The Myth of Contraception

Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard either this argument or a similar one: “The promotion and use of contraception would reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, and subsequently the number of abortions.” While I can see the perceived train of thinking behind this proposal, the argument is flawed. Contraception use does not decrease the number of abortions. If it did, why would Planned Parenthood so readily provide contraceptives to anyone and everyone they can? No form of birth control is, or pretends to be, 100% effective. In fact, according to the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, over half of women who have abortions were using some form of contraception during the month they become pregnant. Not surprisingly, the use of contraceptives promotes an attitude of sexual promiscuity. In general, by taking away – or attempting to take away – the consequences of an action, individuals will more readily take part in that action because they perceive there is no risk. As we have seen, the result of this thinking is that more teens are becoming sexually active because they are led to believe that they will not have to deal with the consequences of pre-marital sex. The accompanying attitude fed to teenagers – that they are unable to sexually control themselves, and should subsequently have access to birth control – is also flawed. Since when do parents tell their children, “I know one day you’ll lose your temper and kill someone, so here’s how to cover up the murder so you don’t get caught.” or “I don’t want you to ever use heroin, but you might anyway, so here’s how to clean your needles so you don’t get infected.”? The argument is laughable when used in any other context. Finally, the use of contraceptives fosters an attitude that accepts, and even promotes abortion. The inherent and sacred link between sex and the formation of new life is destroyed. When contraception fails and a woman becomes pregnant, the prevailing attitude is that the pregnancy is a mistake; something the woman did wrong that must be remedied. So, on no grounds is contraception an ethical or moral choice to either prevent abortion, or when used on its own.