the biggest problem was the disobedience of many bishops, priests and intellectuals. They felt that Humanae vitae was impossible to follow. Many bishops and priests will not mention contraception in their homilies as they don’t want couples leaving the Church. As Father Marx said, “Guess what? They are leaving the Church because they are contracepting.” If a priest does not talk of contraception, sterilization and Humanae vitae he is destroying his parish.

Father Marx also jokingly said in a talk in 1991 that most of the seminaries should be burned down and rebuilt with emphasis on teaching family life. At that time, no seminaries taught NFP. He said in ten years he had only met one priest who really understood women’s fertility, sperm life and knew about NFP. How many priests hear confession with no knowledge of NFP? We need a spiritual revival. We need prayer. We need training for priests and we need training for couples planning to marry, and this training should include NFP.

Father Marx asked bishops and priests to look at the world as it really exists and ask God for help, then change the world we are living in. We need informed bishops and priests who know their duty, the real world they are living in and how to teach and preach.

Father Marx was also prophetic, predicting the coming of chemical abortions and the near elimination of surgical abortions. This will end pro-life counseling at abortion clinics due to the increase of in-home abortions. In just this past month, 20 years later, we are reading about a new “morning after pill” and the remote dispensation of chemical abortion pills by abortionists. Father predicted the abortion industry would work on sex education as their next objective, and you have seen the results in our schools. He also stated that a civilization that accepts killing a baby before it is born will accept euthanasia, and you will see this in the coming government-provided “health care.”

Jim Fritz

For more information on Natural Family Planning go to www.fertilitycare.org, www.creightonmodel.com, www.aafcp.org, and www.popepaulvi.com.