NFP Realities eNewsletter

NFP Realities eNewsletter Winter 2010/2011

2011-01-04T12:59:04Z

Office of Marriage & Family Life

www.dioceseoflacrosse.com/nfp

Advent Greetings from the NFP Program Office!

As we begin another liturgical year, there is a great deal to share about Natural Family Planning in the Diocese of La Crosse. So, let’s get to the good news!

We have experienced an increase in the number of couples we have served due in large part to the creation of the on- line NFP instructional course. Nearly 90% of our new clients chose this method of instruction because it is easy to access, is available 24/7 and includes a one to one relationship with an NFP professionally trained instructor. We are so happy to be one of the first dioceses in the United States to offer instruction in this manner.

During 2010, numerous parish priests have included a full course of NFP instruction to their marriage preparation requirements. At last tally, nearly 40% of all parishes who offer marriage preparation expect their engaged couples to learn the basics about natural methods of family planning. It has been very exciting for our office to set this up with the priests and their staff.

Our office has also expanded its education on the gift of fertility into a family program called Teaching the Way of Love. This three session program has been very well received throughout the diocese. In fact, more than 1500 parents and 1300 youth have attended some part of the program over the last year. This program has provided families with the basic teachings of the Catholic Faith on fertility and chastity. Probably the best part of Teaching the Way of Love is the conversions we are seeing with parents who never learned the beautiful and truthful message from the Church on human sexuality.

Finally, our office has been working with other entities across the state of Wisconsin to provide the truth about the Healthy Youth Act which became law in March of 2010. This law has to potential to dramatically change how schools instruct students on human sexuality. Organizations like Planned Parenthood are actively soliciting school districts to adopt very liberal curriculums that disregard parental input or discretion. Please read more about this in the newsletter.

We are looking forward to 2011 and the opportunity to serve more families. We ask that you pray for our efforts and assure you that we are praying for you and your family.

