Long acting Contraceptive Agents and Method Effectiveness

[Guest guest]

But as the push in medicine goes away from pills (OCPs) and towards long acting contraceptives, (IUDs) or sterilizations, doesnt the point of typical versus perfect use efficacy became moot? I mean, even the best NFP methods are never going to rival 99.5 percent efficacy of these choices. Again, haven't we let the other side define how to measure "success" of NFP methods? Perhaps the typical use is down because the couples have embraced an openness to life mentality and are not using the NFP method strictly, and that is why they became pregnant. It is like trying to put a round piece in a square hole. The methodology doesn't fit. I, of course, understand the need to compare various family planning options, and this is the way that someone decided. But there are valid reasons to reject this, and i am sure you all have discussed these in the past.

Earlier in the week we were talking about Reardon's quest to point out the severe problem with Grimes asserting that abortion is safer than childbirth. Despite the point that Grimes left out two big studies showing there was increased mortality in woman choosing abortion for at least 8 years afterwards (California and Finland studies), isn't the philosophy of comparing these two things also inadequate? They are two unequal things entirely. Childbirth produces an extreme good, a child, which should be worth more risk (in someone's accounting of this whole thing at least) than abortion. Why do we even allow the comparison? Even if childbirth were 50 times riskier than abortion, wouldnt the children be worth the risk?

And, finally, it is like comparing the risks of oral contraceptives to the risks of disease incurred during pregnancy (for example, DVTs on Yaz versus DVTs during pregnancy). Why don't we make the comparison of DVTs on Yaz to DVTs in an unpregnant state (or a woman using NFP for example). This, at least, is apples to apples.

It also angers me that, for example, the recent article showing DEPO Proverra causing an increased risk of breast cancer is dismissed by the media that the increased risk of breast cancer disappears once the woman comes off the Depo. Well, why doesnt our side say, well the risk of DVT during childbirth goes away once the woman is not pregnant anymore, so everything is O.K.?

Blessings,

Dr. Peck, MD, CCD, AAFP, Marquette NFP Instructor

Pecks Family Practice, PLC

1688 W Granada Blvd, Ste 2A

Ormond Beach, FL 32174

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