Archive for November, 2009
Female Sterilization
What Every Woman Should Know about
-Tubal Ligation
-Sterilization by Tubal Inserts
-Sterilization Reversal
What is female sterilization?
Female sterilization means making a woman permanently infertile, usually by cutting, tying, or blocking her fallopian tubes.
What are the fallopian tubes?
The fallopian tubes are two organs situated sideways in the lower abdomen attached to the uterus. They conduct the ovum from the ovaries toward the uterus and also nurture the ovum and the sperm. If fertilization occurs, the fallopian tubes nurture and transport the human embryo to the uterus.
What is tubal ligation?
Tubal ligation involves closing off the fallopian tubes by cutting, burning, tying, or fastening a clip (or a combination of these methods) to cause permanent sterility (infertility). It is a surgical procedure carried out under anesthesia.
Two common surgical procedures for getting one’s “tubes tied” are:
Laparoscopy: Usually small incisions are made in the lower abdomen. Carbon dioxide gas is pumped in to inflate the abdomen, and a fiber-optic light is inserted. Then, surgical instruments are insertedto cut, tie, or burn the fallopian tubes.
Mini-laparotomy: This procedure requires a small incision in the lower abdomen. The fallopian tubes are closed by clips, burned, or cut and tied.
What is non-surgical sterilization?
There is a new non-surgical method of permanent female sterilization. In a procedure called hysteroscopy, micro-inserts are passed through the vagina, cervix, and uterus, and placed in the fallopian tubes. The micro-inserts cause a tissue barrier to form that prevents sperm from reaching the egg.
Does female sterilization have health risks?
Risks from anesthesia and surgery
- Infection1
- Bleeding2
- Respiratory problems
- Adverse effects from anesthetics
- Damage to abdominal organs3
- Bowel perforation4
- Death
Risks from tubal ligation itself
- Menstrual disorders5
- Ovary dysfunction6
- Ectopic pregnancy7
- Remorse8
Long-term psychological effects such as depression and anxiety have been reported by women after tubal ligation.9 Stress interfering with sex has been reported in women after tubal ligation.10 The probability of undergoing hysterectomy within 14 years after sterilization is 17% per 100 procedures.11
Is sterilization 100% effective?
NO. Failure rates can range from 1% for laparoscopic sterilization up to 13% for hysteroscopic sterilization.12 When pregnancy occurs after a female sterilization procedure the risk for ectopic pregnancy is 7.3 per 1000 procedures and can be higher for the newest procedures.
Warning! Sterilization does not protect against
sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS.
What if I change my mind?
Many sterilized women later desire to have their fertility restored. Some have entered new relationships and want a child with their new partner; some want a return to physical wholeness; some believe that they have done something immoral and are seeking spiritual restoration. There are, however, significant obstacles to sterilization reversal; for example, the surgery is more extensive and expensive than the original procedure, and it is typically not covered by insurance. Also, a return of fertility is not guaranteed; the success rate varies depending on a woman’s age, the type of sterilization performed, and the skill of the surgeon.
Is sterilization morally acceptable?
Before 1930 no Christian church accepted sterilization or any form of contraception. The Catholic Church and some Protestant churches still teach that intentional sterilization is an immoral form of birth control.
What are my options?
If you are married, the modern methods of Natural Family Planning (NFP) are the safest, healthiest, and least expensive alternatives for family planning.
If you are single, abstinence is the best option and always works!
References
1. Levgur M, Duvivier R. Pelvic inflammatory disease after tubal sterilization: a review. ObstetGynecol Surv. 2000 Jan; 55(1): 41-50.
2. Magos A, Chapman L. Hysteroscopic tubal sterilization. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2004 Sep; 31(3): 705-19, xii.
3. Moore CL, Vasquez NF, Lin H, Kaplan LJ. Major vascular injury after laparoscopic tuballigation. J Emerg Med. 2005 Jul; 29(1): 67-71.
4. Westhoff C, Davis A. Tubal sterilization: focus on the U.S. experience. Fertil Steril. 2000 May; 73(5): 913-922.
5. Timonen S, Tuominen J, Irjala K, Maenpaa J. Ovarian function and regulation of thehypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis after tubal sterilization. J Reprod Med. 2002 Feb; 47(2): 131-136.
