Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church has long held that artificial birth control is illicit and forbidden to married couples. However, recent data from the National Survey of Family Growth reveals that a large majority of Catholic women in the United States have used at least one form of artificial contraception, with over 90% having used condoms and more than 60% the birth control pill. This figure is supported by the Guttmacher Institute, which found that 98% of sexually active Catholic women have used contraceptive methods banned by the church. Interestingly, younger Catholic women are about 5% less likely to use contraception than non-Catholics, but this gap closes by their mid-20s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Catholic women who have ever used contraceptive methods | 98% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who have ever used contraceptive methods other than natural family planning | 98% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who currently use contraceptive methods | 87% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who currently use natural family planning | 2% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who currently use no method of contraception | 11% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who currently use highly effective methods | 68% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who currently use sterilization | 32% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who currently use the pill | 31% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who currently use IUD | 5% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who currently use the Plan B pill | 23% |
| Percentage of Catholic women in their late 30s who use birth control pills | Lower than non-Catholics |
| Percentage of Catholic women who have used condoms | Over 90% |
| Percentage of Catholic women who have used the hormonal birth control pill | More than 60% |
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What You'll Learn
Contraception methods used by Catholic women
The Catholic Church has consistently maintained that it is "intrinsically wrong" to use contraception to prevent procreation. This includes sterilization, condoms, spermicides, withdrawal, the Pill, and other methods. The Church only sanctions 'natural' birth control, which means only having sex during the infertile period of a woman's monthly cycle.
Despite the Church's stance, a significant number of Catholic women use contraception. A 2011 Guttmacher study found that 87% of Catholic women at risk of unintended pregnancy used a method other than natural family planning. More recent data from 2017 shows that 25% of Catholic women use sterilization, 15% use long-acting reversible contraceptives (like IUDs), and 25% use hormonal methods (like birth control pills). Additionally, 15% of Catholics rely on condoms, and 4% use methods such as withdrawal.
The high usage of contraception among Catholics has been a topic of debate and discussion within the Church. Some argue that it indicates a disconnect between the Church's teachings and the lived experiences of its members. Others, like John Grabowski, a professor of moral theology and ethics, warn of the potential negative physical and psychological effects of artificial contraception on women.
Natural family planning, also known as the rhythm method, has been promoted by the Catholic Church as the acceptable form of birth control. This method involves abstaining from sex during a woman's fertile period. While it is considered a natural form of contraception, it may not be suitable for all couples and requires careful tracking of a woman's menstrual cycle.
In summary, while the Catholic Church officially condemns artificial contraception, many Catholic women choose to use these methods for various reasons. Natural family planning is the Church-approved alternative, but it may not be as effective or practical for everyone.
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Catholic women not using contraception despite being sexually active
Despite the Catholic Church's stance against artificial birth control, a significant number of Catholic women engage in contraceptive use. Research shows that 98% of sexually active Catholic women in the United States have used contraceptive methods, with only 2% relying solely on natural family planning. This trend is not unique to the United States, as Catholic women worldwide have been found to use contraceptives at high rates.
The Catholic Church's teaching on birth control, formalized in 1968 by St. Paul VI, declares that any action specifically intended to prevent procreation is "absolutely excluded." However, it is important to note that the Church has acknowledged the potential necessity of delaying childbearing due to social and economic circumstances. Additionally, the Church's stance on birth control has been blamed for the decline in church attendance among American Catholics, suggesting a disconnect between the doctrine and the practices of its followers.
Various studies provide insights into the contraceptive methods chosen by Catholic women. Among Catholic women at risk of unintended pregnancy, 68% use highly effective methods such as sterilization, the IUD, or the pill. A smaller proportion, amounting to 15%, rely on condoms, while 4% use other methods like withdrawal. Notably, 11% of Catholic women who are sexually active and not aiming for pregnancy choose not to employ any contraceptive method.
The decision to forgo contraception among sexually active Catholic women can have significant implications for their lives. Unintended pregnancies can lead to adverse outcomes, including low birth weight, preterm delivery, and negative impacts on a child's development. Additionally, teenage pregnancies, which are more common in deeply Catholic countries like the Philippines, pose heightened risks for both child mothers and their babies.
While the reasons behind Catholic women's contraceptive choices are complex, it is evident that a significant number opt for methods other than natural family planning. The high usage of artificial contraception among Catholics has sparked debates and reflections within the Church, with experts weighing in on the potential consequences and motivations surrounding these decisions.
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Catholic women's use of emergency contraception
The Catholic Church has long held a critical view of birth control, or contraception, and artificial contraception methods are considered illicit and forbidden. However, in recent times, large majorities of Catholic women have been reported to use at least one form of artificial contraception. This shift may be influenced by factors such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate, which requires private health plans to cover contraception, and the benefits of contraception in avoiding closely spaced pregnancies and adverse outcomes that can affect a child's development.
