Education
We believe all human life is sacred and of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, those with disabilities, and every other stage or condition from fertilization to natural death.
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- (601) 956-8636
- P.O. Box 320042, Flowood, MS 39232
The Wait is Worth It.
Abstaining from sexual intercourse for any duration of time is a very healthy and natural way to postpone or prevent pregnancy as well as promoting overall health.
According to Merriam-Webster.com:
• Abstinence is the practice of abstaining from something: the practice of not doing or having something that is wanted or enjoyable.
• Abstaining means to choose not to do or have something: to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice
Abstinence can offer several benefits, both physical and emotional. Here’s a summary of the key points:
Benefits of Abstinence
- Free and Always Available: It requires no medical or financial resources, making it a cost-effective choice.
- No Risk of Unplanned Pregnancy: Since there is no sexual activity, the risk of pregnancy is eliminated.
- Reduced Risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): Abstinence from oral, vaginal, and anal sex significantly lowers the risk of STIs, especially those transmitted through intimate contact.
- Focus on Relationship Building: Without the aspect of sexual activity, partners may spend more time developing emotional intimacy and understanding.
- Alternative Expressions of Affection: Abstinence encourages exploring other ways to show affection and maintain intimacy, such as through hugging, kissing, and other forms of non-sexual closeness.
- Alignment with Personal Values: It allows individuals to stay true to their personal beliefs and values, especially if they wish to wait for a more appropriate time for sexual activity.
Tips for Maintaining Abstinence
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Set Clear Boundaries: Know your limits and communicate them to your partner.
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Discuss with Your Partner: Ensure your partner understands and respects your decision to abstain.
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Avoid Impairments: Be cautious with alcohol and drugs, as they can lower inhibitions and make it harder to stick to your decision.
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Have a Backup Plan: If you find yourself in a situation where there is pressure to have sex, have strategies ready to change the atmosphere.
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Engage in Group Activities: Spending time with friends in group settings can reduce pressure and provide support.
Overall, abstinence is a personal choice that can be beneficial for those who choose it, offering control over one’s sexual health and aligning with personal or cultural values.
Natural Family Planning
How can someone prevent an unwanted pregnancy without taking abortifacient drugs like hormonal contraceptives or birth control pills? They may consider FAMs (Fertility Awareness Methods).
What are FAMs?
Modern evidence-based methods of tracking a woman’s menstrual cycle through observable signs (biomarkers) unique to each woman
What are the benefits of using FAMs?
- Help a woman know more about her hormonal health and when she is naturally fertile and infertile.
- Equip women to reach health goals with greater precision
- Allows families to meet family planning needs with high rates of effectiveness
How do they work?
FAMs are often used as a form of natural family planning. They teach you to observe and chart fertility biomarkers to know when you are fertile and when you are not at natural times in your cycle. By avoiding intercourse during periods of your cycle when you are fertile, you can use a FAM/NFP as a form of natural birth control and at effective rates that rival pharmaceutical birth control. You can also use these methods to achieve pregnancy if that’s your goal.
Which method is the most effective? The answer is the one that works best for you.
Five of the most commonly used methods of fertility awareness are:
- FEMM
- Sympto-Thermal Method
- Creighton Method
- Billings Method
- Marquette Method
How do I learn more?
Reputable FAM/NFP providers offer a network of trained instructors at your service. Because of their experience in observing cycles and reading charts, they can also help you understand if your charts show optimal health or signs that you need further medical support.
The organization Natural Womanhood provides the Complete Guide to Fertility Awareness Methods, which offers a more detailed explanation. To read the full guide, please visit their website at naturalwomanhood.org/complete-guide-to-fertility-awareness-methods.
To read more about each method and where to find an instructor, please visit the ProLifeMS blog article “A Pro-Life Way to Plan Pregnancy.”
Contraception
Pro-Life Mississippi values all human life, from fertilization to natural death. Knowing that many contraceptive methods can cause early abortions after fertilization, Pro-Life Mississippi offers the following information:
Many birth control or contraceptive methods used in the U.S. use hormones to suppress a woman’s natural menstrual cycle. All hormonal contraceptives are considered “Abortifacient” [pronounced ah-bor″tĭ-fa´shent] products. Abortifacient means unnaturally causing an early abortion which causes the end of pre-born life. These drugs promise to prevent pregnancy but can also act by ending a new human life. If you choose a method of birth control to avoid pregnancy, we want you to be aware of the ethical concerns surrounding contraceptive products.
Let’s look closer at how these products work:
Hormonal contraceptives work to prevent pregnancy in one or all of these ways:
- Suppressing ovulation (the release of the egg from the ovary)
- Changing the consistency of cervical mucus to prevent fertilization
- Making the lining of the uterus too thin to accept the implantation of a fertilized egg (which is considered an
‘early abortion’ and makes the drug ‘abortifacient’)
At the time of fertilization, a new human life begins – a person with unique DNA is formed. There is no way to predict or control how these products might work in your circumstances. For this reason, many women feel uncomfortable taking hormonal contraceptives.
