Recently we received a call from a man who inquired if we hadanything we could send him on birth control. He and his wife werediscussing the subject, and he was looking for information whichcould clear up the matter. It so happens that in 1986 wepublished a booklet entitled "Family Planning and God'sWord." We have decided to reprint the portion of thatbooklet which deals with birth control methods.
There are tremendous pressures upon couples today to practicesome form of family planning. Only a few decades ago most couplesgave little thought to the matter, but this is no longer thecase. Also in the last few decades there has been a tremendousincrease in the methods of birth control available, thus makingfamily planning easier.
It is not our intention to address the question of familyplanning in general. What we desire to do with this article isdemonstrate how the various methods of birth control work and toshow that there are some forms which no Christian should use.Beyond that, we believe the decision to practice birth control isa personal matter.
BIRTH CONTROL METHODS CHRISTIANS
SHOULD NOT USE
We have said that family planning is not something to which wecan give a simple "yes" or "no" answer. Inmany aspects it is something that each couple must decide alonebefore God. Yet at the same time, there are several forms ofbirth control which are clearly condemned by Scripture and whichtherefore a Christian is not free to use.
In the following section we will discuss abstinence, abortion,and some kinds of birth control devices--the IUD, certain birthcontrol pills, and the new anti-progesterone pill (RU-486).
ABSTINENCE IS NOT A PROPER FORM OF BIRTH CONTROL
"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency." (1 Corinthians 7:1-5)
If a couple decides family planning is God's will for them,the question of method still must be answered. What aboutabstinence? Some decide to abstain from sexual relations in orderto avoid conception. The New Testament does not allow such anarrangement on a long-term basis. In I Corinthians 7 the ApostlePaul says that one purpose for marriage is to protect men andwomen from fornication. In marriage, couples are entirely free tosatisfy themselves. There is nothing unspiritual about relationsbetween marriage partners.
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled... " (Hebrews 13:4)
"Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love." (Proverbs 5:15-19)
Abstinence within marriage is not good. It is dangerous! Itis, in fact, disobedience to God's Word. The Bible commandsChristian couples not to defraud one another sexually.
"Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not authority over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not authority over his body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other ..." (1 Corinthians 7:3-5)
The husband is responsible to satisfy the wife's physicalneeds; she is responsible to satisfy his. The only exception isfor the purpose of fasting and prayer, and this is only to be fora time--not a permanent or long-range agreement, but a temporaryone for special periods of concentrated prayer. Any otherabstinence brings increased danger of Satan using the naturaldesires of the flesh to create situations of temptation.
" ... except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency [lack of self control]." (1 Corinthians 7:5)
Thus, except for brief periods agreed upon by husband and wifefor prayer and fasting, abstinence is not to be used as a birthcontrol method.
ABORTION IS NOT A PROPER METHOD OF BIRTH CONTROL
"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? YEA...." (Isaiah 49:15)
It is almost strange that in speaking to Christians aboutfamily planning, we would have to deal with the matter ofabortion being morally wrong. But the fact is that many largeChristian denominations today support "pro- choice."Many Christian leaders are not giving a sure warning against thisgreat evil. In fact, some who call themselves evangelical arebeginning to support abortion for some cases. For example,Intervarsity Press published a book in 1985 calledBrave NewPeopleby Gareth Jones. Consider some quotes from this book--
"If abortion is contemplated, a reasonable decision will take into account the fetus, and also the parents and siblings" (p. 157).
"In this instance it has to be decided whether abortion will benefit the fetus" (p. 158).
"No biblical passage speaks of humans possessing personhood before birth" (p. 169).
"I am prepared to admit there may be circumstances where, very regretfully, even Christians may have to contemplate an abortion" (p. 173).
"Unfortunately, some families cannot cope with such a challenge, and a compromise must be reluctantly adopted, namely, termination of the pregnancy [abortion] ... God's love for the weak ... requires comparable concern for the abnormal and for those likely to be rejected by society" (p. 179).
