@Meogan
And sex is SUPPOSED to be ONLY for having a baby. When animals do it they do it to reproduce, NOT for fun. Humans are different because we are stupid beings that try to deny this fact of life. Yes, I am ashamed of being human for this reason. I wish I was born a cat!
@[name]Katushka[/name]
I don’t think anyone claimed birth control was a form of abortion. And it’s not. Chicken’s lay eggs, but we can eat them because they aren’t fertilized. Human eggs are the same, they drop and then “fall out” if it doesn’t get fertilized by sperm. All birth control does is prevent the sperm from fertilizing the egg.
Side Note:
However, I am strongly against birth control, but I won’t deny anyone from taking it. I just won’t put a chemical in my body that isn’t natural and can have SERIOUS side effects. I’ve seen the commercials. You can get blood clots, potentially cancer, etc… It also messes with your body’s functions. Periods become irregular.
There are many other ways to avoid pregnancy. Women can carry around condoms too, not just men. There are even female condoms. NFP is said to work, but like I said earlier, I don’t think it’s safe on it’s own. NFP is NOT just a religious thing like a lot of people think. Tracking your body’s temperature and your “mucus” is the most natural way to know when you are going to ovulate. [name]Doctor[/name]'s even recommend using this system so you know when you CAN get pregnant if you are having a hard time to conceive.
Other animals such as dolphins and pigs have sex for pleasure alone when there isn’t a chance of procreation. Also, [name]Just[/name] because it’s not something (most) animals do doesn’t mean it’s not natural for humans.
So, you are against sex under all circumstances that may not lead to procreation? So women past menopause shouldn’t have sex, a woman who has an emergency hysterectomy at 26 shouldn’t ever have sex again, even if she’s married. People who just happen to be infertile should never ever get to have sex? [name]Even[/name] in marriage?
That’s a belief I just can’t wrap my head around, and I hate to play this card, but as someone with an undergrad in anthropology and a masters in psychology in progress, I’m pretty well versed on what is natural and normal in humans.
If you think that, then don’t Google dolphins for biology homework. Made that mistake last month. >< Seriously, though, dolphins have sex for fun. I’m not going to gross anyone out with the details, but this is one piece of info that should give you an insight into dolphins: sometimes dolphins don’t even care if it’s another dolphin or not. I wouldn’t be surprised if dolphins and humans weren’t the only animals who do this. Even if humans were the only ones who had sex for fun, that doesn’t make it wrong. Some people doodle in notebooks for fun; doesn’t mean it’s wrong or shameful.
As for birth control, I’m only 15 so I have no idea. It’s not like I need it, sex isn’t something I want to do at my age and it doesn’t interest me. However, I think people should just research the form they’re thinking about using and see that they are comfortable using it. Then there should be no problems. If people like birth control they can use it. If they don’t like it, they don’t have to use it. It’s that simple.
I just think humans should realize that having sex can lead to having a baby and they NEED to realize this. This is why I don’t think abortion should be an option unless under extreme circumstances. Abortion allows people to have an excuse to get pregnant and be like, oh well I can just kill it later. I never said it was wrong to do it, but sex’s main purpose is to reproduce, NOT for pleasure.
And you mentioned animals do it when there ISN’T a chance for procreation. Most people are stupid and don’t know when that is since they don’t follow their natural body reactions such as temperature and mucus secretion. Animals are lot more in tune with their bodies than humans. If people want to do it for fun, then they should use protection (pill, condoms, whatever crazy stuff they have these days) or know when it is safe to do it naturally.
You misquoted me. What came before where you started and what was in the ellipsis is very important to my point. I know perfectly well how birth control works. I also know how emergency contraception works. You are more than entitled to your opinion of their processes, as is crunchymama. I was just trying to make the definition of abortion clear - abortion is only for intentional termination, excluding spontaneous abortion, which is a (rather misleading) term for miscarriage.
crunchymama said: “3. All forms can cause abortion.” and “[name]How[/name] does the pill actually work and how often does it fail? (Nothing is 100% effective, even with perfect use- and no one is really a perfect user) If 1 out of 100 fertilized eggs do attach to the uterine wall and lead to a successful pregnancy while on the pill…how many fertilized eggs were aborted?”
This is what I was referring to. Nothing on the market for home-use provides abortions and all pharmaceutical abortions must be carried out by a physician. The pill does not cause abortion. Emergency contraceptives only possibly disrupt ovulation, or possibly stop a possibly fertilized egg from implanting, which is not abortion. There is a difference between prevention and abortion. I’m not saying that you have to think it’s right, I’m simply stating the difference.
I don’t think the pill is a form of abortion… being on the pill while you are pregnant can lead to a miscarriage though…
The morning after pill also isn’t abortion because it takes more than 12 hours for the sperm to reach the egg. Watch the documentary “The Great Sperm [name]Race[/name]” it’s very interesting and entertaining. It’s done by BBC.
There is a tiny percentage of people who use abortion as a regular form of birth control. Abortion in not an excuse for the majority of the people who have them to be irresponsible or escape the consequences of their actions. It is one of the most difficult decisions and emotionally traumatic experiences possible.
This is where education comes in. So many people truly don’t understand, you’re right. However, most of the people who don’t understand were never taught about contraception. They were always told to just wait until they’re married and then have as many children as they’re blessed with. Hell, I was told that. It was unrealistic. Sex is fun. We have too many people on the planet. We have to educate people about the consequences of sex, beyond pregnancy.
I lot of people who do abortions are people who would have been teenage moms. It’s a difficult decision, but it shouldn’t be a decision unless you were raped or death is involved. Being stupid does not mean the baby should suffer the consequences that you made. Adoption is a great alternative. There are so many people who can’t have babies and would be glad to give the child a home.
