Contraception Ethics 08

Definition of contraception

Contraception means avoiding or dicreasing the probability of pregnancy, using some medications, devices, or any other method that is temporary and/or reversible (WHO's definition). It concerns both males and females. The condom, the contraceptive diaphragm, the emergency pill and even abstinence are examples of contraceptive methods. Any form of sterilization such as castration or tubal ligation does not belong to contraceptive methods as it is permanent and irreversible. The contraception ethics is a big debate that started about 30 years ago, and has never concluded yet: still today, people discuss whether contraception is morally "good" or "bad", from various points of view.

(how the hell is it possible to shrink that pic?)

What is contraception on an ethical and a scientific point of view?

Scientific point of view:

• It is a voluntary prevention of pregnancy that can be used by both men and women.
• Through many methods, it gives us the possibility to choose between creating a family or not.
• Certains methods give the population a possibility to prevent ourselves from sexual diseases.
• It is an easy way to control population but is against procreative liberty. (ex: China, one child policy)

Ethical point of view:

• Contraception gave the women more rights over their body.
• Contraception gave women the power not to have an unwanted child wich is linked to the fact that women have more rights.
• However, it might be considered as an inhibition of life. Do we kill somebody before he has a chance to live? It leads us into the question of when does Life begin.
• It's a dilemna between reproductive rights : first for a woman to have the right to control her body and secondly the right for everyone to live (as seen in the articles of human rights).

Websites : http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/contraception/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproductive_rights -

When does Life begin?

AThis is the big question of our chapter. How to define life? How does it begin ? At which step? Is it the shape of an embryo that allows us to call it a human being? Is it its capacity of thinking ? Or does Life begin at fertilization, the meeting of two living cells?

This question really begun in the 90's with the discover of the in vitro fertilization, the scientists asked themselves if the embryo was already a human beeing or not.

First, let us focus just on contraception by itself.

Certain methods of contraception (link: condom, blabla) block the way for egg cells to be fertilized. Here we are talking about haploid gametes that by themselves cannot induce the life cycle, which begins after their fusion. But these methods of contraception are a choice of cells: every cell that will be blocked by contraception looses its chance to create life. It is an intervention on the hasard/random of life. These are the Church's arguments against contraception. But even in the Church Contraception is a controverse topic.

Other methods (link: day after pill) block the embryo so it cannot implant in the uterus. Here we are talking about removing a fertilized egg, which induces stronger moral issues.

mention the fact that contraception is specific for some particular cell type but it does NOT choose a particular embryo to destroy it: it is specific in a way... but not specific in the other. Some other contraceptive methods inhibit the embryo by itself. THis implicates the fact tha their action is made AFTER fertilization. For some people, Life with a big L begins AT fertilization

Legislative Point of view of Contraception

In a majority of countries, like in Europe or in North America, Contraception is allowed because they consider in the law that babies become a human beeing twelve weeks after fertilization. But for Islamic Countries a baby is a human beeing only six weeks after fertilization.

In the other hand, some countries like China limited at one the number of children per family because it can't assure a good condition of life if they are too numerous

Scientific point of view

In scientific middle, contraception is also a subject of problems, because physicians and other biologists do not agree about the real question of this debate which is "when does life really begin".

Philosophical-Ethical Point of view of Contraception

Pro- Feminists

Generally feminist movement is favourable at the idea of contraception, they consider it as a choice that women have the right to have, because for them choice's liberty is essential. -talk about sexual abuse, eventual baby's problem- right to aborption ????

References

• Movie on Stemm cell: [1]

Bibliography

http://www.pagetronic.com/jeux/culture/la-chine-populaire.xhtml http://8e.devbio.com/article.php?id=162 This webpage exlains much about the religious pov concerning sexual abuse and other povs that changed through history

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