News/ Studies

• Current Medical Research (USCCB medical review, Fall 2011)
• See especially:
• Past Use of Oral Contraceptives Associated with Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
• Most European Women Want to Be Informed of Post-Fertilization Effects of Contraceptive Methods
• Common Form of Hormonal Contraception Increases Cardiovascular Risk
• Birth Control Pills May Keep Nuns Healthy (FoxNews)–more coming on this
• Wisconsin Catholic Hospitals Reimbursed Under Family Planning Waiver (read: Catholic Hospitals violate Catholic Health Directives)
• Involving Men in Family Planning (Inquirer.net)–This article refers largely to contraceptive services, but I think there are points and lessons here on getting men to promote NFP.

Editorial & Commentary

• The Church of Kathleen Sebelius (Wall Street Journal)
• How Evil is Your Birth Control Manufacturer? (Jezebel)
• Yaz, Yasmin & Ortho Evra Patch increase risk of blood clots (Society of Menstrual Cycle Research blog)
• Leadership in Pharmaceutical Companies: Where are the Women? (RH Reality Check)
• Plan ‘Oh No They Didn’t': Roundup of Response to Plan B decision (Ms. blog)
• New Birth Control Decisions Don’t Mean Birth Control is Killing You (Jezebel) [It's not killing you yet]

Reflections

• Raising Human Beings & Life Lessons from the Duggars (Millions of Miles Blog)
• Natural Family Planning–Does it work for everyone?  Check out her earnest, albeit flawed reasoning (WhatToExpect.com)

[Update: Two additions below.]

News

• Fordham Law Students’ Birth Control Clinic 
• Fordham Students Hold Birth Control Clinic (Catholic Culture)
• Students Protest Anti-Birth Control Policy (Jezebel–elch, but a decent news treatment)
• Fordham Law Students Accuse School of Misleading Birth Control Policy (Fox News)
• Google News Search on Fordham Law Student Story
• Prostate Cancer May Be Linked to Birth Control Pills in Water Supply
• Video (FoxNews)
• British Medical Journal Abstract
• Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines Change
• Daughter to Receive Transplant of Mother’s Womb (BioEdge)
• Meteorologist Speaks Out Against Dangers of Birth Control & DVT
• Meteorologist Jennifer Reeves

Commentary/ Editorial

• Bayer Corporation are Bastards–an update on the latest Yaz drama, with good research by Marc at Patheos
• Fordham Law Students’ Health Clinic a Success, But University Still Refuses to Divulge Health Care Policies (RH Reality Check)
• Motherhood at a Price–the cost of IVF for the health of women & children (ZENIT)
• The Strange World of Assisted Reproductive Technology–Moral Theologian Pia de Solenni summarizes the quandary of ART

Of Interest

• HOMO FABER AND/OR HOMO ADORANS: ON THE PLACE OF HUMAN MAKING IN A SACRAMENTAL COSMOS–by Michael Hanby (Communio)
• This is My Body–a reflection on motherhood (Catholicmom.com)
• Being Pregnant with Grace (Art of NFP Blog)
• Be Prepared–an engaged cafeteria Catholic discovers NFP (stop by to comment!)
• My Wife, My Best Friend (fellas–for you)
• Why You Should Listen to the Church’s Teaching on Contraception (Marc at Patheos)

[I have used the term "contraceptive mentality," but I must say that Fr. Erlenbush's piece made me give pause to how I use my words. Words and phrases mean so much, and lead people closer to understanding or further away.]

TIME after TIME…partial information

[That's right. The title & header are both references to the Cyndi Lauper song & TIME magazine's penchant for publishing half-done back pats.]

Earlier this week TIME’s Health blog published an article singing the praises of Cycle beads and the Standard Days Method (SDM). I love to see mainstream media promoting something other than contraception. However, in terms of modern Natural Family Planning, they are missing the proverbial boat.