I agree and I was actually taught about safe sex in school. I know a lot of schools don’t, but then I think you can’t just blame education. Parents should also be responsible in explaining to their children the consequences of sex. Not just that you can get pregnant, but the emotional toil that goes along with it as well. Abstinence is heavily emphasized, but we were still told about birth control and condoms. My parents never really talked to me about it, but I defiantly plan to talk to my kids. I won’t lie, I will defiantly encourage them to wait, not because I am against sex for pleasure, but it’s important to wait for the right person. Sex leaves you completely vulnerable to the other person. It’s too bad they don’t teach that stuff in school. There’s more to sex then just the physical aspect.
That is insane and really made me LOL. I definitely plan on making love to my husband in my 60’s and beyond! Infertile couples should not enjoy themselves? No sex after menopause? Higher primates do have sex for “fun” I believe. Pigs and dolphins do at least. There are even animal species that have bisexual relations (gasp!).
Anywho, I have been on & off BC since I was 16. When I was 15 I had an ovarian cyst removed that was the size of a softball! Not joking. Also, I have taken Disease-modifying Antirheumatic drugs to control illness and those are all category X for babies and really need BC. My favorite was the NuvaRing as I am very bad at taking pills everyday. I stopped about 6 months ago to regulate my cycles and get ready for a baby. I will go back on it in a heartbeat if the cysts become a problem, but for now I really like our “modified” NFP - tmi to share full details
I’m sorry, I’m too used to people who know me… When I say education, I mean the parents primarily. I believe it should be taught in schools to cover the gaps and answer questions just too awkward to ask the parents, but I think most of it should be taught at home.
About adoption - I agree that adoption is a terrific option for people who cannot provide for their children, but there are so many children in the system. Yes, many people want to be completely selfless and adopt, but the process takes too long and there are entirely too many beyond worthy families being turned down because of their religious affiliation. Too many agencies will only accept families who follow a specific faith. It’s immoral and discriminatory. I’m sure there are other factors, but to deny someone who is saying ‘hey, you don’t want that baby (or even kid, no one wants older kids), send them here.’ because of their religion or sexual orientation is wrong. They have too many to turn down so many good, loving people. Of course adoptive parents should be inspected and checked as thoroughly as possible, but the process takes too long. I know this is all jumbled and bouncing around between two different things. Sorry about that.
Back to the abortion thing - It’s their uterus. It’s their life, and their body, and their family, and their insurance which may not cover a pregnancy, and their trauma. You don’t know how many of them are being stupid and how many of them truly have no other choice, and frankly, I don’t think it matters. No one has any right to tell anyone else what they can and cannot have in their body. It isn’t so black and white. It’s a choice about what is best for your situation in your life.
I’d also like to say a lot of teenage mothers are spectacular parents. Age has nothing to do with it. It’s about emotional maturity.
Sorry, it’s a bad habit. I just feel the need to jump in and present my opinions, and i can honestly say I didn’t start the abortion conversation. I just responded.
Medically speaking, pregnancy begins at implantation, not fertilization. Bonobos (a primate similar to a chimp) engage in sex for pleasure and as a way of building/maintaining relationships and alliances. They have been known to practice oral and homosexual sex as well. Sex is for much more than procreation. I think the pill is a wonderful advance for women and allows them to protect themselves very reliably from unwanted pregnancies. I wish there was a pill for men so they too could protect themselves with more than just a condom. Its a lot easier to stop one egg than it is to stop millions of sperm. I just hope by the time my sons are older the technology is there so they have that option.
I know I said I’d leave, but I lied. I read about a male pill being developed here in [name]America[/name] a few years ago. Very good results, test subjects even fathered perfectly healthy children during the study (when they were asked to go off of it). I can’t find that article anywhere.
Not that it should all be up to the man, but it would be nice to have an additional option. [name]Just[/name] wanted to put it out there since it was mentioned.
Another thought–I don’t know if anyone has brought this up, so sorry for repeating, but I was abstinent and on birth control for years. The two are not mutually exclusive.
EDIT 5/24: A final clarification in case I get called out I did not start birth control because of medical reasons. I took it in case I decided to become sexually active. But deciding to become sexually active took a long time and a lot of thought. Being on birth control didn’t encourage me to do something I wasn’t ready for.
When I was 16, I started the pill to get my ovarian cysts under control after I needed surgery for a gigantic one that ruptured and caused internal bleeding. I felt like the pill gave me headaches and weight gain, so I switched to a diaphram for contraception in college (hated it!). The cysts returned in my mid-20s, so I went back on the pill for a few years until I decided to have a baby. Since his birth, I’ve been cyst free, and I depend on condoms for contraception and NFP for knowing when I need the condoms. I tend to err on the side of paranoia, though, so it’s mostly all condoms, all the time here.
I’m pro-reproductive freedom, including easy access to birth control for anyone who wants it. Birth control methods give women the ability to maintain control of their own bodies and lives. It helps couples have the children they want to have when they can afford, financially and emotionally, to have them. It leads to fewer unplanned, unwanted pregnancies which leads to fewer abortions. Although some forms can have side effects, birth control can help preserve women’s health by treating hormonal imbalances or by preventing pregnancy at times when it would be dangerous to conceive, such as while on certain drugs or going through certain illnesses or medical treatments. Whether or not a woman uses any form of birth control is, of course, up to her, but to my mind, it’s a blessing.
[name]Poppy[/name]
I did not start birth control because of medical reasons. I took it in case I decided to become sexually active. But deciding to become sexually active took a long time and a lot of thought. Being on birth control didn’t encourage me to do something I wasn’t ready for.