In God’s Holy Name,

Alice B. Heinzen

The Comparative Potencies of Birth Control and Menopausal Hormonal Drug Use
Recently it has been reported that women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had acquired a 26% increased risk of developing breast cancer. So dramatic was this finding it precipitated the early closure of the study. Worldwide media attention brought this and other findings onto the front page of major national newspapers. In Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, charged with the regulation of all drugs prescribed in Australia, responded to this study by tightening the indications for HRT use. As a result of this controversy over the safety of HRT, questions have arisen as to the safety of the birth control pill. Like HRT the birth control pill uses artificial hormones to alter the natural physiological characteristics of a woman's endocrine system, using pharmaceutically similar drugs. To help clarify this debate, the following citations and accompanying explanation will be, I trust, instructive. "Historically, conjugated estrogens have been the most common agents for postmenopausal use, and 0.625mg/day is effective in most women (although 1.25mg is needed is some patients). In contrast most combined oral contraceptives in use employ 20 to 35mcg/day of ethinyl estradiol. Conjugated estrogens and ethinyl estradiol differ widely in their oral potencies: for example, a dose of 0.625mg of conjugated estrogens generally is considered equivalent to 5 to 10mcg of ethinyl estradiol. It is important to recognize that the dose of estrogen used for postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy is substantially less than that used in oral contraception, taking into account the different potencies of the drugs normally employed in the two settings." A number of aspects of the above quote require clarification. First, conjugated estrogens are found in Premarin®, the brand at the centre of the current controversy. The hormone is obtained from the urine of pregnant horses. Ethinyl estradiol is the artificial estrogen commonly found in the birth control pill, and is manufactured in the laboratory. Second, "mg" is an abbreviation for milligram, being one thousandth of a gram. Also, "mcg" is shorthand for microgram, being one millionth of a gram. Some texts use the Greek letter mu (which cannot be received properly by some e- mail browsers) with the letter "g" instead of "mcg" as an abbreviation for microgram, but they are synonymous terms. Hence, a dose of 0.625mg of conjugated estrogens is 0.625 thousands of a gram. This, according to Goodman and Gilman's text, is considered to be the bio- equivalent of 5- 10 mcg of ethinyl estradiol. In pharmacology, bio- equivalence refers "to a drug that has the same effect on the body as another drug, usually one nearly identical in its chemical formulation." Modern forms of the birth control pill contain, on a cyclical basis, between 30 and 40 mcg (micrograms) of ethinyl estradiol. Hence, one birth control pill, at 40mcg, is at least four times stronger than the dose equivalent of 10mcg, which was previously indicated as begin equal to one Premarin 0.625mg tablet. Stated another way, the average dose of hormone in the birth control pill is, conservatively, four times stronger per dose than HRT. In the extreme (based upon the lowest strength comparison of ethinyl estradiol of 5mcg), the birth control pill is eight times stronger per tablet than a dose of HRT. Similar, though slightly lower dose equivalent data is provided by Lange's Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. This text indicates that one birth control pill is the dose equivalent of 2- 4 HRT tablets, depending on whether one calculates conservatively or extremely. Hence it is biologically and pharmacologically plausible to expect that the birth control pill would have at least the same rate of breast cancer in its users as than seen in HRT uses. According to the most recent research, this is exactly the case. Data presented at the third European Breast Cancer Conference reported that the risk of breast cancer was 26% higher in pill users compared to non- users. This finding is in harmony with more than 15 papers published since the mid- 80s which have all indicated the birth control pill use in women, notably young women, causes an increase in the risk of developing breast cancer. To be consistent one would hope that the media will act to inform women of the dangers of the birth control pill also.
John Wilks Reproduced with Permission
Healthy Behaviors Lower Overall Breast Cancer Risk CME		High Dietary Fat Intake Associated With Low Sperm Quality
October 20, 2010 — Engaging in "breast- healthy" behaviors — drinking alcohol in moderation, exercising regularly, and watching weight — appear to reduce a woman's risk for the development of invasive breast cancer after menopause. However, healthy behaviors do not seem to modify risk attributable to a family history of later- onset breast cancer (FHLBC), according to a study published online October 12 in Breast Cancer Research. An analysis of follow- up data on nearly 86,000 postmenopausal women enrolled in a large observational study indicated that rates of invasive breast cancer among women who reported taking part in all 3 behaviors at baseline (moderate alcohol, regular exercise, weight management) were lower than those of women who said they did not participate in any of the behaviors, report Robert E. Gramling, MD, from the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York, and colleagues from 7 other centers in the United States and Denmark. However, the benefit of breast- healthy behaviors was seen both in women with an FHLBC (breast cancer in a mother or full sister at 45 years or older) and in women with no affected first- degree relatives, and the degree of benefit did not differ significantly between the groups, the study authors note. "This study suggests to both public health and office- based clinicians that adherence to breast- healthy behaviors (regular exercise, weight management and alcohol moderation) benefits women with or without a family history of later- onset breast cancer but does not function to reduce family history of later- onset breast cancer- attributable risk," the study authors write.		