Family planning is a broad context that either involves a natural or an artificial method to control the number of pregnancies while being able to enjoy each other intimately. The menstrual cycle of the woman bring about changes in her body thus, it is important to take note of these so that the couple can plan their sexual intercourse whether they would want to conceive or avoid pregnancy. Doctors are the best people to approach when there is a need to decipher which family planning option is to be used in accordance to the preference of the couple. Majority of these health care professionals are into artificial family planning, but still, there are advocates of life and favor the use of natural birth control methods.
Natural family planning (NFP) doctors are those advocates of the natural birth control methods. Most of them are pro-life and uphold the ideals of the Catholic Church. However, those medical professionals have not been exposed to the teachings about the natural way of family planning since most of the courses in medical schools are mostly instructs them of the artificial means of birth control. Also, they were presented the principles that natural family planning approaches are not effective and that they do not vary with the usual rhythm method.
As students, they have also received countless prejudices about their beliefs in the natural birth control. They have been consistently tested and mocked by their fellow students because of contesting the stereotype views on artificial family planning. While saying that they have no place in that school because of their opinions, they actually had doubts about themselves and the ideas that they have established for themselves.
NFPs do not earn as much as those physicians who are prescribing oral contraceptive pills and definitely, financial concerns are still counted on the list. The former who are into artificial birth control method have monthly fees to collect whenever there are patients who will be getting their prescriptions for the month. The latter on the other hand will be able to earn through the learning sessions given to the couples who would want to use the natural family planning method. Once the couple learns the basic rules and principles about their choice, there are no more sessions except for follow-up consultations. It is economic and cheaper for the patients but for the doctors, it will not serve well for long.
Some other physicians who have religious affiliates are devoting themselves to propagating the use of natural birth control methods. On the other hand, they are usually having split and sometimes, contradicting conscience. It is definitely applicable whenever they ought to make decisions basing their knowledge on the medical field, yet it will contradict the moral values that they maintain in supporting the natural method of family planning. Since physicians cannot impose what they believe in to their patients, they end up letting them fulfill their wishes regarding the health care given to them. Through this way, the doctors will benefit financially but it does not mean that they were able to give quality medical service.
No matter which angle you view the issue, this all boils down to one definite resolution – to reconcile the ideas of ethics and medical views. Through this, natural family planners will be able to practice their profession well without having to endure a consistent emotional battle between what they believe in and what the society has been currently putting into practice. They will be able to uniquely perform their roles and duties to the society while being able to propagate the moral teachings and ideals.