Abortifacient forms of contraception include:
- Oral Contraceptives (the birth control pill)
- IUD’s (Intra-uterine devices)
- Hormonal patches, shots, implants, or vaginal rings
- Plan B (emergency contraceptive)
Non-abortifacient forms of contraception include any barrier method like condoms, diaphragms, or spermicides.
The Combination Pill
Birth control pills are a form of hormonal contraception. Many women use the pill to prevent pregnancy. If you use it perfectly, the pill is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. However, people can easily forget or miss pills and are only 91% effective with “typical use”. The pill can also be used to reduce heavy periods, treat acne, and ease symptoms of certain reproductive system issues.
Combination types
Combination birth control pills contain estrogen and progestin.
Birth control pills are packaged in different ways:
Conventional packs usually contain 21 active pills and seven inactive pills, or 24 active pills and four inactive pills. Bleeding occurs every month when you take inactive pills.
Continuous dosing or extended cycle. These packs typically contain 84 active pills and seven inactive pills. Bleeding generally occurs only four times a year during the time when you take the inactive pills. Formulations containing only active pills — eliminating bleeding — also are available.
Combination birth control pills are also categorized according to whether the dose of hormones stays the same or varies:
Monophasic. In this type of combination birth control pill, each active pill contains the same amount of estrogen and progestin.
Multiphasic. In this type of combination birth control pill, the amounts of hormones in active pills vary.
Combination birth control pills that contain less than 50 micrograms of Ethinyl estradiol, a kind of estrogen, are known as low-dose pills. Women who are sensitive to hormones may benefit from taking a lower dose pill. However, low-dose pills may result in more breakthrough bleeding — bleeding or spotting between periods — than do higher-dose pills.
How does it work?
Combination birth control pills suppress ovulation — keeping your ovaries from releasing an egg. Combination birth control pills also thicken cervical mucus and thin the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to keep sperm from joining the egg.
What are the drawbacks?
- No protection against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV
- Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
- Increased risk of blood clots, with a slightly greater risk of blood clots linked to certain types of progestin used in the pill (though the overall effect of progestin type on blood clot risk is small)
- Side effects such as irregular bleeding, bloating, breast tenderness, nausea, depression, weight gain and headache
Morning After Pill
The Morning After Pill, or “emergency contraceptive,” is an abortifacient drug, meaning it can cause an early abortion. Also called Plan B/Ella, this pill is available over the counter and on college campuses in medical vending machines. It can similarly cause an early abortion as hormonal contraceptive pills do. They both can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus, causing the new blastocyst to starve and die.
How it works
Both the ‘morning-after pill and hormonal contraceptive pills attempt to prevent ovulation. Both pills contain artificial chemicals called “progestins.” Natural progesterone causes the uterus lining to become lush, thick, and full of blood vessels and nutrients that can nourish the implanting blastocyst. Artificial “progestins,” however, make the uterine lining thin and hard, so implantation either doesn’t occur or causes such a lack of nutrients that the blastocyst starves to death.
The morning-after pill contains a large dose of artificial progestin. It is designed to prevent pregnancy in one cycle only and be taken within 72 hours of intercourse. If the woman ovulated within 24 hours of having intercourse, it is possible that fertilization did occur.
Potential Side Effects
- nausea
- vomiting
- infertility
- breast tenderness
- ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening
- blood clot formation
Intrauterine Device (IUD)
IUDs can provide long-term birth control (contraception). These quarter-size devices are available in hormonal or nonhormonal options. Each IUD is a T-shaped plastic frame that’s inserted into the uterus.
How do they work? Some IUDs have a copper wire coiled around the device that produces an inflammatory reaction that is toxic to sperm and eggs (ova), preventing pregnancy. Other devices release a type of the hormone progestin, preventing pregnancy by either thickening cervical mucus, thinning the lining of the uterus, or partially suppressing ovulation.
IUDs can prevent pregnancy for 3-10 years after insertion. Please consult your healthcare provider for details.
What are the risks?
If conception occurs while using an IUD, there is an increased risk of an ectopic pregnancy — when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. Rarely, insertion of IUDs can result in the perforation of the uterus. The risk of perforation might be higher when inserted during the postpartum period. There’s also a small risk that the IUD may shift position or fall out, which can increase the risk of unexpected pregnancy.
What are the side effects?
Hormonal IUDs have similar side effects. Side effects include changes in your period, such as increased menstrual bleeding, discomfort, or no period at all. Other possible side effects are headache, breast tenderness, ovarian cysts, or depressed mood.
With the copper IUD, some people may have an allergic reaction to the copper. Other side effects include heavy menstrual bleeding, discomfort, backaches, and cramps not associated with a menstrual period.
