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Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?
Letters to the Author Thank you for your information on birth control. Being strongly prolife and a biology major, it has always been in the back of my mind that birth control pills caused abortions. Thank you for sending the message to others that are prolife. Right now you can pray for my husband and I as we are trying to conceive another child and are having difficulties and am searching for answers, hence I came upon your sight. -- M. B. I just felt like I should share with you that almost two weeks ago, I stopped taking the birth control pill. It was not an easy decision to make; by God's grace I was able to take this huge step of faith. But it would have been much harder had I not had the support of my godly husband. It was he who read your book first. I thank God that he did not give up trying to get me to read it. Honestly, I did not want to. To me, the birth control pill represented such freedom and such independence. I always had the perspective that w/o the pill, there was such a high percentage that I would be the loser in it all. I would be the one to have to carry the child at such a young age, (I'm only 21). I would be the one to have to pretty much lose my youthful figure. I would be the one to be cheated out of an education. Do you notice how many " I " statements were just mentioned? The Lord used your book in my life to help me see that being blessed by him with a child with the man that I love would not make me the "loser", b/c children are a blessing, and not a curse. He also showed me that I was losing a whole lot more by taking the pill....my health, and quite possibly, our baby... Thank you so much for being bold, Randy. I know many Christians have probably given you a hard time for what you take a stand for, but please let my story encourage you today and tomorrow too. -- K. W. My husband and I have been trying to get info on this for YEARS. We have never gotten a straight answer and I see now why. I don't go to church every Sunday...Actually, I don't go at all. However, I have the most sincere faith that there is a God ... a good God and the thought of terminating a life seems to go against him and all that is right. I have been on the pill for years and did not know. I heard it mentioned once, but when I looked into it I was given the run around, but I was basically led to believe that "No, it does not cause abortions". I am ashamed of myself for not pursuing it as you did. I think deep down I did not want to think that for years I had already been doing something so awful. Thank you so much for writing your pamphlet! I haven't read it yet, but since it is shorter, I did read the response to the pro-life Dr's. It seems like the pamphlet will be very well done, and PRECISELY what I was looking for. My husband and I quit using BC pills after only one month because I didn't like the side effect (I was/am nursing & they lowered my milk supply, also had mid-cycle spotting), and because I was convicted of the abortion properties which I learned about while researching Natural Family Planning (not well documented data--as a BioChem major from college what they said made sense to me so I believed it). I am blessed to have a husband who listened to my thoughts on the subject and read what little materials I found at that time and accepted the truth about the pills. We used Natural Family Planning after that--which worked great for preventing pregnancy, then conceiving our second child (due in June!). -- J.R. It is great that you have gathered all this information re: the pill's abortive mechanism and you have all the references to back it up. Finally I have something in black and white to share with people and to show them the truth about the pill. I was on a low dose pill when I learned in my embryology undergraduate class about the "3rd mechanism of action" of the pill, by an objective atheist professor, and we have been practicing Natural Family Planning ever since. We all need to share this information with young engaged couples, teenagers who are given written excused absences from the school nurse to be "put on the pill" without parental consent (my niece), and our priests and pastors. Thanks for all the research and write up, the leg work. -- T. M., MPT
197 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 19, 2013
1) Contraceptive-something that prevents conception (fertilization).
Conception- "the point at which the 23 chromosomes from the female's egg and the 23 chromosomes from the male's sperm join together to form a new human life, with 46 chromosomes and his or her own distinct DNA"
Therefore, a contraceptive simply prevents a new life from forming and is, in my opinion, moral acceptable.
2)Abortifacient- something that terminates a pregnancy AFTER conception. Some birth control methods, such as IUDs, act primarily as abortifacients.
An abortifacient allows conception and then causes a very early abortion of the already fertilized egg (aka baby) and is, in my opinion, murder.
Birth Control Pills: Contraceptive or Abortifacient??
