Written by María Belén Eyheramonho

It’s a common idea that contraceptives should be used to avoid abortions. But, is it true that increasing the use of contraceptives will diminish the number of abortive practices?

The answer to this topic doesn’t come from a particular situation, but from something deeper happening at a cultural level. I’m talking about the “contraceptive mentality”.

When a baby’s life it’s seen as something to avoid at all costs, if contraceptives fail -and they do-, then abortion it’s the next step, the quick fix for all the problems that would represent welcoming a new life. When using contraceptives is well established and accepted at a cultural level, the door is open for abortion.

Also, when virtue is not cherished, using contraceptives encourages people to promiscuity, leading to unstable relationships which produce a greater number of unintended pregnancies.

Besides that, hormonal contraceptives have a triple effect: anovulatory, contraceptive and abortifacient. If the first two mechanisms don’t work and conception occurs, the embryo will not be able to implant in a uterine lining thinned by the pill (or any other method). Thus, the embryo dies and a micro-abortion happens without the woman even being aware of it. Something similar happens with the IUD, which in case of conception will avoid the implantation of the embryo.

The solution to this cultural problem requires a change of mentality towards a culture of life, where each person is not seen as a problem, but as a blessing. Such a change is hard and slow, but worth the effort; heart by heart, soul by soul, mind by mind.