6. Holt VL, Cushing-Haugen KL, Daling JR. Oral contraceptives, tubal sterilization, and functional ovarian cyst risk. Obstet Gynecol. 2003 Aug; 102(2): 252-258.
7. Jamieson DJ, Hillis SD, Duerr A, et al. Complications of interval laparoscopic tubal sterilization: Findings from the United States Collaborative Review of Sterilization. Obstet Gynecol. 2000; 96: 997–1002.
8. Kelekci S, Erdemoglu E, Kutluk S, Yilmaz B, Savan K. Risk factors for tubal ligation: regret and psychological effects impact of Beck Depression Inventory. Contraception. 2005 Jun; 71(6): 417-420.
9. Luo L, Wu SZ, Zhu C, Fan Q, Liu K, Sun G. Psychological long-term effects of sterilization on anxiety and depression. Contraception. 1996 Dec; 54(6): 345-357.
10. Warehime MN, Bass L, Pedulla D. Effects of tubal ligation among American women. J Reprod Med. 2007 Apr; 52(4): 263-272.
11. Hillis, SD, Marchbanks, PA, Tylor, LR, Peterson, HB. Tubal sterilization and long-term risk of hysterectomy: Findings from the United States collaborative review of sterilization. The U.S. Collaborative Review of Sterilization Working Group. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 1997; 89(4): 609-614.
12. Gariepy A, Creinin M, Schwarz EB, Smith K. Reliabilityof laparoscopic compared to hysteroscopic sterilizationat 1 year: a decision analysis. Obstet Gynecol. 2011; 118: 273–9.
Where can I learn more about Natural Family Planning?
One More Soul (OMS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading the truth about the blessings of children, the harms of contraception, the benefits of Natural Family Planning, and the virtue of chastity. We carry a wide variety of educational resources, including tapes, videos, CDs, DVDs, and books. Natural Family Planning classes are available each month in English and Spanish.
Please call us or visit our web site www.OMSoul.com for more information about tubal sterilization reversal.
Chastity: What are you saying YES to?
Chastity is a virtue that each baptized person is called to live no matter what his or her vocation. Chastity is more about what you are doing than about what you are not doing. It is SO MUCH MORE than remaining a “technical virgin.” Chastity is actually at the heart of a good marriage. So if chastity is lived even after marriage, then it has to be more than just saying NO to sex.
Chastity defined: Chastity is a virtue that directs all our sexual desires, emotions, and attractions toward the dignity of the person and the real meaning of love.1
That means that all of our sexual desires, emotions, and attractions to others are supposed to be at the service of the dignity of the other person and the real meaning of love—not at the service of what we want! Chastity is a deep respect and admiration for the person AND for the gifts of our sexuality and sex. As John Paul II puts it, chastity is the readiness to affirm and love the person in every situation. You know what you are saying no to by living chastity, but what are you saying YES to?
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING YES TO?
1. Chastity is saying YES to AUTHENTIC real love.
Love is not just a happy feeling or something that comes and goes. Your love is also not prooved by having sex with someone. Love is a deep desire to do what is good for another. It involves sacrifice. Think of the love Christ has for you—a love that led Him to lay down His life on the cross. When compared to this kind of love, do you really want to date or marry somebody who rests his or her entire idea of a good relationship on mere feelings?
2. Chastity is saying YES to you.
Chastity says, “I believe that I am worth waiting for. I am a unique unrepeatable person who has a unique unrepeatable gift to offer.” By living chastity, you are saying YES to your own dignity and honoring the person God made you to be.
3. Chastity is saying YES to the person.
To every person you meet—especially those of the opposite sex—chastity says, “I will not put you in a position where I may use or hurt you. I will respect who you are, including your body. I will govern my eyes and thoughts so that they honor you.” Since sex is “saying your wedding vows with your body instead of your voice,”2 a commitment to chastity is a promise to never tell a lie with your body.
4. Chastity is saying YES to the “it is very good” kind of sex.
The Catholic Church says sex is SO great and SO good that when you take it out of marriage you cheapen it. You reduce it, and it is no longer something great. God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply; then He looked at His creation and said “It is very good.” Adam and Eve were the first married couple. The real meaning of sex happens can only be found within marriage, where there is a life-long commitment and a total giving and receiving of each other. Having “meaningless” sex with different people now—even even if you love them—is going to make it difficult once you’re married to express your TOTAL and UNCONDITIONAL love through the same act that once meant something less to you. The question is: What do you want?