Data from the National Survey of Family Growth found that 98% of sexually experienced American Catholic women aged 15-44 have used a method of contraception other than natural family planning at some point. This is a similar percentage to that of all American women, with 99% having used contraception. Among women currently at risk of unintended pregnancy, 87% of Catholics use a method other than natural family planning, compared to 88% overall.
A 1998 study by Catholics for Choice found that 96% of US Catholic women had used contraceptives at some point in their lives, and a more recent survey showed that over 90% of Catholics have used condoms, with more than 60% having used the hormonal birth control pill. These statistics indicate a significant shift in the use of contraception among Catholic women, despite the Church's longstanding opposition.
The use of contraceptive drugs is not without potential risks, as they have been linked to an increased risk of certain harmful conditions, including blood clots, tumors, strokes, and some cancers. Additionally, the World Health Organization has classified synthetic estrogen and progestin in contraceptives as carcinogenic. However, Catholic teaching does not oppose the use of hormonal medications for legitimate medical purposes, provided there is no contraceptive intent.
Regarding emergency contraception, Catholic hospitals have been ambiguous on the topic, and there is a lack of definitive guidelines. However, some Catholic leaders, such as Father Tad Pacholczyk of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, have stated that contraceptives are permissible in cases of non-consensual sex, such as rape and sexual assault. This position has been supported by the Bishops of New York State, who advise rape survivors to seek immediate pregnancy prevention.
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Catholic women's use of birth control pills
The Catholic Church has long held that all forms of artificial birth control are illicit and forbidden to married couples. This stance was formalized in 1968 by St. Paul VI, who declared that any action intended to prevent procreation was "absolutely excluded" from Catholic marriage. Despite this, large numbers of Catholic women have been found to use birth control methods, including the pill.
Research from the Guttmacher Institute in 2011 found that 98% of sexually active Catholic women in the United States had used contraceptive methods other than natural family planning. This is nearly identical to the percentage of women with no religious affiliation (99.6%) and only slightly lower than the overall percentage of women across different religions (99%).
Breaking down the data further, among Catholic women at risk of unintended pregnancy, 25% use sterilization, 15% use long-acting reversible contraceptives like IUDs, and 25% use hormonal methods like birth control pills. This translates to 68% of Catholic women overall using highly effective contraceptive methods, with an additional 15% relying on condoms and 4% using other methods like withdrawal.
The use of birth control among Catholic women has been a topic of debate, with some arguing that it goes against Church teachings and brings something "toxic" into marriages. However, others have pointed out that contraception is not a new concept and that it has been practiced for centuries for various reasons, including the belief that parents should be able to adequately care for the children they already have.
Catholics' adherence to the Church's teachings on birth control appears to be influenced by factors such as how often they attend Mass. For example, while 55% of weekly Mass attendees reported using oral contraception, that number increases to 75% for those who attend less frequently.
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Catholic Church's stance on birth control
The Catholic Church has long held that all forms of artificial birth control are illicit and forbidden to married couples. This stance was formalized in 1968 by Pope Paul VI, who in his encyclical Humanae Vitae declared that "any action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically wrong. This includes sterilization, condoms, other barrier methods, spermicides, coitus interruptus (withdrawal method), the Pill, and all other such methods.
The Church's teaching on contraception is based on the belief that sex is a gift from God intended for procreation within marriage. Contraception is seen as unnatural and harmful to the spouses, as it deliberately excludes the basic purpose of sex, which is to create new human life. The Bible is also interpreted as condemning contraception, with passages such as Psalm 127:3–5: "Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies at the gate."
However, the Church does allow for natural family planning (NFP) methods that do not involve artificial means of contraception. NFP involves spouses refraining from sexual union during the woman's fertile time, respecting God's design for life and love. The Church's support for NFP is based on the belief that it respects the God-given power to love a new human life into being, even when the couple is not actively seeking to procreate.
Despite the Church's stance, many Catholics use artificial contraception. Recent data shows that large majorities of Catholics report using at least one form of artificial contraception, with over 90% having used condoms and more than 60% having used the hormonal birth control pill. This may be due to the fact that artificial contraception can help women avoid pregnancies that are spaced too closely together, thus improving child development outcomes. Additionally, some Catholics disagree with the Church's stance on contraception, with some Western Catholics voicing significant disagreement and interpreting Humanae Vitae as a dissenting document.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the Guttmacher Institute, 98% of sexually active Catholic women in the US have used contraceptive methods.
The percentage of women who have used contraceptive methods other than natural family planning is similar across different religions.
32% of Catholic women have used sterilization, 31% the pill, and 5% an IUD. 60% have used the hormonal birth control pill, and over 90% have used condoms.
Only 1% of all women at risk of unintended pregnancy (2% of Catholics) use natural family planning, the only method of contraception sanctioned by the Catholic Church.
Yes, younger Catholic women are about 5% less likely to use birth control than non-Catholic women, but this gap disappears by the time they reach their mid-20s.
