Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
Posted on 06/05/2006 3:36:16 PM PDT by wagglebee
A study released last week by the British Medical Journal's subsidiary, the Journal of Medical Ethics, seemed more designed for attacking the Catholic Church than for scientific rigour. If that was the goal of L. Bovens' "The rhythm method and embryonic death", then the mainstream media fell for the ploy head-over-heels.
"How Vatican roulette kills embryos," screamed Australia's Sydney Morning Herald; "Rhythm method linked to massive embryonic death," was the headline of India's New Kerala, and Canada's Vancouver Sun styled it "'Rhythm' method a killer of embryos."
Physicians and medical ethicists, however, have responded to the journal noting that the study was "absurd science", "insulting to the general Catholic population", and just plain "wrong".
In his article, which was publicized by a BMJ press release with the title "'Rhythm Method' May Kill Off More Embryos Than Other Methods Of Contraception", Bovens speculates that use of the "rhythm method of contraception" is responsible for two to three embryonic deaths for every pregnancy that results from conception outside the "centre interval" of the fertile period.
Dr. John Shea, MD, FRCP(C), the medical advisor for Campaign Life Coalition, told LifeSiteNews.com that Bovens is wrong in that "'Rhythm Method' was not a method of contraception and in fact, is no longer used. It failed to recognize the natural variation of cycles which almost all current natural family planning (NFP) do."
Dr. Shea also points out that Bovens is far short of the mark on his science. "The generally accepted figure for spontaneous abortion is not 50%, but 10 - 15 %. Ninety percent of all such abortions are due to rejection of a maldeveloped embryo or fetus," notes Dr. Shea.
"As Dr.Mark F.Whitty pointed out in an eLetter published by the BMJ's JMEOnline, it is not true that the mythical 'old sperm' or 'old ovum' reduce an embryo's survival chances, or that there is such a thing as 'heightened fertility.' The ovum lasts 12-24 hours and the sperm 3-5 days. Any conception is as viable as the next unless there is genetic or developmental defect of the embryo," explained Dr. Shea.
Dr. Anne M Williams, a General Practitioner in Glasgow, and a Medical Advisor Fertility Care responded to Bovens in a published letter in the BMJ entitled "Absurd Science." Dr. Shea told LifeSitenews.com that Dr. Williams was correct in her assertion that "Occasionally there may occur variant forms of ovulation, or defects in implantation. Some are due to hormonal problems, a short post-ovulatory phase, or problems of receptivity of the endometrium. There is no evidence, however, that the viability of the embryo is dependent on the time or fertilization." (For further information, see http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/10/... or http://www.woomb.org/bom/science/variants.html)
"NaProTechnology, which uses the science of Natural Family Planning, aims to prevent early miscarriage with hormone support and to maintain pregnancy to full term." (see reference: http://www.naprotechnology.co.uk/miscarriage/miscarriage.htm...)
Beyond the science, Bovens fails in philosophy and morality. "Bovens fails to make the necessary moral distinction between natural loss of an embryo and loss caused by deliberate human intervention," says Dr. Shea. "NFP does not cause loss of the embryo, and is not intended to do so. On the other hand, the oral contraceptive pill, the morning-after pill, Norplant, and the IUD all cause abortion because they impede implantation of the embryo in the uterine endometrium."
See the response letters published by the journal's website:
http://jme.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/32/6/355#528
Ping.
Yeah, but it was peer reviewed. Wink, wink.
"The left just makes up whatever suits their agenda."
No kidding! Please don't tell them that many other religions use this same method.
My (Lutheran) DH called it the "Get Away From Me, I'm Ovulating" Method, LOL!
[Beyond the science, Bovens fails in philosophy and morality. "Bovens fails to make the necessary moral distinction between natural loss of an embryo and loss caused by deliberate human intervention," says Dr. Shea. "NFP does not cause loss of the embryo, and is not intended to do so. On the other hand, the oral contraceptive pill, the morning-after pill, Norplant, and the IUD all cause abortion because they impede implantation of the embryo in the uterine endometrium."]
That about sums it up.
The “rhythm method” may kill off more embryos than other contraceptive methods
My Response then;
And here I was told all of my life that an unfertilized egg is NOT an embryo.
LOL. "Obsessed with ovaries" is the funniest Keyword I've ever seen.
And almost as funny as this article.
I'm paraphrasing a character in a Robert Heinlein book: "We doctors have a name for women who rely solely on the Rhythm Method.... 'mothers'"
They've got to be kidding. Right? Are you sure this isn't from the Onion?
"We doctors have a name for women who rely solely on the Rhythm Method.... 'mothers'"
LOL! When I married him, he already had a three year old son and two nephews that he was raising. They were all part and parcel of the deal. Three kids was definately enough for this family. I know my limits. :)
They're not the only ones. From the post
Dr. Shea also points out that Bovens is far short of the mark on his science. "The generally accepted figure for spontaneous abortion is not 50%, but 10 - 15 %. Ninety percent of all such abortions are due to rejection of a maldeveloped embryo or fetus," notes Dr. Shea.
This statement is nonsense. This study says 31% of all pregnancies were lost after implantation; that does not count cases where the embryo did not implant. A more recent study got a virtually identical rate of 30% natural abortions after implantation.
original article
“Rhythm Method” May Kill Off More Embryos than Other Methods of Contraception
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1638162/posts
You: This statement is nonsense. This study says 31% of all pregnancies were lost after implantation
You never understand what you are talking about.
Real life: Because 10-15% of clinically recognised pregnancies end in miscarriage,
From British Medical Journal, Investigation of recurrent miscarriages, BMJ 2005;331:121-122 (16 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7509.121 .
Your figure relates to "One third of conceptions do not result in the delivery of a baby", also from above BMJ article.
You get way too emotional when you see things you hate (ie defense of religious views) that you get mixed up.
Typical of liberal emotionalism.
Read the links I posted. I repeat; the two studies said 31% of all pregnancies were lost by spontaneous abortion after implantation. I have no idea what point you think you're making.
You get way too emotional when you see things you hate (ie defense of religious views) that you get mixed up.
Ho hum. Another day, another personal attack from tallhappy.
Stick to the comics page, and give technical articles a miss, guy.
LOL -how very true... Leftist heads explode when others do not embrace the dogma published by their "scientific" priests & priestesses...
"Do you want to watch TV while I e-mail my mother, or do you want to have a baby in 9 months?"
"Do you want to watch TV while I e-mail my mother, or do you want to have a baby in 9 months?"
LOL! Wait a minute...aren't you the one with about a dozen kids? You need to e-mail your mother more often, LOL! (Just kidding.) :)
*Only* eight kids! (My mother would agree with you :-).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.