October 29, 2010 (Denver, Colorado) — A high intake of saturated and monounsaturated fat is associated with significantly low sperm concentration, whereas a high intake of healthier polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with improved sperm motility and morphology, according to research presented here at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 66th Annual Meeting. Researchers evaluating the semen quality and dietary fat intake of 91 men attending the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center, in Boston, found that men with the highest intake of saturated fat had as much as 41% fewer sperm than those with the lowest intake, and those with the highest levels of monounsaturated fat had 46% fewer sperm than those with the lowest intake. Participants in the study ranged in age from 18 to 55 years, had a mean age of 36 years, and were generally overweight, with body mass indexes ranging from 26 to 27 kg/m².
News Author: Neil Osterweil CME Author: Laurie Barclay, MD For the complete study go to; Breast Cancer Res. Published online October 12, 2010.		Nancy A. Melville American Society for Reproductive Medicine 66th Annual Meeting: Abstract O- 168. Presented October 26, 2010.
Women May Not Need to Delay Pregnancy After an Initial Miscarriage		NBC Investigates Ortho Evra – The Birth Control Patch
August 11, 2010 — Women may not need to delay pregnancy after an initial miscarriage, according to the results of a retrospective, Scottish population–based cohort study reported Online First August 5 in the British Medical Journal.. Current guidelines from the World Health Organization recommend that women should wait for at least six months before trying again, whereas others suggest a delay of up to 18 months, based on reports that interpregnancy intervals of 18- 23 months after a live birth can enhance maternal and perinatal outcomes in the next pregnancy." Compared with an interval of 6 to 12 months between the miscarriage and second conception, an interval less than 6 months was associated with lower risks for repeated miscarriage "Women who conceive within six months of an initial miscarriage have the best reproductive outcomes and lowest complication rates in a subsequent pregnancy," the study authors write. "Our research shows that it is unnecessary for women to delay conception after a miscarriage," the study authors conclude. "As such the current WHO [World Health Organization] guidelines may need to be reconsidered. In accordance with our results, women wanting to become pregnant soon after a miscarriage should not be discouraged."		According to a study reported on the Today show in late September of 2010, there is growing evidence that the birth control patch named Ortho Evra leads to strokes and even death. NBC has found evidence to suggest that the product manufacturer, Johnson and Johnson, has known about the risks since the patch received FDA approval but have kept their findings private. Since the patch went to market in 2002, over 2400 women have filed complaints about the product, claiming that they had either had a stroke or blood clots. And there are two dozen law suits pending because of death caused by the patch. The patch is considered more dangerous than the pill because it delivers 60% more estrogen to the woman than the regular birth control pill (BCP). When a woman takes a BCP, she gets a quick hit of hormones that dissipate. The patch, on the other hand, delivers a consistent dose of estrogen that does not dissipate. This on- going dose of estrogen is the likely culprit behind blood clot formation which can result in a stroke or death. The investigation reported that the patch is twelve times more likely to cause strokes and eighteen times more likely to cause blood clots than the BCP.
For the full report go to: BMJ. 2010;341:c3967.
Quick Response to Study of Abstinence Education
A study of middle- school students that found for the first time that abstinence- only education helped to delay their sexual initiation is already beginning to shake up the longstanding debate over how best to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. “This is a rigorous study that means we can now say that it’s possible for an abstinence- only intervention to be effective,” Dr. John B. Jemmott III, the University of Pennsylvania professor who led the study, said Tuesday, hours after results of the study were released. “That’s important, because for some populations, abstinence is the only acceptable message.” In Dr. Jemmott’s research, only about a third of the students who participated in a weekend abstinence- only class started having sex within the next 24 months, compared with about half who were randomly assigned instead to general health information classes, or classes teaching only safer sex. Among those assigned to comprehensive sex- education classes, covering both abstinence and safer sex, about 42 percent began having sex. Dr. Jemmott’s research followed 662 African- American students at urban middle schools, who were paid $20 a session to attend the classes, plus follow- up and evaluation sessions. The abstinence- only classes covered HIV, abstinence and ways to resist the pressure to have sex. “Because African- Americans tend to have a higher rate of early sexual initiation than others, we thought that within two years, a reasonable number would start having sex,” Dr. Jemmott said. “If we went younger, we couldn’t