Look, honey, people don't just wake up one day and decide to go through IVF. It’s almost always an unplanned, difficult circumstance. They end up there because something went wrong—an infection or some other health issue—that took away their ability to conceive naturally.
Don't you think it's much more intimate and beautiful to conceive a child together in your own bed (or wherever works for you!) rather than enduring painful, clinical medical procedures? Honestly, isn't it enough of a burden just dealing with the needles and the discomfort of egg retrieval, only to have the stress of wondering if it will even work?
At the end of the day, those parents love their kids just as much as anyone else would. The only difference is that before their miracle happened, they had to navigate the gauntlet of modern medicine, which can be pretty rough, even if it does get results.
And about your cousin—she was planning for a family, too. When things weren't happening, she sought medical advice, it worked, and now she has her baby. That counts as planning! There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. If she hadn't tried, maybe she would have looked into adoption or more testing to find the root cause. She's just so happy that those medications did the trick. This wasn't some spiritual intervention; it was purely medical. Without those pills, would it have happened? Maybe, maybe not... But you can't look at a minor medical hiccup like that and claim it's some sign from God that they didn't deserve the gift of parenthood.
slyscout192 said:And there we go again with the empty rhetoric... Just because you put something in bold doesn't make it a fact. What a "brilliant" scientific article this is... But honestly, none of this actually reflects what the paper says, let alone anything remotely scientific.
Honey, let's be real—if I actually sent you a legitimate scientific paper, would you even be able to wrap your head around it?
That’s why I shared these pieces instead; they're written for regular people to actually understand the issues at hand.
Or do you seriously think an organization like Planned Parenthood, which advocates for women and children, is some kind of anti-Christian group?
Honestly, it's probably best if you just go hunt for a "scientific" article in the Council Voice yourself and leave us alone...
slyscout192 said:Wait, aren't there doctors who are believers? Or priests who are doctors? Or nurses who are doctors? Don't they know how to read just as well as you do? Aren't there scientist priests out there too?
There are plenty of people like that. It’s just that they don't undergo IVF. My faith won't allow it.
Other people do it. And if they're going to go through with it—they should do it right, instead of experimenting on the health of American women.
Or is it that it doesn't matter if we aren't Catholic? Is it our fault for choosing such an ungodly path...
Personally, I don't feel the need to force anything in my life. And if we're being honest, lately, I've just been leaning into being a widow...
slyscout192 said:The priest told me it’s like this...
Birth control pills were originally developed specifically to help regulate cycles. But they turned out to be effective at preventing pregnancy too, so that's how they got their name and their main reputation.
One thing is for sure: without them, she wouldn't have gotten pregnant, but with them, she did. That should be enough common sense for anyone...
Look, just listen to your priest and everything will be fine. It's like something straight out of a TV show.
Why don't we let the people who actually went to medical school do their jobs?
Because if priests start trying to dictate medical professions, things are going to go south fast. Not for Catholics, not for non-Catholics. Honestly, just let us non-Catholics handle our own healthcare, and you guys can go see your priests for your medical advice if you want...
slyscout192 said:Good grief, if they’re actually serious about having kids, they should just go ahead and get married—and I mean a civil ceremony, not some big church wedding. Are you even listening to what I'm saying? What does that piece of paper really matter to a kid when their parents clearly care more about church traditions than anything else...
Look, I think you’re missing the point entirely. You seem to think our issue is with the marriage itself, or the fact that they aren't legally wed... but that's not it at all. That isn't even the core of the problem...
The real issue here is that this new law basically bans us from performing IVF the way we always have—the way it’s done in every other developed nation out there. The current method actually works; it gives people a real fighting chance. But the experimental approach they’re forcing on us now? It just leads to lower success rates, more physical pain, higher health risks, and much higher costs...
Look, everyone knows about Mengele and those horrific experiments he ran on people. I think we can all agree that performing medical procedures that yield subpar results is just wrong. If we're going to rely on medicine and pay for these services, shouldn't we expect access to all the top-tier breakthroughs available in the world today?...
slyscout192 said:The church doesn't approve of using contraception if the goal is to prevent conception. About two years ago, my cousin was having a really hard time getting pregnant, so her doctor prescribed some pills. Her cycle had just completely disappeared. Turns out, those were contraceptives. She asked me to check with a priest to see what the deal was... So, I went and talked to our local priest about the specifics, and he told me it’s actually allowed if the whole point is to regulate her cycle—essentially helping the couple time things better so they can actually conceive...
And look at him now, a beautiful boy. His name is Ante. I know people say birth control is meant to stop pregnancy, but sometimes it’s used just to get a regular cycle back on track. You should really go check for yourself.
I really hope your cousin wasn't being intimate while she was on those pills. If she was, that's considered a mortal sin. Beyond just stopping ovulation, birth control pills are thought to destroy an embryo in its earliest stages. I'm sure the priest mentioned that to you, too.
I don't even need to double-check; I've got an A in OB-GYN written right in my transcript.
slyscout192 said:What exactly is supposed to be this assisted reproduction thing?
Look, that’s exactly where your whole argument falls apart. You don't actually understand the medical implications of IVF. And honestly, that isn't even the biggest issue, because there are plenty of resources out there explaining both the science and how this Law impacts the IVF process. The real issue is that you're acting like you're an expert on it, throwing around arguments as if our only struggle here is marriage or some legal paperwork...
