The Linacre Quarterly

Natural family planning (NFP), which comprises multiple, variegated methods, is an underutilized form of birth control. This is despite women's interest in it. It is unclear why this is the case. One hypothesis is that nurses and physicians, main sources of information on reproductive health matters, are not adequately trained to provide NFP services to patients. The extant English language literature on the subject of NFP and professional education was examined and analyzed for information on the breadth, content, and depth of NFP teaching in medical and nursing programs. Data on physicians’ and nurses’ practice and attitude toward NFP were also examined. Few articles and limited data exist to indicate what type of training in NFP student doctors and nurses receive, though it is clear that some information about it is obtained through the undergraduate nursing or medical curriculum. The literature suggests that many health-care providers would offer an NFP method to specific patients, but that such opportunities are rarely sought and are in fact limited. These methods would be more widely used if health-care professionals in general had better and more adequate training in NFP and offered it to more of their patients. Catholic professionals in particular have a special responsibility to train users and teachers of NFP.

The recent publication of the “US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Psychological Adjustment of 17-Year-Old Adolescents” suggests that lesbian-headed families are not only as good, but better than father/mother families. However, the study suffers from several methodological flaws. The control group was mismatched for age, ethnicity, and level of education. The questionnaire was completed by one of the mothers, while similar questionnaires filled out by the children or by teachers were not included. Six of the seventy-seven lesbian couples separated prior to conception while forty separated later on (60 percent separation rate). The effect of the redundancy of a lesbian family unit may temper the effect of separation, but this leads to conflicts in the relationship, which impact the children. In a prior study the effect of conception by donor sperm has been shown to be associated with depression, delinquency, and substance abuse, with those born to lesbian couples twice as likely to say they have struggled with substance abuse. Children born to a mother in a lesbian relationship through donor insemination are deprived of something to which every child has a right—a father—and sooner or later the child will ask, “Why me?”

The recent publication of the “US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Psychological Adjustment of 17-Year-Old Adolescents” suggests that lesbian-headed families are not only as good, but better than father/mother families. However, the study suffers from several methodological flaws. The control group was mismatched for age, ethnicity, and level of education. The questionnaire was completed by one of the mothers, while similar questionnaires filled out by the children or by teachers were not included. Six of the seventy-seven lesbian couples separated prior to conception while forty separated later on (60 percent separation rate). The effect of the redundancy of a lesbian family unit may temper the effect of separation, but this leads to conflicts in the relationship, which impact the children. In a prior study the effect of conception by donor sperm has been shown to be associated with depression, delinquency, and substance abuse, with those born to lesbian couples twice as likely to say they have struggled with substance abuse. Children born to a mother in a lesbian relationship through donor insemination are deprived of something to which every child has a right—a father—and sooner or later the child will ask, “Why me?”

The debate preceding passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, of 2010, was divisive amongst United States Catholics. Supporters of this flawed legislation dissented from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Threats to human dignity persist for the most vulnerable, including the unborn, elderly, immigrants, and poor. Third parties will increase intrusion upon the doctor-patient relationship. Unsustainable spending trends portend healthcare rationing. Catholic social teaching offers clear, and universal, principles for citizens of good will to guide amelioration of these fundamental health-care policy concerns.

The author examines both the so-called “Catholic” and “lay” theses on the identity and status of the early human embryo. He points out that some assumptions shared by both theses are biologically equivocal. Moreover, some authoritative experts validate those assumptions by using linguistic artifices which confound the understanding of this sensitive issue. He disputes the ambiguity of the expressions “human life,” “human being,” and “genetic identity.” He concludes his essay listing some terms, which do not assign univocal meaning, and which are exploited to alter objective data and biological concepts for corroborating the “lay” thesis.

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla gave up her life to save the life of her child. She was a devout woman and pediatrician who refused a hysterectomy to remove a benign fibroid tumor in her uterus during pregnancy as the procedure would have resulted in the death of her unborn child. Her saintliness was confirmed by two medical cases. The first was a twenty-seven-year-old woman who developed a recto-vaginal fistula approximately two weeks after she gave birth to a stillborn baby by Caesarean section. While she was being prepared for transfer to another facility, a Capuchin religious sister turned to Gianna Beretta Molla asking through her intercession that the patient be healed of the illness and thereby avoid the dangerous trip. About this time the pain disappeared completely and, upon examination, the fistula had completely healed. The second case is a thirty-five-year-old Brazilian woman who, during her pregnancy, suffered through many complications, including a large retroplacental clot and a detached placenta. Later rupture of the amniotic membrane was confirmed. The patient was advised to abort the baby, but with the advice of her bishop she turned instead in prayer to Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla. She was monitored closely, and the baby was delivered by Caesarian section. The mother suffered more complications, but ultimately recovered. The clinical aspects of retrovaginal fistulas, subchorionic hemorrhage, and pre-term premature rupture of the membranes are reviewed.

Note that the “Current Medical Research” feature focuses on issues relevant to natural family planning and the beginning of life. This piece is complemented by medical reviews published in The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, which focus more on other areas of general medical interest including end-of-life issues.—Ed.