show that intervention works.” The research, published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, appears just as the Obama administration is eliminating federal financing for abstinence- only programs, and starting a pregnancy- prevention initiative that will finance programs that have been shown in scientific studies to be effective. Recognizing the political sensitivity of the research, and how unexpected are its results, the journal ran an accompanying editorial cautioning that public policy should not be based on the results of a single study and that policy makers should not “selectively use scientific literature to formulate a policy that meets preconceived ideologies.” “The results may be surprising to some in that the theory- based abstinence- only curriculum appeared to be as effective as a combined course and more effective than the safer- sex only curriculum in delaying sexual activity,” the editorial said. “None of the curricula had any effect on the prevalence of unprotected sexual intercourse or consistent condom use.” The executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, Valerie Huber, said she hoped that the new study would lead to restored federal support for abstinence programs. “The current recommendation before Congress in the 2011 budget zeroes out abstinence education, and puts all the money into broader comprehensive education,” Ms. Huber said. “I hope that either the White House amends their request or Congress acts upon this, reinstating abstinence education.” Ms. Huber also said she found it especially interesting that African- Americans were the focus of Dr. Jemmott’s study since, she said, “our critics would contend that the abstinence message would be least effective with the most at- risk youth.” Even longtime advocates of comprehensive sex education heralded the findings. “This new study is game- changing,” said Sarah Brown of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, in a statement. “For the first time, there is strong evidence that an abstinence- only intervention can help very young teens delay sex and reduce their recent sexual activity as well. Importantly, the study also shows that this particular abstinence- only program did not reduce condom use among the young teens who did have sex.” Ms. Brown noted that the abstinence- only classes in the Jemmott study centered on people with an average age of 12 and that unlike the federally supported abstinence programs now in use, did not advocate abstinence until marriage. The classes also did not portray sex negatively or suggest that condoms are ineffective, and contained only medically accurate information. Dr. Jemmott’s abstinence- only course was designed for the research, and is not in current use in schools.
By Tamar Lewin Published: February 2, 2010 in the New York Times		For the full study go to; Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010;164(2):152- 159.
Hormone Therapy Linked to Ovarian Cancer
November 11, 2010 — Postmenopausal women who use hormone replacement therapy face a 29% increased risk of ovarian cancer, according to a study. Researchers at the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford in England analyzed data from the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition to evaluate the relationship between hormone therapy use during the postmenopausal years and ovarian cancer risk. Investigators led by Konstantinos Tsilidis, PhD, looked at data on 126,920 postmenopausal women who did not have a history of cancer and who had not had their ovaries removed. During nine years of follow- up, there were 424 cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed. The women were also asked about their height and weight, whether they smoked, use of oral contraceptives, number of pregnancies, and what age they started menstruating. After accounting for other factors, the research team found that: 45% of the group had used hormone therapy at some point. 30% were current users of hormone therapy when the study started. 69% of the group that used hormone therapy took an estrogen- progestin combination, 18% used estrogen- only hormone therapy, 3% used tibolone, and 2% used other preparations of hormone therapy; 8% had missing information on type of hormone use. Current use of any hormone therapy was significantly associated with a 29% increased risk of ovarian cancer compared to women who had never used hormone therapy. Current use of estrogen- only therapy was associated with a 63% increased risk of ovarian cancer. Current use of estrogen- progestin combination therapy was not significantly associated with risk. Women who had ever used some form of hormone therapy for five or more years had a 45% higher risk for ovarian cancer compared with women who had never used hormone therapy. “This study is consistent with previous recommendations that say if women are going to take hormones they should only take them in the short term,” Tsilidis says in a prepared statement. Previous research has shown an association between hormone replacement therapy and an increased risk for breast cancer. A study published last month in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that postmenopausal women who take a combination of estrogen and progestin therapy face a greater risk for developing a more advanced form of breast cancer and an increased risk for dying from the disease. The findings were based on the ongoing Women’s Health Initiative, a major research program launched in 1991 by the National Institutes of Health. In the United States, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death. According to 2006 data from the CDC, 19,994 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 14,857 women died from the disease.
		For the full study go to; Chlebowski, R. TheJournal of the American Medical Association, Oct. 20, 2010; vol 304: pp

