Why Do So Many Catholic Doctors Hesitate to Promote Natural Family Planning?

It would seem that a great majority of Catholic physicians fail to promote Natural Family Planning (NFP) with their patients. Why?

Perhaps for many reasons.

The Catholic News Agency reports the following which they reprinted from NFP Outreach:

Most doctors are not trained during medical school in Natural Family Planning, even though medicine has advanced the effectiveness of NFP. According to Pope Paul VI Institute at Creighton University, the science of NFP has advanced to allow a couple to space pregnancies and to overcome infertility in many cases. They have stated that NFP is three times more effective than standard treatments for infertility without the risk of hyper ovulation.

Catholic doctors have reported prejudice against NFP in their medical training. Many Catholic physicians may not have strong enough faith convictions to overcome these prejudices.

There is a paucity of good courses in Catholic medical ethics in Catholic universities.

Financially, it is more profitable to prescribe the Pill over the course of years than to teach a couple how to use NFP, after which there is no further expense.

Finally, many Catholic doctors have compartmentalized their faith convictions. Their faith has not been integrated into their professional practice. There is the growing trend in medicine to see patients as “customers” who we are to please rather than treat with what is morally, physically and emotionally the best options.

There is no doubt in my mind that NFP works and is a healthy and responsible method of family planning. It definitely enhances communication and mutuality in marriage, deepens the respect a man has for his wife, and calls forth from men the development of maturity and virtue. I believe women will attest to the same.

I pray more and more Catholic physicians will lead the way in promoting NFP to all patients.

For more information on this, log on to: NFP Outreach.