Contraception Ethics

What is ethics ?

The Oxford definition : "the moral principles governing or influence conduct"
Everyone has a subjective point of view of objective reality, and a personal opinion. These are the values of an individual. These values are sometimes completely personal, but are often influenced by social norms, political ideals, religion, etc. Ethics determines how we conduct ourselves, depending on these values. Ethics determines our definition of what is right and what is wrong.

Medical ethics is the way morals influence our use of scientific discoveries.

don't you think that you could put a citation of somebody here to give maybe more strength to your definition?Pierre.brawand 23 novembre 2007 à 21:38 (MET)

What are the ethical issues with contraception ?

Contraception is a contraversal topic, because it concerns reproduction, which is a fundamental aspect of human life. It is also closely linked to sexuality, wich is another delicate topic. Opinions concerning this topic are divergent, of course, and we shall attempt to analyse the different viewpoints.

In which circumstances is contraception acceptable?

Some people will never have problems to use any kind of contraceptive method because they just consider it as useful and don't think much further. Others, at the contrary, think that any kind of contraception is to ban, because it destructs life. And they don't want to accept that it can be very useful... These two archetypes are good examples of what are the extreme opinions about the subject. There are many arguments to support the two sides, and also more nuanced points of view. We will try to analyze the different situations that require the use of contraceptives and there multiple facets. The arguments of the different parties basically depend on these four factors :

• Why is contraception used?
• Who chooses to use it?
• When? With which method?

Why is contraception used?

Even though religion tends to condemn the very concept of contraception, there are different kind of people with their own motives, who cannot be judged the same way. There is different reasons for using contracetion depending on the situation :

• A couple : either to choose the moment to have a child (if the couple finds itself too young and want to have children later or too old and already have children), either to to not have any child at all.

Comment: contraception may help couple to choose the best moment to have a child, which can be considered a good thing if it is in the child's best interest. In the second situation, contraception is used as a personal choice, to prevent having a child when the couple is capable of having children. It can be for several reasons (economic, lack of maternal and/or instinct, etc).

• A single adult: a single woman may choose not to have a child, not having a serious partner (or a single man may ask his occasional partner to use contraception.)

Comment: Single adults may choose not have a child outside of a serious relationship (a child could suffer from the absence of solid, stable couple). Single adults may also take advantage of the freedom contraception gives them, and do not wish to found a family.

• A teenager: teenagers who are single or in a couple

Comment: Teenagers generally choose not to have children because they consider themselves to young to found a family, and wish to pursue other activities, such as their studies. a good aspect of this is that it prevents young teenagers of having children they surely wouldn't be able to raise properly, but some may think contraception promotes extra-marital sex. For teenagers who are not in a stable relationship, the situation isn't really similar to that of an adult single: a teenager is still gathering experience. Changing partners every three months isn't the same when you're sixteen and when you're thirty-one.

• Unwanted close encounters: In certain cases, the sexual relationship was unwanted by the woman; for example, in the case of a rape or in the case of a prostitute, who doesn't have a choice but to do that particular job.

Contraception is used to prevent or avoid having a baby. The difference between prevention and avoidance is the moment when contraception is used. When contraception is used to prevent the sperm cells from reaching the oocyte, with a condom for example, fertilization is avoided. However, when contraception involves destroying the fertilized ovum, it is preventing the future foetus from developing.

References

• Islam and contraception [1]
• BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/contraception/

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