Newsletter Author’s note: Each week I scan several e- journals looking for studies and reports that our readers would find interesting. Every once and a while, a report is highlighted that makes me scratch my head and ask, “Really? Are you serious about this report? Do you really want people to know this information?” Here are excerpts from two such reports.

FDA Approves a New Contraceptive		The Medical Abortion
September 24, 2010 — The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved an oral contraceptive — the first of its kind — that is intended both to prevent pregnancy and reduce the risk for neural tube defects in newborns if and when users of the pill give birth. The new contraceptive, Beyaz (Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals), contains levomefolate calcium, a metabolite of folic acid that helps produce and maintain new cells in the body. Low folate levels in women have been linked with neural tube defects in their children such as spina bifida, resulting in recommendations that women of childbearing age supplement their diet with folate. "Combining an oral contraceptive with folate is important, because women may become pregnant during [oral contraceptive] use or shortly after discontinuation, possibly before seeking preconception counseling from their healthcare provider," said Dr. Anita Nelson, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Harbor–University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center, Torrance, California, in a company press release. "For women who want to use an oral contraceptive, Beyaz offers a new option for women to receive daily folate supplementation."		November 5, 2010 An estimated 6.4 million pregnancies occurred in the United States in 2001. Half of these pregnancies were unintended; 44% of the unintended pregnancies ended in births, whereas 42% ended in induced abortions (a total of 1.3 million, or one fifth of all pregnancies). Half of the unintended pregnancies were conceived in cycles when some type of contraception was used. The rate of unintended pregnancy is highest in the 18- to 24- year- old population, which is twice as high in comparison with other age groups. A 2006 study reported a rate of 16.1 abortions per 1000 reproductive- aged women. According to the same report, 236 abortions were performed for each 1000 live births. Almost 60% of the abortions were performed in women aged 20- 29 years (29.9 per 1000 women). Slightly more than 60% of the pregnancy terminations were at a gestational age of less than 8 weeks, and almost 88% were surgical procedures.
As reported by Robert Lowes in Medscape Medical News © 2010 WebMD, LLC Author’s Comment: The article struck me as odd; why would you put an additive in a pill primarily designed to prevent pregnancy that will improve a newly conceived baby’s neural development?		As reported by Dr. Peter Kovacs in Medscape Ob/Gyn & Women's Health © 2010 WebMD, LLC based on the research of von Hertzen H, Huong NT, Piaggio G, et al. BJOG. 2010;117:1186- 1196. Author’s Comment: After reading this I had to stop and take in the gravity of the loss of life each year that is considered totally acceptable by the medical community. The above text was offered as an introduction to a study done on the drug Mifeprex which is the new name given to RU- 486. It was just a few years ago that people were up- in- arms about the actions of RU- 486. The medical community did all that it could to cover its tracks on its usage. And now, just 10 years into this century, Mifeprex is being actively marketed to physicians. How did we get to this place where one of the most immoral pharmaceutical products approved by the FDA today, it is now considered so good?

Office of Marriage & Family Life, Diocese of La Crosse, Natural Family Planning Program

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NFP Realities eNewsletter Message