Birth control pills(BCPs) use 3 mechanisms to prevent pregnancy.
1) Prevention of ovulation - BCPs primarily work by preventing a woman from ovulating (releasing an egg from the ovary into the fallopian tube to be fertilized). If an egg is never released, conception cannot occur. This method is contraceptive.
2) Thickening of the cervical mucus- BCPs also work to thicken the cervical mucus, which makes it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterus. This helps prevent conception in the case of breakthrough ovulation. This method is contraceptive.
3)Changes in the endometrium- BCPs also thin the endometrium (lining of the uterus) to make the implantation of an already fertilized egg less likely. In other words, if the first 2 methods fail to prevent conception, conception will occur but will likely not succeed in implanting in the uterus, resulting in an early abortion. THIS METHOD IS ABORTIFACIENT.
Although birth control pills work primarily as contraceptives, they sometimes work as abortifacients. We cannot say with much certainty how often this occurs, but we can say that it does occur. Therefore, as a pro-lifer who fully believes that life begins at conception, I can no longer advocate the use of birth control pills.
If you have doubts about these claims, I highly recommend you read this book. Alcorn goes above and beyond to present all the research clearly and fairly. This book is very thorough, yet very easy to read.
You can download the book for free here:
English
http://www.epm.org/static/uploads/dow...
Spanish
http://www.epm.org/static/uploads/dow...
Conception- "the point at which the 23 chromosomes from the female's egg and the 23 chromosomes from the male's sperm join together to form a new human life, with 46 chromosomes and his or her own distinct DNA"
Therefore, a contraceptive simply prevents a new life from forming and is, in my opinion, moral acceptable.
2)Abortifacient- something that terminates a pregnancy AFTER conception. Some birth control methods, such as IUDs, act primarily as abortifacients.
An abortifacient allows conception and then causes a very early abortion of the already fertilized egg (aka baby) and is, in my opinion, murder.
Birth Control Pills: Contraceptive or Abortifacient??
Birth control pills(BCPs) use 3 mechanisms to prevent pregnancy.
1) Prevention of ovulation - BCPs primarily work by preventing a woman from ovulating (releasing an egg from the ovary into the fallopian tube to be fertilized). If an egg is never released, conception cannot occur. This method is contraceptive.
2) Thickening of the cervical mucus- BCPs also work to thicken the cervical mucus, which makes it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterus. This helps prevent conception in the case of breakthrough ovulation. This method is contraceptive.
3)Changes in the endometrium- BCPs also thin the endometrium (lining of the uterus) to make the implantation of an already fertilized egg less likely. In other words, if the first 2 methods fail to prevent conception, conception will occur but will likely not succeed in implanting in the uterus, resulting in an early abortion. THIS METHOD IS ABORTIFACIENT.
Although birth control pills work primarily as contraceptives, they sometimes work as abortifacients. We cannot say with much certainty how often this occurs, but we can say that it does occur. Therefore, as a pro-lifer who fully believes that life begins at conception, I can no longer advocate the use of birth control pills.
If you have doubts about these claims, I highly recommend you read this book. Alcorn goes above and beyond to present all the research clearly and fairly. This book is very thorough, yet very easy to read.
You can download the book for free here:
English
http://www.epm.org/static/uploads/dow...
Spanish
http://www.epm.org/static/uploads/dow...
May 22, 2024
Every Christian ought to prayerfully read this book. Alcorn does what most Protestants have failed to do on this subject: speak up. Us Protestants must be like Alcorn, giving up fear of man for the sake of our pre born neighbors.