SDM promotes the belief that if a woman has a consistent history of cycles lasting between 24 to 32 days in length it is effective for her to postpone pregnancy simply by abstaining from intercourse or using some form of artificial birth control between cycle days 9-18.  For fertility tracking they promote the use of Cycle Beads, a string of beads colored to indicate if the women should be having her period, is likely infertile or is fertile depending on what day of the cycle she is on. This, however, does not take into account any unexpected cycle variations that often occur in even the most regularly cycling woman due to outside factors such as stress, illness, or medication. 

Rhythm Method dumbed down?

Unlike other modern NFP methods, SDM does not include any daily observation of fertility signs at all by the user. This leaves many asking if SDM is anything more than the notoriously unreliable rhythm method dumbed down even further.  Well, despite this lack of personalization, early research appears to shows promise in regards to effectiveness, but is this really the best we have?  Should Cycle Beads be supported by NFP promoters or more broadly the Pro-Life Community?

NFP is not the $%@! Rhythm Method

As an NFP promoter myself, one of the biggest method based concerns I have is in regards to the online screening provided by Cycle Beads.  According to their evaluation I would be eligible for Cycle Beads on the first day of my next period directly after discontinuing the pill, implant, or 1-month injectible in my current cycle or having had a miscarriage, abortion, or used emergency contraception (so long as my cycle length was within range prior to these events).  To assume that a women will go back to cycling regularly directly after these events is gravely misinformed, and raises serious questions in regards to the promotional information being presented by Cycle Beads pertaining to their effectiveness rates and appropriate use. 

Similar guidelines are presented for breastfeeding and newly postpartum moms. No caution is given to the variation in cycle length that nursing mothers frequently see even after a return to regular fertility when increased nursing contributes to a raise in prolactin levels and delays ovulation.

In addition to these obviously concerning methodology discrepancies is the flaunting of support Cycle Beads directs towards abortion giant Planned Parenthood. They are happy to share that your support of Cycle Beads and their products will translate directly into financial support for Planned Parenthood, which many of our readers would be opposed to.

So what is a NFP promoter to do?  If SDM proves to be an effective means of postponing pregnancy for some women while sidestepping contraception, then by all means let the non-charting begin. But women need to be aware that if using SDM they are clearly vulnerable if a wonky (yes that’s a medical term) cycle should materialize.

With modern NFP methods fighting so hard to distance themselves from the rhythm method of days past let’s not pretend that SDM and their promotion of CycleBeads are doing us any major favors in that fight.

Action

Get on over to that blog, and post your comment about what you think about Cycle Beads, NFP & this poorly written piece. There are only 6 comments there so far. Let’s aim for 50 by next week, please.

Here’s the latest from this week. As usual, keep me posted on what you’re reading. [Update: Just found this ABC coverage of Yaz being flagged by the FDA, and a vignette of one of the victims, who is a friend of a friend.]

News

• Madison Clinic (NFP only clinic) offers free care for the uninsured–They started up when I was there. Good press for them.
• New Studies Find Yaz More Risky Than Other Leading Birth Control Pills: ABC News Investigates [see video below]

Research

• Disease Causing “Preventative Care” by Denise Hunnell, MD–a summary of the recent UWashington study revealing a doubled risk of HIV contraction while on HBC with commentary re: its implications
• Low Fertility & Low Economic Growth–Review of an important report just released by the Social Trends Institute re: fewer children and diminishing numbers of married couples having a significant impact on economic growth and the ability of governments to finance welfare programs. (H/T to @maggiemelchior for this link)
• If you find this article interesting, you should check out Demographic Winter.
• The Contraceptive Revolution & the Second Demographic Transition–academic abstract (with link to full text) of economists’ study of the impact of contraception on the economy.

Commentary

• Contraceptives Kill People, Harm the Environment, & Bankrupt the Economy– a Cliffs Notes version of the aforementioned Social Trends Report, HIV study, with some environmental concerns thrown in. By the funny guy who wrote You Can Never Afford Them
• 10 Reasons the Pill Sucks–Good summary, citing a breast cancer study I hadn’t heard of. A few cliche NFP lines, but decent overall. Published on Patheos, I’m not even attempting a rebuttal to comboxers on this one.