2010-05-10T19:36:44Z

		NFP Realities Enriching God's Family Day by Day
Spring, 2010
In this issue: Letter from the NFP Coordinator Human Fertility Conference Oral Estrogen Linked to Unfavorable Vascular Effects in Women Without Troublesome Hot Flushes Healthy Youth Act of Wisconsin Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Associated With Fracture Risk in Young Women Another Reason to Reject Injectables: Increases the Risk of Obesity Human Fertility Conference Latest Adverse Event Data on Gardasil Vaccine Federal Study Confirms Contraception-Breast Cancer Link New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Opposed by Societies Frequent, Brisk Exercise After Menopause Lowers Breast Cancer Risk Oral Estrogen Linked to Unfavorable Vascular Effects in Women Without Troublesome Hot Flushes Laurie Barclay, MD as reported in Medscape Medical News October 1, 2009 — Oral estrogen is linked to unfavorable vascular effects in women without troublesome hot flushes, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial reported in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. "Postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) was once recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular disease," write Pauliina Tuomikoski, MD, from Helsinki University Central Hospital in Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues. "This recommendation was based on the marked reduction (approximately 40–60%) of cardiovascular disease risk in the numerous observational studies when recently postmenopausal women, typically with severe vasomotor hot flushes, had decided to initiate HT. However, when older women with no or minimal vasomotor hot flushes were treated HT had no beneficial effect in secondary or primary prevention of cardiovascular disease." "Women without troublesome hot flushes are susceptible to unfavorable vascular effects after oral estrogen treatment, resulting in less compliant vasculature," the study authors write. "This could partly explain the divergent results between observational studies and randomized clinical trials in which HT-related cardiovascular disease effects have been assessed, since in observational studies, women were likely to have experienced hot flushes when initiating HT, whereas women entering clinical trials did not have troublesome hot flushes. For more information on this study please refer to: Obstet Gynecol. 2009;114:777-785. Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Associated With Fracture Risk in Young Women Nancy A. Melville as reported in Medscape Medical News September 16, 2009 (Denver, Colorado) — Long-term use of the contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) has been associated with impaired bone-mineral acquisition in adolescents and accelerated bone loss later in life, but new research, presented here at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 31st Annual Meeting, indicates that the bone loss translates into a greater risk for fractures in young women. Concerns about DMPA's effect on bone-mineral density were significant enough to prompt the US Food and Drug Administration to issue a black-box warning for the drug in 2004, yet more than 9 million women continue to use the contraceptive worldwide. With many users being teenagers, the concerns about the drug's effects on early adulthood bone development are particularly significant. Compared with nonusers, women with 3 to 9 prescriptions and more than 10 prescriptions had a significant increased fracture risk, with the highest risk seen among women with long-term use, of more than 10 prescriptions, and a treatment duration of more than 2 to 3 years. For the complete report, please refer to: American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) 31st Annual Meeting: Abstract 1057. Presented September 12, 2009. Another Reason to Reject Injectables: Increases the Risk of Obesity A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology involving 703 women who were beginning the use of either birth control pills or DMPA (DepoProvera), and compared them to women who used a form of non-hormone contraception. Over the 3 year study period, DMPA users gained significantly more body fat than oral contraceptive (OC) and non-hormone (NH) contraception users, the researchers reported, adding that women of normal weight were found to gain much more body fat than women who were obese at the beginning of the study. "It is a concern that women who were not obese at the start of the study were twice as likely to become obese over the next 3 years if they selected DMPA over non-hormone contraception," study authors Drs. Abbey B. Berenson and Mahbubur Rahman of The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, write. (Baklinski, Thaddeus M. Study Finds Injectable Contraceptive Leads to Obesity. Galveston: LifeSiteNews.com, 2009.) Mercedes Wilson, founder and president of the natural family planning (NFP) organization, Family for the Americas, observed that hormonal contraception is devastating women's health in the third world. "The pill, IUDs, injections, and the patch are devastating to the poor because they all carry the same steroids, which are known to be toxic and carcinogenic. 21 scientists with the World Health Organization in 2005 confirmed that estrogens in birth control methods are carcinogenic of the number one type, which is the most dangerous type of all," Wilson told LifeSiteNews in an interview in 2008. "In the third world, however, they are still using the 3-month injections the most," Wilson noted. "It does so much harm to the poor. They are given it while mothers' are breastfeeding their babies. The steroids are going right through the breast milk to the babies and that is a calamity. It causes cancer, heart disease, you name it; the list is interminable. And with the lack of the health facilities in the third world, it is criminal." Article from Northwest Family Services NWFS Update. August, 2009 Federal Study Confirms Contraception-Breast Cancer Link Ten years ago, Dr. Chris Kahlenborn, authored the book Breast Cancer: Its Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill, which established the connection between the birth control pill and breast cancer. Now, a federal study confirms that data. The study shows a strong connection between the use of oral contraceptives and a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer with a high mortality rate, known as “triple-negative” breast cancer (TNBC). The study also found that the connection was highest among women who began using oral contraceptives while they were teenagers. The 2009 Jessica Dolle study of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center appeared in the April 2009 issue of the cancer epidemiology journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. The research showed that women who start using oral contraceptives before the age of 18 multiply their risk of TNBC by 3.7 times. Recent users of oral contraceptives within the last one to five years multiply their risk by 4.2 times. Furthermore, the study is noteworthy because it contained an admission of the link between abortion and breast cancer by National Cancer Institute (NCI) researcher Louise Brinton, who had previously influenced the agency to deny an abortion-breast cancer link. The study showed a 40% risk increase for women who have had abortions, and one of the study’s tables listed abortion as a “known and suspected risk factor.” For the complete article written by Tim Drake go to: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/federal_study_confirms_contraception-breast_cancer_link/		Letter from the NFP Coordinator Hello NFP Family, Much has happened since the last newsletter. In July of 2009, the Diocese of La Crosse became the first diocese in the country to offer complete instruction in a sympto-thermal method of NFP on-line. Working collaboratively with Northwest Family Services from Portland, OR, the Diocese launched a three class series that is accessible 24/7 from any computer with internet access. How exactly does the on-line class work? Each client is asked to register at the diocesan website. Shortly after the registration has been completed, the client is sent a packet of materials via priority mail. The packet includes the client manual, a digital thermometer, various pamphlets and charts. Around the same time, the client is sent an email from a diocesan instructor who is assigned to them for education support and chart interpretation with feedback. When both the materials and email have been received the client may log into the course using a password and account code set by the instructor. The client has 45 days to complete each of the three classes. The actual course contains PowerPoint slides with accompanying information, activities that verify comprehension and various supportive articles and resources of interest. On average, it takes approximately two hours to complete a session. Once the session is finished, the client is asked to complete a follow-up questionnaire that is submitted via email to their instructor. When the teacher receives this form, she returns feedback on the responses and provides answers to any questions asked. Additionally, the teacher provides the account code allowing the client to gain access to the next session. Charting is also part of the on-line course. Each client has three options for charting. The first is to track their signs of fertility using a downloadable chart that is supported by Excel. The second is to download a PDF file and track the signs. The third is to use the charts provided in the materials sent. Clients are instructed to submit their charting to their instructor via email attachment or through the mail. Any charting that an instructor receives is reviewed in a timely manner returned with feedback to the client. Clients are encouraged to continue utilizing the feedback services of their instructor after the formal on-line course has been completed. There is no additional charges for feedback services that occur outside of the class. We are very excited to premier this method of instruction and have been pleased by the number of clients who are accessing the course. The feedback on the course has be positive with clients sharing how nice it is to be able to access NFP education as their schedule allows and to have to expert advice and collaboration of a trained instructor. If you are interested in taking the course, please visit www.dioceseoflacrosse.com/nfp and go to NFP Class Registration. Or email nfp@dioceseoflacrosse.com for more information.
		Human Fertility Conference Human Fertility—Where Faith and Science Meet July 15-17, 2010 Milwaukee, WI Intercontinental Hotel 139 East Kilbourn Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53202 This conference is ideal for NFP teachers, faculty of NFP training programs, theologians, physicians, nurses, midwifes, and, of course anyone who has a serious interest in the subject. Continuing education units will be offered through this conference. Please consider attending this important conference. The conference will provide an opportunity to receive up-dates on the state of NFP science. It will also afford an opportunity to be inspired by the presentations on faith and culture. Conference information, the agenda and registration form are available at: http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/humanfertilityconference.shtml
		Healthy Youth Act of Wisconsin On February 24, 2010, Governor Doyle signed into law an act that dramatically changes the way human growth and development curriculums will be taught within the public school systems of Wisconsin. The act requires all schools providing health classes to include information on sexuality that is medically accurate and age appropriate in the following areas; importance of communication about sexuality between a student and a student’s parents, reproductive and sexual anatomy, including physical and emotional changes during maturation, puberty, pregnancy, parenting, body image and gender stereotypes, skills for making responsible decisions, including recognizing and refraining from inappropriate verbal, physical, and sexual behaviors; the benefits of and reasons for abstaining from sexual activity, stressing abstinence as the most reliable way to prevent pregnancy and STDs; health benefits, side effects, and proper use of contraceptives and barrier methods; the develop of healthy life skills; the affects of alcohol and drugs on decision making; and the impact of media on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in relation to sexuality. The legislation does not weight the amount of time spent on each element. In addition to this information on sexuality, health classes must promote self esteem and positive social skills, identify resources for survivors of sexual assault, and use materials and methods that do not promote bias against certain pupils. There are a couple of areas that are truly detrimental in this bill. First, gender stereotype information is mandated. The door is now open for education on homosexuality. There is nothing that can be done to close this door. Secondly, there is no way a teacher can link sexual activity to marriage. The legislature may look at a link of sex to marriage as a ‘bias’. The best one can do is link the research on child development and well-being to the security of marriage. Because this legislation is the current law of our state, parents are urged to find out more about how their local school districts will abide by its assurances. In general, we would make the following recommendations to all children who are within a Wisconsin public school. 