February 16, 2021
Must Read for Pro-life Christians
Mr. Alcorn presents his readers with a fair view of the moral dilemma of taking Oral Contraception. Within the pro-life community, there is contention as to whether the pill and other contraceptives are morally acceptable to use. Whether these methods are logically consistent with the stance that life begins at conception and deserves protection. Mr. Alcorn has done us the service of looking through the evidence of how the pill and other contraceptives work. He finds that there are 3 ways they work, and that the 3rd way is the one of moral importance. He poses the question of whether this 3rd backup method is abortifacient in nature or not. Coming to the conclusion based on the medical and scientific evidence presented in his book, that the answer is unfortunately yes, he then asks the moral implications of this knowledge. Ultimately, while his logic is given and solid, the choice of what to do with this knowledge is left to us readers.
For those Christian couples who take the time to read this book, I would also recommend reading This Is Your Brain On Birth Control by Dr. Sarah E. Hill, for more information on how BC pills work inside the body.
And finally, for those who come to agree with Mr. Alcorn and want to learn an alternative method that doesn't risk human life, I recommend reading Taking Control of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler, MPH.
Mr. Alcorn presents his readers with a fair view of the moral dilemma of taking Oral Contraception. Within the pro-life community, there is contention as to whether the pill and other contraceptives are morally acceptable to use. Whether these methods are logically consistent with the stance that life begins at conception and deserves protection. Mr. Alcorn has done us the service of looking through the evidence of how the pill and other contraceptives work. He finds that there are 3 ways they work, and that the 3rd way is the one of moral importance. He poses the question of whether this 3rd backup method is abortifacient in nature or not. Coming to the conclusion based on the medical and scientific evidence presented in his book, that the answer is unfortunately yes, he then asks the moral implications of this knowledge. Ultimately, while his logic is given and solid, the choice of what to do with this knowledge is left to us readers.
For those Christian couples who take the time to read this book, I would also recommend reading This Is Your Brain On Birth Control by Dr. Sarah E. Hill, for more information on how BC pills work inside the body.
And finally, for those who come to agree with Mr. Alcorn and want to learn an alternative method that doesn't risk human life, I recommend reading Taking Control of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler, MPH.
July 10, 2023
Alcorn makes a strong case that “the pill” is likely a cause of pre-implantation abortions and examines the practical ethical implications for a consistent pro-life position. He does not shy away from counter arguments or any available evidence. He perhaps paints with a broader brush than I would given the lack of direct evidence on either side of this debate, but I do think his conclusions are more likely than not to be correct. Medical science is never as black and white as any of us would like it to be, and it makes the ethics complicated. This is an area in need of more scientific study. The book is a bit out of date, but there doesn’t seem to be much new information on this question even so. Every pro-lifer should examine the evidence and think deeply about it regardless of the individual conclusions come to.
January 18, 2019
Very useful information
November 23, 2019
So thankful I read this book many years ago and never took any of this poison. God bless this pastor for repenting and sharing this truth with all.
August 12, 2020
Very informative and concise with some critical information for a mostly unknown fact: the birth control pill can cause abortions.
June 21, 2021
Every pastor and medic should read it. Every "Christian" and "pro-life" should read it.
August 5, 2022
This is a must read.
March 23, 2011
Well-organized reference on the 3 effects of birth control pills (as recorded from pill literature, dr. interviews, manufacturer customer service, etc)
Heavy foundation of reference with 1 chapter of application
Tons of footnotes and research (139 footnotes)
Overwhelmed by the medical jargon at times...a little slow due to nature of the amount of research/presentation
Worth the price of the book for the last chapter and grace-filled conclusion (Alcorn's applications and how to respond to tough questions/objections)
7 solid appendices of scriptural discussion (When does Human Life begin? From scripture, Abortion: Perspectives of the Early Church Leaders, God is Creator and Owner of All People (and therefore has sole rights over all), God has Exclusive Prerogatives Over Human Life and Death, How God sees children, defending the weak and helpless)
Thankful for grace in the conclusion for those who were unaware of what the book claims
Extremely helpful and eye-opening
Wish I would have read this earlier in my marriage
I found myself thinking often while reading, "If others knew this, why didn't they pass it on to me?"
One quote that stuck with me...