Because of pressure from various sides Intervarsity stoppeddistributing the book. But it has already been published byanother Christian publisher, Eerdmans, and is supported by manywho claim to be evangelical Christians.
LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION
For the Bible-believer there can be no doubt on this issue.Scripture tells us that human life begins at conception. Themoment the sperm unites with the egg, a brand new human life hasbegun. Many say it is not possible to know exactly when theembryo becomes fully human; thus it should be called a child. TheBible leaves no such confusion. Consider the following:
"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did mymother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5)
In Psalm 51 David is showing his repentance for the adulterywith Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. In verse five heacknowledges that he was sinful from the moment of conception.This is reaffirmed by the Apostle Paul in Romans5:12--"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that allhave sinned." Ever since Adam and Eve rebelled against God,their fallen nature has been passed on from generation togeneration through the father's seed.
But notice that David spoke of himself in a personal way evenwhen considering his conception. He said I was shapen ininiquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. It was Davidhimself who was conceived.
"Thou has covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ... My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." (Psalm 139:13-16)
For Bible-believers, this amazing passage leaves no questionwhatsoever regarding whether or not an embryo is a real humanchild. The writer, David, says that it was God that formed him inthe womb of his mother and that God knew all about him even whilehe was growing from conception--before his little heart startedbeating at three weeks after conception, before the little budsof arms and legs appeared at four weeks after conception, beforehis little brain divided into two sections at five weeks afterconception, before his eyes took shape at six weeks afterconception--"when as yet there was none of them," Godknew him. The impregnated egg in the womb of David's mother's wasonly a tiny, microscopic-size thing, but that impregnated egg wasknown by God as David, the future king of Israel andgreat-great-grandfather of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We see that when an impregnated egg is cut off in some way sothat it dies, the death of a distinct individual human being hastaken place. It is true that many eggs for various reasonsnaturally fail to become attached to the mother's uterine wallafter impregnation and do not therefore mature to birth. But manhas nothing to do with that. It is the same with life afterbirth. Men die in many ways, natural and unnatural. Often thatcannot be stopped. But if someone takes a knife or a poison andends the life of an individual, it is murder. If the murdererargues that the one he has killed would die anyway, or thatpeople die every day so we should not be so concerned, hisargument would not be acceptable. He has murdered a human beingand will be punished. Likewise, if someone stops the growth of atiny embryo though drugs or some other way, that person haskilled a tiny individual already known by God.
"If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." (Exodus 21:22-25)
Note that the Bible says the woman's unborn fruit is a CHILD.God calls it a child, and if that unborn child is hurt, Godrequired that the one who caused the hurt to be punished.
"As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all." (Ecclesiastes 11:5)
Again, the Bible says the tiny, unborn creature growing in thewomb of a woman is a CHILD. It is not a blob of protoplasm, or athing, or an undeveloped human. It is a child even while thelittle bones are being formed.
"Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name ... And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant...." (Isaiah 49:1,5)
"Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." (Jeremiah 1:4,5)
The passage in Isaiah refers prophetically to the Lord JesusChrist, and possibly also refers to Isaiah himself. The similarpassage in Jeremiah speaks of the prophet's relationship with Godbefore his birth. Notice again that we see that God called themeven before they were born, and it was God who formed them in thewomb of their mothers. Those who interfere with the process ofgrowth after the mother's egg has been fertilized are interferingwith God's work of forming a human being that is known of God.This is a very serious matter.
If we asked Isaiah's mother or Jeremiah's mother what was intheir wombs, they would have answered, had they known theprophecies which were to follow, "This is Isaiah,""This is Jeremiah." Regarding the Lord Jesus Christ,the Bible leaves no question whatsoever. "Now the birth ofJesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary wasespoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found withchild of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 1:18). Later the angeltold Joseph that the child's name would be Jesus and "thatwhich is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew1:20,21).
As soon as Mary conceived her firstborn son by thesupernatural power of the Holy Spirit, He was called a CHILD. Andthis was at the very earliest stages of the process of growth inthe womb.
