Packaged as reproductive freedom, the birth control pill has been triumphed for decades as the means by which women were able to rid themselves from their awesome ability to bear a child in order to engage in sexual relations without consequences. But, a closer look at chemical birth control suggests that maybe it is more of a burden on women than a redeemer.

Our culture sees birth control as a sort of necessary evil for women, saying she should endure the physical side effects silently and without complaint. In exchange for this "sexual freedom," a woman must remember to take a daily pill, replace a weekly patch or a monthly ring, or otherwise keep up with a regular regimen that suppresses her health and fertility. A woman is also stuck with the financial expense of the chemicals, devices and doctor's visits.

In addition to these financial and physical burdens, artificial contraceptives are morally offensive in the eyes of God. He has given the great gift of our sexuality as a means by which men and women within marriage can bring new life into the world. Husbands and wives become "co-creators" with God of a new human life. Intimate relations within marriage also serve to bond husband and wife together. This is beautiful!

Let's take a closer look at the side effects of the pill. Taken directly from the pill pack insert, here are some of the side effects that you can expect while taking the birth control pill:

• heart disease
• elevated blood pressure
• liver disease
• cancer of the reproductive organs and breasts
• altered cervical mucus
• gall bladder disease
• headaches
• migraine headaches
• loss of scalp hair
• weight gain
• depression
• nausea
• future infertility
• dry eyes and more!

Doesn't that sound scary!? What girl wants to take a pill that makes her moody, fat and sick? Let's get real here!

On top of these physical side effects, we need to know exactly how birth control works. It attempts to suppress ovulation and to prevent sperm from passing through by thickening the cervical mucus. The makers of the pill, however, know that sometimes things go right as God intended them to! An egg does get released and sperm does pass through. What happens then? A little baby is conceived and starts to make his way down into the mother's womb to implant. This is where the birth control pill acts as a chemical abortion. The pill actually thins the lining of a woman's uterus so much that a baby cannot implant and will instead be flushed out in her next period. They call this "preventing implantation," and it means a little tiny baby dies. This is the reality of the birth control pill.

What if your doctor has placed you on the birth control pill for a medical reason? There are a few things that you should consider. A married woman on the birth control pill for health reasons must completely abstain from intimate relations while taking this drug because of the chemical abortions that could happen. However, the serious side effects still happen whether you take the pill for birth control or for a medical reason. There are alternatives to taking the pill for health reasons! One of those alternatives is NaPro technologies. This is an all natural means to solve feminine problems such as: ovarian cysts, irregular or abnormal bleeding, hormonal abnormalities, PMS, and more. For more information visit www.naprotechnology.com

Emergency contraception (EC) is dispensed either as two brand-name "Plan B" pills or in a super dose of regular contraceptive pills. A dose of EC is equal to 8 or more times the drugs in a daily oral contraceptive pill (the Pill). The drugs in Plan B equal at least 12 times the amount of drugs. Daily Pills require a prescription, but Plan B is available without one!! Does this make sense? Both drugs are used for the same purpose and have similar side effects.

A prescription is necessary before a woman takes hormonal contraceptives because the physician will perform a pelvic exam to determine whether there are any medical contradictions like susceptibility to cervical cancer. The physician will also check for other medical conditions like liver and heart problems. Women who are not given Pill prescriptions because of certain medical conditions will now have access to a drug which in a lower dose is already harmful to their health.

These are some of the side effects of Plan B:

• Nausea
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Abnormal menstrual bleeding
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Breast tenderness
• Future infertility

There is no data on the over dosage of Plan B. According to the drug makers, no tests have been done on this!

More "unknowns" concerning Plan B:

• Specific effects on adolescents (teens)
• Long-term effects on reproductive health
• Concerns with repeat usage
• — Use by women not screened for medical contradictions. (which is every woman who takes the drug now that it is available without a prescription)
• — Repeat usage not only makes Plan B less effective, but it also can have long-term effects on your sexual and reproductive health.
• — Some women should never take Plan B, specifically women with certain allergies and women with undiagnosed abnormal feminine bleeding.

The same way the daily pill works!

1. Thickens cervical mucus so sperm cannot pass through.
2. If ovulation has not happened in your menstrual cycle, it will prevent ovulation.
3. If ovulation has happened, it will prevent a newly fertilized embryo (human child) from implanting in the wall of the uterus.

Emergency contraception does not offer any protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STDs) such as HIV/AIDs, HPV or Chlamydia. A 2004 study in the United Kingdom has shown that "greater promotion of emergency birth control appears to have worsened the impact of STI rates since 2000."

If you have been raped, a terrible crime has been committed against you. The perpetrator must be apprehended and brought to justice. When a woman takes Plan B without allowing doctors to gather forensic evidence against the rapist, she is only helping the rapist get away with his crime against her. Furthermore, easy availability of Plan B assists sexual predators in covering up their vicious assaults on women and girls.

The solution is chastity! Chastity is sexual control. It is a commitment to sexual purity that means saving sexual intercourse and all intimate acts for marriage.

Chastity IS possible!

Chastity is about your future, not your past! Start saving sex for marriage today by becoming a renewed virgin. In marriage, your fertility should be accepted as a gift, not seen as a disease. Natural Family Planning is a natural way of understanding your fertility cycle and postponing pregnancy if necessary.