If after investigating the evidence, you are still unconvinced, would you ask yourself...“If this evidence doesn’t convince me, is there any evidence that would?” Is it possible—I ask this cautiously and not critically—that your own vested interests in this issue are blinding you to the truth? In other words, if you didn’t have something to lose by believing and acting upon this evidence, would you still reject it? Is the real problem lack of evidence or is it that you are determined not to change your beliefs and practice despite the evidence?
Heavy foundation of reference with 1 chapter of application
Tons of footnotes and research (139 footnotes)
Overwhelmed by the medical jargon at times...a little slow due to nature of the amount of research/presentation
Worth the price of the book for the last chapter and grace-filled conclusion (Alcorn's applications and how to respond to tough questions/objections)
7 solid appendices of scriptural discussion (When does Human Life begin? From scripture, Abortion: Perspectives of the Early Church Leaders, God is Creator and Owner of All People (and therefore has sole rights over all), God has Exclusive Prerogatives Over Human Life and Death, How God sees children, defending the weak and helpless)
Thankful for grace in the conclusion for those who were unaware of what the book claims
Extremely helpful and eye-opening
Wish I would have read this earlier in my marriage
I found myself thinking often while reading, "If others knew this, why didn't they pass it on to me?"
One quote that stuck with me...
If after investigating the evidence, you are still unconvinced, would you ask yourself...“If this evidence doesn’t convince me, is there any evidence that would?” Is it possible—I ask this cautiously and not critically—that your own vested interests in this issue are blinding you to the truth? In other words, if you didn’t have something to lose by believing and acting upon this evidence, would you still reject it? Is the real problem lack of evidence or is it that you are determined not to change your beliefs and practice despite the evidence?
September 24, 2014
The title of this little book on a friend’s bookcase recently caught my attention. I hadn’t realized until recently that this was a question that should be asked. As I have become involved in sidewalk ministry outside our local abortion clinic and become more a tune to pro-life issues I had heard this question raised and I didn’t know the answer. Mr. Alcorn has done thorough research and takes an honest look at the evidence he’s found in medical journals and drug manufacturer publications, as well as interviews with physicians and drug company representatives. He sums up his findings in this easy to understand little book and even includes responses to those who disagree with is findings. Along with his research of the medical/biological facts Mr. Alcorn includes much scripture to help us evaluate this question from a Biblical perspective. As Christians seeking to take Every Thought Captive, we need to be willing to examine the evidence and be challenged to be consistently pro-life.
May 6, 2012
The author's website offers the book as a free pdf download here: http://www.epm.org/store/product/birt...
In answer to the question in the book's title, I had vaguely heard some people say that it did, and vaguely heard other people say that it didn’t, but hadn’t thought much about it beyond that, until I came across this. (The short answer is “sometimes.”) This book changed and clarified my thinking on the subject. If anyone has ever told you that the Pill is safe for the earliest stages of life, please read this. Thoroughly researched and clearly written—and don’t worry, he’s no fire-breather, but has a pastor’s compassionate care and concern for people who have questions about the subject. (And if you have a question or objection, he has probably addressed it in the book--like I said, he is very thorough.) Highly recommended.
In answer to the question in the book's title, I had vaguely heard some people say that it did, and vaguely heard other people say that it didn’t, but hadn’t thought much about it beyond that, until I came across this. (The short answer is “sometimes.”) This book changed and clarified my thinking on the subject. If anyone has ever told you that the Pill is safe for the earliest stages of life, please read this. Thoroughly researched and clearly written—and don’t worry, he’s no fire-breather, but has a pastor’s compassionate care and concern for people who have questions about the subject. (And if you have a question or objection, he has probably addressed it in the book--like I said, he is very thorough.) Highly recommended.
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October 8, 2009This book was written great, with fabulous research and pure logical arguments that Christian's and non-Christians would have to concede the event of abortions in the pill.
June 2, 2011
Information I was totally unaware of!
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