NFP & Family Testimony

• Difficult Anniversaries–Responsible Parenthood–Story about a families difficult pregnancy losses, subsequent health struggles, and discernment about having more children.
• My NFP Testimonial at S’Aint Easy Blog (by Paige), how Paige’s struggle with HBC and introduction to NFP was this young woman’s entree into the Church; contrary to many people’s experience
• Guiding Star Project’s Page for NFP Testimonials--so far just Paige’s story (above) is posted, but bookmark this and check back–or submit your own story (you can submit that same story to the Edith Stein Foundation here, too).

I wish I had time (like when I was unemployed) to post and comment on every great NFP article. But I don’t. Maybe once I get to be an expert student and worker and time manager. But for now, Make sure you take a look at these when you can.

Medical news

• Use of hormonal contraceptives may DOUBLE risk of HIV infection (Lancet Journal)
• Contraceptives used in Africa may double risk of HIV infection (NYTimes--btw, you only get one free look, so either clear your cookies and try again, or just read/ print/ share it the first time.)
• FDA Flags concern on Birth Control Pill (I hope this is just the beginning)

Blogs, Editorials & Commentary

• NFL Player: “NFP helped my marriage” 
• “Empowering the Poor with NFP” by April Jaure of My Feminine Mind
• “You Can Never Afford Them” by Matt Archibold @ Creative Minority Report–great smart-aleck-gets-sincere and changes a heart story.

Miscellaneous Whatnot

Fr. Z over at WDTPRS does what he does–some snappy commentary on the CFAM piece that describes the latest non-sensical condescension from a UN delegate whose only idea of family planning is chemical oppression or surgical mutilation.

Oh, reproductive colonialism, will you ever learn of the destruction you leave in your wake?

Just in case you didn’t see this great piece by fertility super advocate and one time  One More Soul Exec Director, Jenn Giroux, check it it out: “Giving a Pass to the Pill.”

Shouldn’t the same standards and cautions be applied to warning labels to alert women about diseases caused by “the pill” and all other forms of harmful hormonal contraception?

This reminds me of a conversation with a nurse in Madison, Wisconsin, who I had asked to make some NFP brochures available in the OB/GYN floor. She saw the Go Organic brochure with contraceptive side effects/ risks listed, and freaked out–not because she was surprised to learn the truth, but because she that I was some extremist exaggerating and lying. I remember her saying, “If this stuff is true, there should be a black box warning on birth control.” No kidding, Nancy Drew. I responded by saying something less sarcastic than that (by an immense act of the will), suggesting that this information was clearly footnoted and referenced to legitimate studies, copies of which I sent to her. I also implied that she had a rather rosy view of corporate pharma, which has a lot of money at stake in the contraceptive business.

Shouldn’t women – and parents of young girls – be alerted? Isn’t it time to ask if the pill and other forms of hormonal contraception are a prescription for breast cancer?

Indeed, they should be alerted. This starts with copies of this article and other good information being passed on to young women, their mothers in every day and pastoral circumstances. Resolution: Send a copy of What a Woman Should Know About Birth Control and Giroux’s article to your pastor, DRE, and youth director. You’d be surprised at how many don’t know how  dangerous contraceptives can be–all in the name of clear skin and fake “regular” cycles.

Hey, I’m all for freelance writing. You may know I’m also for NFP.

However, I’m not for learning NFP from an article, let alone an article that’s 600 words.

While I admire this writer’s courage and innovation in writing about NFP in a secular venue (we need all the promotion we can get), I’m don’t think it’s a great idea to give a drive-by instruction (especially one that’s very incomplete!) in an article about NFP. It gives people who are new to NFP the impression that *this* is NFP, it’s that simple, and you’re ready to rock with fertility awareness.

