By encouraging doctors and scientists to improve the regulation of births through the observation of natural fertility rhythms, Humanae vitae promoted the development of natural family planning (NFP). The study of NFP has lead to NFP-based methodologies in reproductive healthcare that are promoting advances in treatment of infertility, miscarriage, and a number of reproductive health disorders. In contrast, the contraceptive mentality has stunted the development of reproductive healthcare. Humanae vitae has provided a great gift to science and reproductive healthcare that all Catholics should be proud of.
Humanae vitae reproductive health advancement, natural family planning development history, NFP-based reproductive healthcare, Catholic teaching natural fertility regulation, natural fertility rhythm observation, reproductive medicine ethical framework, natural procreative technology origins, Humanae vitae scientific legacy, fertility awareness Catholic tradition
PMID 25249708 25249708 DOI 10.1179/2050854914Y.0000000028 10.1179/2050854914Y.0000000028 Doroski et al. 2014, Doroski 2014
Cite this article
Doroski, D. M. (2014). How Humanae vitae has advanced reproductive health. The Linacre Quarterly, 81(3), 286-294. https://doi.org/10.1179/2050854914Y.0000000028
Doroski DM. How Humanae vitae has advanced reproductive health. Linacre Q. 2014;81(3):286-294. doi:10.1179/2050854914Y.0000000028
Doroski, Derek M. "How Humanae vitae has advanced reproductive health." The Linacre Quarterly, vol. 81, no. 3, 2014, pp. 286-294.
Keywords
Contraception, Humanae Vitae, In Vitro Fertilization, Naprotechnology, Natural Family Planning
Hilgers TW, 2004·The Medical and Surgical Practice of NaProTECHNOLOGY·
Escalating rates of contraceptive use, abortion, divorce, child abuse, teenage pregnancy, and out-of-wedlock births over the preceding four decades are documented as interconnected indicators of systemic failure in women's and family healthcare. Hilgers argues these trends reflect a prevailing medical culture that suppresses or bypasses reproductive function rather than supporting it, establishing the clinical and moral imperative for a restorative alternative.
Professional bodies such as the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recognize the impact of conscience-based decisions. The first time such decisions affect patients and providers is in residency. Our study sought to determine the attitudes of program directors towards various conscience-based refusals in potential applicants to obstetrics and gynecology programs. An eight-question survey was sent to 279 directors of U.S. obstetrics and gynecology residencies in 2019. The survey proposed hypothetical conscientious refusals of common aspects of obstetric and gynecology practice. The survey asked respondents to categorize their reaction to these choices and choose from a list of factors which could modify their reaction. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed. 97 program directors (35%) responded. A majority of PDs reported that the inability to prescribe or counsel on birth control, to provide methotrexate, to counsel on abortion, or to clearly enumerate refusals was impossible to work around, likely to lower an applicant's rank, not compatible with training, or not good for patients; collectively, these responses were grouped as "negative reactions" (73-99%). Female program directors had more negative reactions to applicants who refused to prescribe birth control (aOR 15.8, 95% CI 1.7-99.5) and counsel on abortion (aOR 3.6, 95% CI 1.2-10.8). Directors from different locations and program types did not have significantly different responses. A few program directors identified that academic strength could mitigate otherwise negatively-viewed choices. Illustrative comments of directors' attitudes are provided. Program directors agree that conscientious refusal to participate in certain activities is problematic for obstetrics and gynecology residency. There are very few subjective or regional differences on this stance, and few aspects of an application modify directors' reactions.
Most Catholic physicians work with the comfortable assumption that we can practice our profession and our faith, fully assimilated into modern American culture and society. Increasingly, we have come to realize that to be a Catholic Christian is by nature to be countercultural. American culture, ordered by the founding fathers in concepts of liberty and freedom, has been profoundly affected by the introduction and reliance on a contraceptive pill. This has changed the mores and sexual behaviors of society in ways that are antithetical to Catholic values. The consequences of contraception have directly led to an acceptance of a broad number of behaviors and attitudes that society insists must be tolerated. This challenges the commitments of Catholic physicians both personally and professionally.
A special course on Marriage, the Family and Human Sexuality was established at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis so as to assist the seminarians in their better understanding of the Church's teaching relative to natural methods of family planning and women's health care. This article compares the response at the beginning of this three-credit semester course to the same seven-item questionnaire given at the conclusion of the course. The preand postcourse scores were calculated for each of the questions. The scores obtained after the course were all significantly higher than they were before the course with p values ranging from 0.01 to <0.0001. Four of the items showed marked improvement including an understanding of the church's teaching related to natural methods, current methods of natural family planning, the impact of a natural method on a couple's marriage, and also the impact of a natural method on family life. Statistically significant improvement was also seen in their understanding of the topic of natural family planning and the Creighton Model System and its relevance toward the seminarian's vocation, the use of the methods to either achieve or avoid pregnancy, and how contraception and abortion are linked. In these last three items, the level of statistical significance was quite high, although not as high as the other four items. There were 104 seminarians over an eight-year period of time, who provided answers to these questions, both before and after the course. This course was modeled after a course that was initiated at the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction, which was for priests, seminarians, and Catholic leaders, titled Love & Life Unlimited. NONTECHNICAL This is an evaluation of a ten-point, seven-question questionnaire that was utilized at the beginning of a course at Kenrick Seminary in Marriage, Sexuality, Creighton Model and NaProTECHNOLOGY. The same questionnaire was given to the students at the beginning of the course and then two to three months later at the conclusion of the three-credit course. The results show that there is a significant improvement in the seminarians' knowledge and general attitude about natural methods of family planning and suggests that such courses would be beneficial to establish in seminaries throughout the country.