"...and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." (Luke 1:15)
It is true that John the Baptist was no ordinary child, butthe fact that he was filled with the Holy Ghost even before hisbirth proves clearly that he was fully a human being. If anyonehad aborted that little being in Elisabeth's womb, that one wouldhave been the murderer of John the Baptist.
"And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the babeleaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the HolyGhost." (Luke 1:41)
This passage shows from the Bible's side what even medicaldoctors are discovering--that the unborn infant is aware ofthings outside the womb and responds to them. In this case, theunborn baby was John the Baptist. Remember that he was alreadyfilled with the Holy Spirit, and he knew of the situation whichwas happening outside the womb when the mother of his Lord andSavior met his own mother, Elizabeth. Notice, too, that theunborn one here is called a BABE.
With these Scripture references before us we have but twochoices--we can reject the Bible and its teaching or we canacknowledge that the fertilized egg is a tiny human being, knownby God, and the mysterious and marvelous growth which will occurduring its nine months in the womb is the direct process of Godworking to form that baby according to His own plan and purpose.Any time, therefore, someone interferes with the growth of anembryo he is committing murder.
BIRTH CONTROL PILLS AND IUDS ARE NOT PROPER METHODS OFBIRTH CONTROL
Having considered abstinence and abortion, there are yet someother birth control methods which, when considered in light ofBible teaching, are forbidden to Christians. In brief, any methodof birth control which cuts off the growth of the alreadyfertilized egg is a form of abortion and is therefore murder. Wehave seen that according to the God's Word the human life beginsat conception--at the moment when the male sperm joins with themother's egg. At that time a new and unique human life begins itseternal journey, having become a living soul through themysterious working of Almighty God. We have seen that the Bibleteaches this. Not all modern scientists would agree that thenewly conceived embryo is a human being at that point in time,but all agree that it is a new and unique life which has begunits explosive growth toward full development.
Scientists also know that a new human life begins atconception (fertilization). In an excellent book entitledThePosition of Modern Science on the Beginning of Human Life(copyright 1975, Scientists for Life) we read this brilliantlysimple and clear explanation on page 15--
"When did your life begin?" The answer to this question can be phrased simply by going backward in time. Before you were an adult, you were an adolescent, and before that a child, and before that an infant. Before you were an infant--i.e., before you were born--you were a fetus, and before that an embryo. Before you were an embryo, around the time of your implantation, you were a blastocyst, and before that a morula, and before than a zygote or fertilized ovum. However, you were never a sperm or an unfertilized ovum. Therefore, while life is continuous, your life began when the nucleus of your father's sperm fused with the nucleus of your mother's ovum, or at fertilization. [The Christian News(Jan. 13, 1986), p. 8]
Because of newly discovered methods of research such as theelectron microscope, scientists can now observe the tiny cellsand genes which make up a living body. They have actuallyobserved the formation of the human being from the time the genesof the mother and father are united. Consider the followingdescription of what happens during the first few weeks afterconception:
"In the [first seven weeks] the cells perform their most intricate maneuvers, arranging into patterns that give the embryo its human form. Toward the end of the third week a gutterlike groove in the back folds into a neural tube--the future nervous system. As the tube closes, the brain takes shape, already differentiating into hind-, mid- and forebrain. The five-week embryo, ONLY ONE-THIRD OF AN INCH LONG, is a marvel of miniaturization: limb buds are sending out shoots whose dimples mark the nascent [beginning to form] hands and feet, and the hindbrain has grown stalked eye cups. By the seventh and eighth weeks, the embryo's face looks human, limbs hinge on joints, hands splay into fingers and primitive external genitals appear ... After eight weeks almost all of the internal organs are in place and the embryo, SCARCELY AN INCH LONG, looks like a tiny person.
"At this point [eight weeks after conception!], 95 percent of the known structures, features and organs, from tiny nerves to fingers and muscles, are there," says Dr. Ronan O'Rahilly, an embryologist at the University of California at Davis(Newsweek, Jan. 11, 1982, p. 37).
