Birth Control or Pregnancy Control??

**Let me begin this by saying I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your body or with your family!  I have my views and convictions of things, but I don't expect to make decisions regarding other people's lives, except my children's.  I just wish to pass along some information and my thoughts on them.  Be kind if you disagree and wish to share.  Thank you!**

There are several different methods of birth control.  I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that.  There's condoms, pills, patches, things you can insert, surgery, personal actions during intercourse, etc. that claim to prevent pregnancy.  Or do they claim that?  I believe they should claim to prevent giving birth to a live child at its designated time.  Some do keep you from getting pregnant if working properly, such as condoms.  But what really happens when you use a birth control method that involves medicines, hormones? 

When I was 19, I had an ovarian cyst rupture.  I had emergency surgery and they fixed me up. After that, I began birth control mainly to help regulate my cycle.  (Sorry if that's too much information, but just letting you know my personal reason.)  There was never a discussion regarding what the pills they prescribed do or the side effects.  There was never any educating about the medications I was putting into my body every day.  There was not any information except a handful of free samples and a prescription, which I filled without question.  Women all over the country take birth control pills. It's expected, to a certain degree.  Take birth control until you feel ready to have children.  It will make your cycle regular.  It will keep you from getting pregnant if you're having sex.  It'll be what every girl your age does.  I felt like it was expected of me.  Not by a guy, or my family, but really by society. 

In October of 2009, Brandon and I were being transferred to a new duty station from Japan to Virginia.  We spent a few weeks home in Texas visiting family and friends.  During this trip home, I was sent an article to read by one of my closest friends.  In it was some risk factors associated with taking birth control.  These were more in line with your risks of different cancers and the effects it can have on your body over time by taking them.  This information, paired with conviction from the Lord, led to a talk with Brandon about stopping taking the birth control I had been on for 5 years.  I was not feeling any side effects and I had no pregnancy or children to show for it so I assumed all was fine and I'll see later in life if there really were any side effects from taking this seemingly harmless pill for so long.

Have you ever wondered why birth control was indeed called birth control?  Have you ever wondering if it was supposed to keep you from getting pregnant, why is it not called pregnancy control?  Well, I recently thought about this difference as I read this article.  Afterwards, the reality of birth control hit me and I burst into tears explaining it to Brandon.  Here are some things I learned reading that article and following up with research on my own.

Birth control with hormones in it do have the idea in mind to keep you from getting pregnant.  They are meant to kill the sperm, prevent eggs from being released through the fallopian tubes, etc.   This is not fool-proof, though, as medicine never is.  It's assumed by the user that if an egg gets through and joins with the sperm that the birth control method has failed.  Well, not yet it hasn't.  Another part of the hormones used to prevent pregnancy makes the lining of your uterus too weak to allow implantation.  Without the fertilized egg able to implant into your uterus, it starves to death and dies, which your body then gets rid of.

This is what stopped me in my tracks.  Think about that a moment.  Keeping sperm and egg separated did not work, so as a backup, the fertilized egg cannot implant to get nutrients to survive.  Know what that is?? That, my friends, is a very early abortion.  It's a baby that never even has a chance to grow.  It's a baby that the parents never even know about because it is immediately gotten rid of.  It is killing this innocent child without ever knowing about it. 

Maybe that seems extreme, but is it really?? Those against abortion who believe that life begins at conception cannot think this is okay. You cannot think this is right.  If a baby is formed by an egg being fertilized and joined with sperm, then this thing that cannot attach for nutrition and life is a baby.  

I explained my new findings to Brandon the night I began researching this knowledge.  As I was explaining how birth control works and ranting to him how women are not told this information, the thought occured to me that I may have unknowingly caused harm to children the Lord gave me and never realized it.  I may have more than 2 children, the rest awaiting me with my Savior.  It bothers saddens angers me to no end that I never knew this information.  That my doctor gave me this medication and told me to begin it that day without even bothering to tell me what it did.  I do take some responsibility as I did not look up the information myself.  I should have.  I was young, naive, and ignorant.  I'm not anymore. (Hold the old lady jokes, please. :)

So, here's why I'm writing this.  I'm not telling you that you are a horrible person if you take a birth control that is designed and intended to do this.  I'm not telling you to stop taking it.  I'm not telling you anything YOU should be doing except educating yourself regarding what you do.  Make sure you are really comfortable with your decisions.  KNOW what you are doing to your body and those affected by your actions.  If you are not at peace with it, then maybe it's time to put your big-girl panties on and do something about it, no matter the consequences.