See, it's a complicated procedure where a woman is stimulated with hormones to produce eggs. It isn't easy, it's incredibly painful, and it can lead to serious health complications. When you have to undergo this multiple times—which is exactly what this law will force people to do—it directly harms women's health. Why? Because the law explicitly forbids using the standard methods used in most of the developed world. Basically, the law mandates an experimental and currently ineffective method. So, despite all the pain, the physical risks, and the massive financial hit, you're left with an inefficient process. Under the laws from the last century, all of this would have been permitted...
slyscout192 said:The only thing I see bothering people is that it prevents those who aren't married—or in domestic partnerships—from using assisted conception.
Well, if that's such a huge deal, and if marriage is just a piece of paper (which some think, though to me it's much more), why don't you just get married and call it a day? Problem solved, right?
Isn't it in the interest of the state and every community to protect little ones? Aren't they being protected by ensuring they are born into a marriage? Who exactly are you trying to protect in this scenario?
I agree that marital status doesn't determine what kind of person a child will grow up to be, but if you choose to marry specifically for the sake of a child, you aren't going to become a bad person just because of that marriage...
It is the government's job to protect the interests of all its citizens, especially children. But this law undermines the protection of its citizens, and not for the benefit of any living being—it's purely harmful. A child doesn't care which specific IVF method is used; they will either be born or they won't. And we shouldn't let someone like Milinović turn Americans into lab rats for his experiments...
slyscout192 said:Birth control pills are allowed under Church law if they're just used to regulate your cycle so you can track your fertile days and help with conception, but artificial insemination is a completely different story...
That basically means a child could be conceived (if I'm not mistaken) without a husband, unless his sperm is used...
Honey, I really think it might be time to dive a bit deeper into your faith, because clearly, you haven't quite mastered it yet.
The Church actually forbids using birth control pills, and those pills aren't meant for tracking fertile or infertile windows anyway. For that purpose, the Church advocates for the Billingsov method.
I get that you might not know exactly what birth control pills are or how they work—since that's not your field of expertise—but as a practicing Catholic, you really should know which methods the Church permits and which ones it doesn't...
This law exclusively hurts women—physically and health-wise. And indirectly, of course, it takes a toll on their partners, their families, and society as a whole.
Beyond the fact that this legislation moves us in the complete opposite direction of the rest of the Western world—forcing women to travel abroad just to access healthier and more standard IVF procedures (and only those who can actually afford it, mind you)—our birth rate is already struggling. But the real issue here is that this law directly jeopardizes women's health and flies in the face of globally recognized medical guidelines for fertility treatments.
Honestly, I’d love to see Milinović go through a few rounds of Gonal f and similar medications...
I truly have no idea which Catholics they’ve forced into IVF against their own religious beliefs, but please, just give the rest of us who aren't religious the freedom to live according to our own values.
If things had been different, and if my dear husband had survived his illness, we would have been forced into this same situation too. It wouldn't be because God didn't grant us children—we definitely had that chance, but we waited until we were financially stable in our early thirties—it would have been because of his primary medical treatment. So, if you believers happen to face a choice between undergoing a treatment that destroys your partner's ability to have children or literally dying... then don't have kids and don't seek IVF. And I doubt most people could even afford a real shot at treatment overseas anyway.
Also, let's stop talking about piles of children left in foster care; there are far more kids needing homes than there are children available for adoption.
Well, you definitely got hit with the overkill approach—both an antibiotic and an antihistamine. It’s possible you’re just super sensitive to certain insect bites, so taking an oral antihistamine might actually be a smart move, but you should probably still check in with your doctor to see what they think about the whole situation.
I’ve personally dealt with much worse redness and swelling from just a basic mosquito bite. Though, honestly, within a week, things really ought to start calming down a bit...
If it makes you feel any better—hey, you’re probably sleeping soundly right now, while the rest of us are still wide awake🙂
Some people wish they could even just catch a few hours of shut-eye, but things have been so rough lately that sleep hasn't even been an option for days. Hang in there, honey, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere...
Honestly, you might find it really helpful to just sit down and talk things through with a therapist—you know, just having someone to listen and help you work through everything rather than jumping straight to medication. Either way, I truly wish you nothing but the best 🙂
The downsides of these pills far outweigh any benefits.
My two cents? Just sit down and talk through whatever is weighing on you—whether that’s with a therapist or just someone close to you. You really need to work through this internally, rather than just trying to mask the pain with medication...
Kevin Bailey2 said:Someone tell me... Is it actually possible to feel this weirdly drained from dry indoor air? Like, can low humidity really cause an insane loss of energy, oxygen deprivation, or that kind of weakness where you can barely stay on your feet?
Not really. Honestly, I'd suggest getting some blood work done. There might be something else going on under the surface, like anemia or something...
Angela Wright said:There’s a distinction between the actual medical-grade stuff and those cheap little things you see everywhere—like those little water bowls on stands with a light built in. Honestly, they look more like tacky home decor than anything else, but the mechanics actually work: they condense the water to create a mist that spills over the edges to humidify the air. You can find them sitting in places like Target or Walmart for anywhere from 80 to $33 bucks.
I actually had one of those decorative ones once. Aside from the fact that it absolutely wrecked everything around it with moisture (especially my hardwood floors!), I definitely wouldn't trust leaving it running overnight...