5. Chastity is saying YES to your future spouse.
Whether you are called to marriage, the priesthood, or religious life, by living chastity, you are preparing yourself for your future vocation by loving even when it is not easy or does not feel good. You are being faithful to your spouse now. Can you imagine a more powerful and beautiful gift to present to God and your spouse on your wedding day? How awesome it would be to look him or her in the eyes and say, “I have prepared myself for you!” There is no way you will have any regrets giving this gift to God and your future spouse! If you have made mistakes in the past, go to confession and open yourself to the HEALING power of God and His MERCY, and begin living chastity and preparing yourself from this very moment.
6. Chastity is saying YES to a great future.
Popular opinion would have you believe that your life will be perfect after you begin having sex, but the stats show just the opposite. Chaste teens avoid unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (many of which are incurable and cause infertility). They are also less likely to be depressed, commit suicide,3 have a marriage that ends in divorce, experience poverty, have an abortion,4 and use contraception. Oral contraceptives (estrogen and progestin combination) lead to an increased risk of several kinds of cancer.5 A woman’s risk for breast cancer increases by 44% when the Pill is taken prior to her first pregnancy.6 Do not mess with your future and the happiness the Lord longs for you to enjoy!
7. Chastity is saying YES to God.
God is the Author of romance. He intended it from the beginning. God’s plans are not shallow and mediocre. They are GREAT! He has set the bar high because He wants what is truly best for you and knows the deepest desires of your heart. Chastity says YES to the fullness of God’s plans for you. Give your life to Christ and live daily for Him; you will have more adventure than you know what to do with!
“Chastity is first and foremost a great yes to the true meaning of sex, to the goodness of being created as male and female in the image of God. Chastity isn’t repressive. It’s totally liberating. It frees us from the tendency to use others for selfish gratification and enables us to love others as Christ loves us.” —Christopher West
Practical Things You Can Do to Start Living Chastity NOW
1. PRAY!!
Mother Teresa said “Purity is the fruit of prayer.” Chastity cannot be lived by one’s own strength, but requires the help of Christ and the graces He gives through the Sacraments. Pick a saint—St. Joseph, St. Anne, St. Maria Goretti, St. Philomena, and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati are some suggestions—and ask them to pray for you specifically in the area of purity. Pray for strength to always do what’s right, for your future vocation and spouse, and for all people to know the joy that comes from living a chaste life for the Lord.
2. Start loving now.
Chastity isn’t about waiting to love; it’s about authentically loving NOW. Find ways to renounce your will and sacrifice for the good of others. Act in such a way that all you do reflects your own dignity and helps others to realize their true worth as well. Learn to give of yourself and receive the gift of others.
3. Be yourself.
Never change who you are or water down your beliefs and moral convictions in hopes that others will like you more. You will be respected for your authenticity, and people will know where you stand by the example of your life. Find friends who will encourage you in living a chaste life rather than pressuring you to conform to the world’s standards.
4. Practice self-discipline.
Challenge yourself in the little things: not hitting the snooze button, skipping dessert, avoiding gossip, etc. By renouncing yourself in the little things, you are training yourself to renounce yourself in the big things. Then, when temptation comes your way, you’ll be ready. Be faithful to your commitments; set goals and stick with them.
5. Control your thoughts and imagination.
Once you go to a place mentally, it is easier to go there in reality. Some of what we hear and watch in the media sabotages our longings for real love by training us to use people. If you have romance novels, pornography, explicit songs, or anything else that tempts you, trash them. It might be hard, but you will experience the freedom that comes from rejecting sin and addiction, and Satan will no longer have these tools to use against you.
6. Think about how you advertise yourself.
The things you do and say, your friends, the way you dress, etc., all tell the world something about you. Dress in a way that accents your beauty rather than just your body. Modesty is about respecting yourself and helping your brothers and sisters in Christ to live chastity as well. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “No one ever becomes truly beautiful until he stops trying to make himself beautiful, and begins making himself good. Mary was not ‘full of grace’ because she was beautiful; she was beautiful because she was full of grace.”