THREE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
In thinking about birth control methods, it is important tounderstand something about this process whereby the mother's eggis fertilized and then grows into a fully developed child.
The process can be divided into three stages--1)Fertilization, 2) Implantation, 3) Growth.
InFERTILIZATION, the father's sperm penetrates themother's egg. This happens in the mother's uterine tube near thewomb. It is at that point in time that the genes of the motherand father are joined to make the new human life of theiroffspring. At this stage the developing child is called inmedical terms a "zygote," which is a Greek word meaning"yoked together."
Next the tiny, growing person continues its travel to theuterus where it becomes attached to the uterine wall. This isIMPLANTATIONand occurs between day 5 and 8 and is completed by day 9 or 10 (TheMerck Manual, Fourteenth Edition, p. 1708).
The developing child is now called an "embryo,"which is from a Greek word meaning "to swell." That's avery good term, because the cells of this newly created littlebeing are multiplying at a breathtaking rate. For a very shorttime the developing embryo draws its sustenance directly from theuterus until the placenta and umbilical cord are developed.
After this, nothing is left butGROWTHas the baby'sbody rapidly forms. After approximately eight weeks the child iscalled by the medical term "fetus," which is from theLatin word meaning "offspring."
The "incredibly intricate and beautiful process ofconception" is described by a medical doctor as follows--
"First, there is the ovary, deep within the body, that, propelled by some unknown force, turns once a month towards the funnel-like opening at the end of the fallopian tube. On the surface of the ovary is a tiny bubble, a blister, that contains the one egg that alone, for some mysterious reason, has emerged from a field of 250,000 to ripen that month.
"Suddenly the bubble bursts. Triggered by a surge of luteinizing hormone, an eloquent chemical messenger from the brain, the ovary contracts sharply and the ripe egg bursts forth. The fringed projections at the end of the fallopian tube reach out like fingers to grasp the ovum [egg] and draw it into the narrow tunnel of the tube. In a dreamlike, slow-motion ballet, thousands of tiny, undulating cilia caress the ripening egg and gently move it along on its four-inch, four-day journey to the womb.
"Guided by a direction-finding mechanism whose nature we can only guess at, the sperm swim up past the barrier of the cervix, into the womb itself. They must then navigate the entire length of the uterus and swim into the narrow upper reaches of the dark fallopian tube to meet and fertilize the egg.
"The process is precisely orchestrated, the co- ordination of the myriad of biologic details staggeringly complex. It is, for instance, only at this time of the month that mucus produced by her cervix will allow sperm to pass through the cervix and into the womb. At other times of the month, the molecules of the mucus form a crosshatched pattern to block the sperm lest they reach an egg too young or too old to be properly fertilized, thus producing a deformed baby. At the right moment, though, the molecules of the mucus realign themselves, forming microscopic tunnels to aid the sperm on their journey.
"The biochemical communications system that orchestrates all this is so sophisticated that it makes the technology of beaming planetwide transmissions off orbiting satellites look like child's play. When the sperm finally meet the egg, they secrete a series of enzymes that soften the outer shell of the egg and make it permeable. Meanwhile, other chemicals secreted in the tube have completed the ripening of the egg so it is ready to accept the sperm that has managed to permeate the outer shell. The sperm and ovum lock genetic arms, a mating of a still more complex biochemistry, and the mingled DNA and RNA of the mother and father create a blueprint from which a unique human being will grow.
"Once fertilized, the egg completes its journey down into the uterus. The uterus, notified of the impending pregnancy through an elaborate chemical communications system, has grown thick and rich" (Woman/Doctor: The Education of Jane Patterson, M.D., New York: Avon Books, 1983).
As we have said, any process whereby we interfere purposefullyand knowingly to stop the growth of the fertilized egg, which isalready a newly created, unique human being, is abortion. If thefertilized egg is not allowed to implant in the uterus, it isbeing killed. The only difference between this and a laterabortion is the size and stage of development of the tiny humanoffspring.
