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Gambling with
Life
How The I.U.D. And "The
Pill" Work
by
David Sterns, M.D.,
Gina Sterns, R.N., B.S.N.,
and Pamela Yaksich
" In light of
these realities, can Christian couples truly neglect the disturbing
ramifications that use of either the IUD or the various 'birth control pills'
creates? Those Christians who are sincerely committed to God and His Word must
strictly obey His clear mandate -- 'Thou Shalt not kill.' "
THE IUD The primary
mechanism of Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) is abortifacient (abortion
inducing). While they may occasionally prevent conception (i.e., fertilization,
where the egg and the sperm unite in the Fallopian tube), this is not the main
mechanism of action. After conception occurs, the fertilized egg (a new human
being by every medical and biblical definition) arrives in the uterus 6 to 10
days later. If an IUD is in place, this tiny human encounters a hostile uterine
environment and is unable to implant into the uterine wall. Thus, he or she is
aborted-the IUD has caused the death of this new life in the uterus.
This is why the Food
and Drug Administration now labels IUDs as "antiimplantational," describing them
as working at the uterine level (6 to 10 days postconception)
Sophisticated
studies of women using IUDs have shown that frequently they demonstrate positive
pregnancy tests (Beta HCG serum levels) that then become negative again over a
period of time. This, of course, demonstrates that conception has taken place
and is then followed by the death of the young person in the womb.
These sobering facts
have led most Christian doctors (and informed Christian couples) to regard IUDs
as morally unacceptable. They are not contraceptives! Even evangelical
Protestants who do not necessarily oppose contraception must deal with the often
neglected but very real facts about so called contraceptives that are really
abortifacients.
THE PILL The "birth
control pill" is also not merely a contraceptive. Although it is designed
primarily as a contraceptive, it is not always effective as such . . . and when
it is not effective, it has a "back-up" mechanism that is clearly abortifacient!
The "pill" has three mechanisms
of action. You can easily look them up in the
Physician's Desk Reference.
-
It attempts to
suppress ovulation. When successful in this action, an egg is not released and
conception, of course, cannot occur.
-
It thickens the
woman's cervical mucus. Thus, the sperm are restricted from moving up the
reproductive tract. This is also contraceptive.
-
However, the
"pill" causes certain changes in the uterine lining so that if conception does
occur, the new life meets a hostile environment when it arrives in the uterus
6 to 10 days later. It cannot implant. It dies. This is abortifacient. As you
see, this is similar to the IUD.
Why, then, do some
Christians continue to accept the "pill" as a morally acceptable choice in
planning families? One attempted justification centers upon the uncertainty of
just how often the "pill" works as an abortifacient. Unlike the IUD, such
persons might argue, the "pill" is primarily contraceptive since it suppresses
ovulation most of the time. (The most obvious exceptions here are the
"mini-pills" which have no estrogen and allow ovulation to take place 40-60%
of the time. This is published in Emory University's Contraceptive Technology.)
Initial studies
showed that even the early "pill" formulations (which were much more likely to
suppress ovulation due to their higher doses of estrogen) still allowed
"breakthrough ovulation" to occur 13% of the time! An award-winning study by the
Dutch gynecologist Dr. Nine Van der Vange presented at the Second International
Conference of the Society for Advancement in Contraception (SAC) in Jakarta
showed that low-dose contraceptive pills do not always suppress ovulation. In
follicular ultrasound measurements she found detectable follicular growth in 52
to 56% of the cycles investigated, and preovulatory size follicles in at least
30% of the cycles. Proof of ovulation based on ultrasound exams and hormonal
indicators occurred in about 4% of the cycles studied. In summarizing her
presentation before the Society, Dr. Van der Vange remarked, "We conclude that
the contraceptive preparations are more complex than has been thought. They are
not only based on inhibition of ovulation." Dr. Ronald Chez, a scientist at the
National Institutes of Health (NIH), publicly stated that the "pills" of today,
with their lower estrogen dose, allow ovulation up to 50% of the time! Dr.
Thomas Hilgers, the renowned fertility expert who is currently the Director of
the Pope Paul VI Research Institute, was present when this statement was made
but the NIH has never published this information. In fact, the NIH has been more
than a little hesitant to publish specific data in the medical journals to which
private MDs have access. The drug companies are similarly reticent to provide
such data. Nevertheless, the scientist mentioned above was at that time the head
of the pregnancy re-search development branch of the NIH, itself the spearhead
for contemporary medical research!
So, then, just how
often does the "pill" have to rely on this abortive "backup" mechanism? No one
can tell you with certainty. Perhaps it is as seldom as 12% of the time; but
perhaps it is as frequently as 50% of the time. Does it matter?
The clear conclusion
is that it is impossible for any woman on the "pill" in any given month to know
exactly which mechanism is in effect. In other words, the "pill" always carries
with it the potential to act as an abortifacient! In light of these realities,
can Christian couples truly neglect the disturbing ramifications that use of
either the IUD or the various "birth control pills" create? Those Christians who
are sincerely committed to God and His Word must strictly obey His clear mandate
----"Thou shalt not kill." This is a most important message, involving human
lives and loyalty to the commands of Holy Scripture, which Christian couples
must hear and heed.
David Sterns,
M.D., is a graduate of the University of Nebraska School of Medicine,
and is Board Certified in internal medicine and electrocardiology. His wife,
Gina Sterns, R.N., holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
nursing from Biola University. Dave and Gina have two children. They attend
Harvest Community Church in Omaha, Nebraska.
Pam Yaksich,
a high school principal and teacher of science, biology and theology, has worked
as a medical researcher with the physicians of the Pope Paul VI Institute for
the Study of Human Reproduction. Pam is also the Chairman of the Vital Signs
Ministries Board.
For further
information and documentation, order the eight-page booklet
The Birth Control Game
Available for $2.00
from:
American Life League
P.O. Box 1350
Stafford, VA 22555
(703) 659-4171
reprinted with
permission
Vital Signs Ministries
vitalsigns@vitalsignsministries.org
P. O. Box 3826
Omaha, NE 68103
(402) 341-8886
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