7. Be alert!
Don’t drink alcohol or do drugs. Be aware of your surroundings (watch your drink!), and keep full possession of the capacity to think clearly, which is so compromised by drugs and alcohol.
8. Know Yourself.
It’s not just about saying NO when you’re in a bad situation, but about avoiding these situations to begin with. If certain situations, things, or people are a source of temptation to you, have the wisdom and strength to stay away. If you are ever in a situation where you may be tempted beyond your strength, 1) speak up, 2) stand up, and 3) walk out.
9. Have a reminder.
Wear a chastity ring/necklace or say a certain special prayer daily. Do something that reminds you of your commitment to true love.
10. Group date.
Go out with a guy/girl in a group of people. It will be more fun, and you will get to see how this person interacts with your friends. Be up-front and honest so he or she knows that chastity is essential in your relationship. If your date doesn’t respect your choice to live chastely, what else won’t they respect?
References
1 Theology of the Body for Teens Student Workbook, Ascension Press, p. 42
2 Jason Evert, If You Really Loved Me, Catholic Answers, p. 26
3 www.heritage.org/Research/Abstinence/cda0304.cfm
4 www.heritage.org/Research/Abstinence/abstinence_charts.cfm
5 www.omsoul.com/who-pill-bc.php
6 www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/pdf/8110/8110a1.pdf
20 Ways for Young Women to Claim the Respect They Deserve
1. Dress in a way appropriate to your dignity. As Crystalina Evert, an awesome chastity speaker puts it, “Don’t walk around sending the message that your body is the best part of you—implying that your heart, mind, and soul aren’t so important. Instead, say with your modesty, ‘I’m worth waiting to see.’”
2. Give the gift of yourself in sex only to your husband. THIS IS A PRECIOUS GIFT that you will never regret saving for marriage, and by waiting you are loving your future spouse even now. The respect you will have for yourself doing so, and the respect that men (both your future husband and any men you will date before him) will have for you will set a strong foundation for a wonderful marriage someday. (more…)
20 Ways for Young Men to Become REAL Men
“There is need for a crusade of manliness and purity to counteract and nullify the savage work of those who think man is a beast. And that crusade is your work”
– St. Josemaría Escrivá
1. Tell cool, funny jokes, not the kind that would make a pure woman blush—or be offended!
2. Find saints that you relate to and ask them to pray for you as you imitate their virtues. Some awesome real men include St. Joseph, St. Augustine, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, and St. Josemaría Escrivá. (more…)
The Blessings of Children
Having a baby is a wonderful thing. Children are great. No matter what the circumstances are, no matter who the mother or the father is, no matter how they were conceived, a child is a gift from God, and an occasion for celebration. In fact, the more children God sends you, the more He blesses you.
Do any of these statements seem odd, deranged maybe, or just a little weird to you? Can rational people really believe that every conception/birth is a sign of God’s favor? Of course we can. Why? Because we believe in God, and our God simply loves people, and the more, the merrier. (more…)
Married With Children Paves Way to Happiness
(HealthDay News) — Want to be a happy married couple? Consider having kids.
A new study found that having children boosts happiness. And the more, literally, the merrier.
But unmarried couples shouldn’t expect to find greater happiness through child-raising. The study, published in the Oct. 14 online edition of the Journal of Happiness Studies, suggests that having children has little or no effect on boosting happiness among couples who aren’t hitched.
The findings contradict previous research that suggested that having more offspring doesn’t lead to greater happiness and might even make people less satisfied with their lives. One theory behind the conclusion is that parents don’t receive many rewards in return for the hard work of raising children. (more…)
Britain's Chief Rabbi Warns of Fall of Europe due to Demographic Collapse
by John-Henry Westen
LONDON, November 24, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Speaking at the Annual Theos Lecture in London on November 4, Britain’s Chief Rabbi Johnathan Sacks, warned that Europe was bound to meet the same fate as ancient Greece due to its abysmal failure to inspire larger families.
“Parenthood involves massive sacrifice: of money, attention, time and emotional energy,” he said. “Where today, in European culture with its consumerism and its instant gratification ‘because you’re worth it,’ in that culture, where will you find space for the concept of sacrifice for the sake of generations not yet born?” (more…)
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