BIRTH CONTROL METHODS THAT RESULT INABORTION
Many of our readers will probably be thinking, as we did notlong ago, that birth control pills and similar devices act toPROHIBIT fertilization. Actually, as we will see from medicallyproven facts, birth control pills have the potential to producean abortion AFTER fertilization. The IUD, birth control pills andthe new anti-progesterone pill are actually abortion devices,since they prohibit implantation, thereby acting to destroy thealready-living, rapidly developing, microscopic embryo.
In an article entitled "Contraceptives: On Hold" inthe May 5, 1986 issue ofNewsweek, several types of birthcontrol devices are discussed which are still in the developmentstage. After describing one drug which blocks the preparation ofthe uterus for the implantation of an already fertilized egg,this statement is made: "Many experts believe that thepresent anti- abortion climate would make it an unlikely prospectfor the U.S. market, SINCE, IN EFFECT, IT INDUCES ANABORTION."
That birth control drugs can produce early abortions of thenewly fertilized egg is therefore a fact known and acknowledgedby those who understand how the drugs work. Yet these facts arenot widely known outside of medical circles, and many areignorant of these things. It is hoped that the following willreceive a wide hearing.
The following shocking material was published by Lutherans forLife. The medical facts are written by J.C. Willke, M.D.,Chairman of the National Right to Life Committee in America.
The I.U.D.
What is the mechanism of action of the IUD? It would seem atthis time that medical opinion has crystallized to a nearunanimity. The presence of this foreign body within the cavity ofthe uterus produces a foreign body reaction. This is a local,sterile (usually), inflammatory reaction, which alters the normalbody fluids within the uterus. It changes what had been afriendly environment, for the migration of sperm and thesubsequent implantation of the new human being, to an unfriendlyenvironment. Some have described the intrauterine fluid producedas containing "sterile pus." This unfriendly fluidenvironment can have an influence on the sperm migrating into theuterus and tubes, and quite clearly does have an influence onlater implantation.
Not too much has been said or written to indicate that thesperm are incapacitated in their passage through the uterus, forif they were, fertilization could not occur. Most of the researchdone tells us the same thing. A substantial number of sperm dopass through the uterine cavity, proceed out to the ovary, andFERTILIZATION CAN AND DOES OCCUR.
What is quite plain is that, following fertilization, theprocess does not proceed to a normally implanted pregnancy. Whatare the mechanisms postulated as to why she does not "getpregnant"? Overwhelmingly, almost all medical studies havedemonstrated various mechanisms that prevent implantation intothe nutrient lining of the womb, due to the foreign body andinflammatory reaction caused by the IUD. The end result, however,in almost every case, when fertilization does occur (anoccasional pregnancy is carried to full term and delivery withthe IUD still in the uterus), IT IS FOLLOWED BY A PROCESS THATENDS IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DEVELOPING NEW HUMAN IN THE UTERUSTHROUGH HIS OR HER INABILITY TO IMPLANT. THIS CAN BE ACCURATELYDESCRIBED AS AN ABORTION. CLEARLY, ALMOST ALL CURRENT EVIDENCEINDICATES THAT THE IUD'S MAJOR EFFECT IS TO ACT TO PREVENTIMPLANTATION.
The fact that it is described as a "contraceptive"agent is because of a change in the meaning of words by the Foodand Drug Administration and the American College of Obstetricsand Gynecology a decade ago, when they redefined the word"conception" to mean implantation. Under these semanticgymnastics it is a "contraceptive," but everyonefamiliar with the function understands thoroughly that its actionis that of an abortifacient.
One other relevant medical comment should be made. In alllikelihood, the IUD possibly could be withdrawn from the marketwithin a reasonable period of time for it has serious sideeffects. The "sterile pus" mentioned above does notalways remain sterile. At times it becomes infected, resulting invarying degrees of inflammation of the female organs and at timessterility. All practicing physicians in the United States werenotified several years ago, if they were to insert one specifictype of IUD, the Dalcon Shield, into a woman, that it was theirlegal obligation to inform her that this might make herpermanently sterile. To protect from a possible later malpracticesuit, such consent should be in writing. In the face of suchconcern, this specific type of IUD was removed from the market.Whether or not other types of IUD's will remain on the marketindefinitely is an open question. It is at least possible thatthey may be removed for medical reasons before any law can do so(The Christian News, Jan. 13, 1986).