Yikes! This certainly begs another post on learning through a book vs. learning from an instructor, but as you can see from the article, her description of NFP, while well intentioned, is really incomplete at best, and misleading at worst. There’s a lot of people looking for information on NFP on the web, and if this article was among the first things they found, they may have the impression they’re ready to go, which–depending on their intention and outlook–could be quite a negative experience.

So, would you jump on over to Suite101, and (kindly, charitably) invite this well-intentioned writer to THINK AGAIN on her approach to promoting NFP? Be sure to affirm and support her pro-NFP outlook, including your thoughts on a better way to begin.

(Please Note: if you want your comment to be posted, you need to register with Suite101. I didn’t join, and my comment, which is being moderated, still hasn’t been posted.)

This summary introduced something I didn’t know about birth control pills: they can contribute to developments of chronic yeast infections. More on this here, also. Natural methods are looking better all the time…

Melchior Broederlam (1381-1409) Presentation in the Temple & Flight to Egypt Tempera on wood, 1393-1399

I feel sorry for Simeon, Anna, the Holy Family and the turtledoves. They get overlooked for a groundhog. In their humility, they might rejoice at the humor of this, but I for one think it’s a shame.

Today is the feast of the Presentation, called The Encounter in the east. It’s an amazing feast day in the Catholic/ Orthodox Churches (both east and west tend to celebrate it on the same day), but way underrated and under celebrated. It is also the foundation feast day of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England, founded on vespers of the Presentation by Fr. John Henry Newman (later to become Cardinal, and whose Beatification will be May 2, 2010).

The mystery of the Presentation can be meditated upon without exhausting it. This drama in the temple has much to teach us about waiting for the Lord, God’s will in our life, prophecy, death, vocation, sacrifice,  family, poverty, consecrated life , the Cross and much more.

For me, it is a fusion of meditation on the two main vocations of the Church: that of married life, and that of consecrated life or priesthood. Here we see the relationship between the two, the image of a holy marriage which gives rise to the earliest of vocational dedication. Not only is Christ, the Anointed, dedicated in the temple, but we see very prominently the consecrated and prophetic Simeon & Anna. (See my blog entry on holy families & holy vocations here.)

It is also one of the handful of times that we see (but never hear) St. Joseph. His actions are worth much more than a thousand words, and for this reason  and many others I’ve come to love St. Joseph dearly. He found me first, and I’ve come to love my spiritual father greatly. This is why when invited to speak on NFP to a men’s group, I didn’t choose Humanae Vitae or Casti Conuubi, but rather St. Joseph.

In October 2008, I gave a talk to the Knights of Divine Mercy, a men’s fraternal group and apostolate in the Madison Diocese, called “Surge, accipe puerum: reflections on St. Joseph.” It’s not strictly about NFP, but its message is related. I used a number of sources, from books to encyclicals, but it was a friend’s apostolic motto and article on St. Joseph that sparked the Josephine theme. In the end, it became a meditation on Fatherhood (spiritual and biological), and discernment about God’s will for your family, vocation and apostolate. Where is the Lord leading you?

Fast forward to the second track for the reflection on the Presentation.

Related links/ articles:

• Feast of the Presentation overview (and suggestions for ways to celebrate) at Catholic Culture
• The Chivalry of St. Joseph by Stratford Caldecott
• Cardinal Newman’s Sermon on the Feast of the Presentation, foundation day of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England
• John Paul II’s 1998 Homily on the feast of the Presentation

If you’re an NFP fan (as opposed to FAM–fertility awareness method), you probably get this question from your skeptical friends:

What’s the difference between NFP & Contraception? They can achieve the same end–postponing pregnancy–so what’s the difference? Isn’t NFP just “Catholic Birth Control”?

Although Providentialists & reactionary Catholics will tell you different, the answer is that they are different in their essence. Though it’s possible to have the same end, the means are different . Jason Evert explains the difference here quite well.

Great video of Jason Evert talking about Dating & Birth Control. To get to the part on BC, forward to about halfway through this clip.