To think that religion shouldn't come into contraception advice?

[Sugarmuppet]

or am I being terribly nieve?

Having grown up in the country in the middle of no where, religion has never been a part of my life. Everyone just go on with everyone regardless of what religion you were. The question just never came up.

I recently moved into a very 'catholic' area of Glagow, my husband and his family are all practicing catholics. What an eye opener!

I joined his Doctors practice. Had nothing but great care during my pregnancy. Didn't even know it was a 'catholic' practice. Went today to get some contraception advice, I had eclampsia and the consultants at hospital warned me against going back on the pill. Anyway, my Doctor today says 'we are a Catholic practice. It is against my religion to deal with contraception requests, please go to your local family planning clinic'

Is that the most ridiculous thing you have ever heard?

i think this is horrific to happen in a UK city i 2010.

i grew up in the middle of fecking nowhere in the north of wales, where you needed a car to get anywhere. i was so petrified of getting trapped at home in the local community (high teen pregnancy rate, lots of schoolfriends dropped out of college due to getting pregnant) that i plucked up the courage to visit my GP by pretending to my parents that i was going to the cinema because we had the day off school at the end of term - total claptrap and i'd actually bunked off school

but you know what? if that DR had refused to get me access to contraception or offer me advice, i'd probably have been pregnant in a year - no way to get to the city on my own (i'd even had to use a friend's landline to phone for the DR appointment, this was well before mobiles) because she'd have put up a massive barrier by dismissing me with a "go to the FPC".

i thank my lucky stars i never encountered your GP when i was younger, and i hope my DD is never turned away from help like that.

shocking.

oh yes, and i speak as someone who had an horrific time during my pregnancies due to previous health concerns - i've been advised not to have any more for my own health and to ensure i see my own kids grow up.

how would your dr feel if it was someoe like me asking for advice? my h is arranging a vasectomy at the new year - would my health concerns tip me into a grey area for your horrible dr? or would she be happy when i ended up disabled or worse from getting pregnant, despite trying to prevent it so i can see my little ones grow up?

What an utter dickhead! It's your body not his to "play God" with.

I'd love to know what the rate of teen pregnancy is in your area?

How strange that an intelligent person such as a Doctor should also talk to imaginary friends.

I don't think its overly strange for a doctor to believe in God (well, they aren't proper scientists even ) but I do think its odd that they adhere to this particular bit of catholic dogma layered on top of the rest of christianity.

It isn't the same argument as for abortion unless you are entirely removed from the practicalities of the situation.

Most women do not have abortions. Even among those who do, certain doctors choose to specialise in abortion as it is a specialist area.

Most women do, at some point, use contraception. Contraception is not an uncommon and specialist area of medicine. It is a general area of medicine and as such should be dealt with by anyone who wishes to become a general practioner. Abortion happens within a short, fixed period of time. Contraception goes on for years and has an impact on the prescribing of other medicines with which the pill may interact. As such, a GP should be advising patients on contraception as part of their wider medical care. It is hard to see how the two can be effectively separated.

FFS..see what happens when people buy into silly delusions. I was raised a catholic and went to a convent school and so they wouldnt teach us about contraception needless to say there were plenty of teen pregnancies at my school! God the sooner this world rejects these silly notions of big men in the sky devils and demons the better off we will all be!

Sadly probably very high.

Doctor was a SHE though, and not a 'dickhead' she is a lovely woman, with questionable views on contraception!

Why does everyone presume that Doc was a man?

Why does everyone presume that Doc was a man?

Because it's hard for some people to imagine a woman being so cruel? (potentially facing the same difficulties as other women needing this service i.e. health concerns of carrying to term, risk of rape, etc)

Altinkum, in this case there was a medical need for advice (the pre-eclampsia) and in general, concraception is medication therefore prescribed by medical professionals. Preventing pregnancy is a medical need IMO because of the health implications of having multiple pregnancies.

I presumed the Doctor was a man because I would be amazed that any woman with a career manages to have any sort of career without birth control.

Practically THE cornerstone of the liberation movement.

Besides, no one is making the GP take the pill! Not stopping her going to Church is she wants.

for my terrible spelling!

Contraception is not a medical need, it's to prevent pregnancy

As I said earlier in the thread, in my case the pill is largely a medical need, its contraceptive effects are pretty much a side issue. But would this GP have seen it that way?

The choice of contraception can also have medical implications. FPC is fine for people without complicated endocrinology but not for everyone.

Good point Alouise, wonder how many kids the GP has? If she's in a relationship, then fewer than, say, six (given how long it takes to qualify) and she's a hypocrite...

agree altinkum

edam it is possible to prevent pregnancy without using contraception. i don't think you can say this woman is a hypocrite just because she isn't constantly pregnant.

She has taken control of her fertility enough to qualify and work.

She has no right to make contraception a moral issue.

Altinkum, why would someone need to go to a family planning clinic just because they can't take the pill? My GP offered to fit me with a coil (that I didn't want, but that is another story).

Contraception is meant to be easy to obtain, and free. Why should someone have to go and buy condoms? Young women may not be able to afford them anyway.

Of course contraception is a medical issue. Part of contraception concerns the preventation of STDS, and that applies to gay and straight people.

altinkum, what would you say to my 16 year old self having to sneak to the local GP surgery miles away from any local FPC to obtain FP advice, in light of the medical advice telling me that to get pregnant is to risk my own health?

(and now, risk not seeing my kids grow up or be able to care for them should i become disabled from complications)

are you telling me that in my case, not even 20 years ago, you could look me in the eye and tell me "just pop over to the FPC clinic, you don't have a medical need for this"?

talk about angry, i am, right now.

contraception, including condoms are free from FPC. it is actually easier to get them from my FPC than to get an appt at GP. also, do GPs even give out condoms?

alouiseg, taking control of her fertility doesn't have to mean using contraception. it is totally possible to avoid pregnancy without the need of contraception. someone has already posted on this trhead that they practise the timing method and have been succesful in having 1 planned pregnancy.

Like I say, I grew up in the middle of no-where. Had to drive for 30 mins even to get a GP! I went when I was 18, to the GP I had grown up with said I was in a relationship and could I have the pill please. No problem. Until recently I didn't even know family planning clinics existed! I would be horrified if my DD couldn't get whatever advice she required from her GP.

Yes, whoever asked, we are using condoms just now, but I am totally paranoid about getting pregnant again and want to use another method along side.

Said GP is in her early 50s, married with no children.

Other GP at practice is a man, married with about 20 children.

I'm not convinced. If a woman with PCOS shows up at a dogmatic catholic doctor, and basically needs something to sort out her hormones but it just so happens it prevents conception (which her own ovaries manage anyway), would she be sent off to the FPC?