THE PILL
The `pill' consists now of over 30 different varieties ofchemical combinations of the synthetic equivalent of the femalehormones estrogen and progesterone, as well as the so-called`mini-pill' which contains progesterone alone. Understanding thatthere are different degrees of actions with different pills, thatone has more of this effect and the other has more of thateffect, they can, to some extent at least, be describedgenerically.
The combination pills basically exert three actions in`preventing' pregnancy. The first effect of the contraceptivepill is to prevent ovulation or release of the ovum from theovary. This has been described as `freezing' of the ovary. Evenif the sperm do reach the ovary, fertilization cannot occurbecause the ovum has not been released. This action is accuratelydescribed as temporary sterilization, but in common usage it isusually spoken of as `contraceptive' action.
The first contraceptive pill, Enovid, contained ten milligramsof estrogen- like hormone. It was believed that its physiologicalfunction was almost totally that of temporary sterilization.Enovid-5 was then marketed, to be followed by Enovid E (2.5 mg.).Since that time lower and lower does of estrogen have beenpresented to the consumer so that now does of 0.5 mgm. and 0.35mgm. are commonly used.
The well known reason for the reduction of the estrogen dosagewas to try to minimize the threat of blood clot complications.
Paralleling the reduction of the estrogen dosage, however,there has been the development of breakthrough ovulation, as thelower doses have apparently not been successful in completelysuppressing ovulation.
WITH BREAKTHROUGH OVULATION IT IS NOW GENERALLY ACCEPTED THATACTUAL FERTILIZATION OCCURS AT TIMES IN THOSE TAKING THESE PILLS,but as described below, these women do not ordinarily `getpregnant.' [This means the fertilized egg is not allowed tobecome implanted in the mother's uterus; it is killed.]
The second action is one of thickening of the mucous plug atthe cervical opening. This normally happens at the beginning andat the end of a menstrual cycle, with the plug melting away atmid-cycle, and being replaced by an egg white-like substancecontaining nutrient fluids, which are `friendly' to the passageof sperm. The combination pill prevents this from occurring atmid-cycle, maintaining the plug, and as such probably exerts true`anti-fertilization' action by preventing entrance of the sperm.
The third function of the combination pill isanti-implantation or anti- nidatory. When this is the functionthat is dominant in the particular month, there is sperm passage,there is fertilization and migration of the new human through thetube and into the uterus, but implantation does not occur. Thisis because THE ACTION OF THE PILL HAS `HARDENED' THE LINING OFTHE UTERUS, CREATED A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE MULTICELLEDTINY HUMAN BEING CANNOT IMPLANT. THIS FUNCTION IS ONE OF ANABORTION AT ONE WEEK OF LIFE.
There is no definitive medical agreement as to what percentageof times this function occurs, in which women and with which pill(The Christian News, Jan. 13, 1986).
THE MINI-PILL
The mini-pill is a form of birth control pill, different fromthe combination of estrogen and progesterone above. This containsonly a small dose of progesterone. It is taken daily, 30 days amonth, rather than the 21-7 schedule for the combination pill. Itallows a menstrual flow to occur monthly while the pill is beingtaken. There is considerable controversy as to whether or not itsaction is primarily in preventing implantation, as othermechanisms of action have been suggested, but general scientificopinion at this time is in substantial agreement. It would seemthat IT DOES ALLOW A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF BREAKTHROUGHOVULATION, AND PRESUMABLY AT TIMES FERTILIZATION. WHENFERTILIZATION OCCURS IT "PREVENTS" PREGNANCY BY ANANTI-IMPLANTATION ACTION. THIS ACTION IS BEST DESCRIBED AS ANABORTIFACIENT EFFECT.&q