1. Take the time to review your local school district’s human growth and development curriculum. Become familiar with the lessons at your child’s grade level. 2. Remember, you are the primary educator for your children. Do everything you can to teach the correct information to your children BEFORE they are subject to any of this information in the classroom. 3. If your child seems any bit annoyed or anxious about hearing this information within the classroom, opt out of the education. If you take this route, make sure you provide your child with information on the beauty of human sexuality. It is incorrect to opt your child out of the classes and then provide no instruction at all. 4. If you opt to keep your child in the class, view the entire curriculum before the lessons take place. Then go through the potential problematic areas with your child in advance of the class. If you can, provide possible questions/facts that your child may ask/present in the class during the lesson. Latest Adverse Event Data on Gardasil Vaccine The latest data on adverse events with Gardasil, comes from the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). In total, 12,424 adverse events after immunization were reported to in United States between June 2006 and December 2008, during which an estimated 23 million doses had been distributed (with a course of 3 doses per person recommended). This represents a reporting rate of 53.9 reports per 100,000 doses distributed. Of these, 772 reports (6.2% of the total) were described as serious, including 32 reports of death. In the United States, the death rate from cervical cancer (3/100,000 women by statistics from the CDC) is at present similar to the rate of reported serious adverse events from Gardasil (3.4/100,000 doses distributed), Dr. Harper, professor and vice-chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Community and Family Medicine and Informatics and Personalized Medicine said, “This is a sobering reality". "Would a parent accept such a rate of serious adverse events if the same cancer prevention can occur with continued Pap screening? Is there any acceptable level of risk of serious adverse events, including death, to prevent genital warts?" she asked, referring to one of the vaccine's other benefits. To read the complete article go to: JAMA. 2009;302:750–757, 795–796, 781–786.
Frequent, Brisk Exercise After Menopause Lowers Breast Cancer Risk Nancy Larson As reported in Medscape Clinical Briefs October 9, 2009 — Postmenopausal women who maintain a regular, moderate to vigorous exercise program reduce their risk for breast cancer, even if they did not exercise in the past, according to a study published online October 1 in BMC Cancer. Researchers found that women who maintained a high level of activity for more than 7 hours a week during the 10 years before the study reduced their risk for breast cancer by 16% vs more sedentary women. Reasons for the link between activity and reduction of breast cancer risk may include the ability of exercise to reduce levels of endogenous sex hormones, modulate insulin and insulin-like growth factors, increase immunity, and reduce ongoing inflammation, according to the researchers. BMC Cancer. Published online October 2, 2009		New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Opposed by Societies Laurie Barclay, MD as reported in Medscape Medical News November 19, 2009 — Several professional organizations and expert groups have voiced their objections to new recommendations for breast cancer screening issued by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and published in the November 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. "[The American Cancer Society] continues to recommend screening annually for women 40 to 49 years of age," Victor G. Vogel, MD, MHS, FACP, national vice president for research at the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Atlanta, Georgia, told Medscape Medical News. "Clinicians should recognize that very few agencies, including the ACS, are altering their screening guidelines based on the USPSTF modeling results, which simply reanalyze previously published data." Based on an evidence review, the updated USPSTF guidelines recommend against routine mammography screening for women before age 50 years, suggest that screening end at age 74 years, and recommend changing the screening interval from 1 year to 2 years. In addition to the ACS, the American College of Radiology (ACR), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and several other expert groups recommend that clinicians and patients continue to follow earlier guidelines. The ACS recommendations call for annual mammograms starting at age 40 years and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health; ACS has no specific upper age at which mammography screening should be discontinued. The society suggests that the decision to stop regular mammography screening should be individualized based on patient-specific, potential benefits and risks of screening within the context of overall health and estimated lifespan. ACOG's recommendations are similar, except that mammography is recommended every 1 to 2 years from ages 40 to 49 years. The complete study can be found at: Ann Intern Med. 2009;151:716–726, 727–737, 750–752.
Office of Family Life, Diocese of La Crosse, Natural Family Planning Program Contact Us Website: www.dioceseoflacrosse.com/familylife email: nfp@dioceseoflacrosse.com
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NFP Realities eNewsletter

NFP Realities eNewsletter Winter 2010/2011

Healthy Behaviors Lower Overall Breast Cancer Risk CME

High Dietary Fat Intake Associated With Low Sperm Quality

Women May Not Need to Delay Pregnancy After an Initial Miscarriage

NBC Investigates Ortho Evra – The Birth Control Patch

Quick Response to Study of Abstinence Education

Hormone Therapy Linked to Ovarian Cancer

NFP Realities eNewsletter Message

NFP Realities

Enriching God's Family Day by Day

In this issue:

Oral Estrogen Linked to Unfavorable Vascular Effects in Women Without Troublesome Hot Flushes

Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Associated With Fracture Risk in Young Women

Another Reason to Reject Injectables: Increases the Risk of Obesity

Federal Study Confirms Contraception-Breast Cancer Link

Letter from the NFP Coordinator

Human Fertility Conference

Human Fertility—Where Faith and Science Meet

Healthy Youth Act of Wisconsin

Latest Adverse Event Data on Gardasil Vaccine

Frequent, Brisk Exercise After Menopause Lowers Breast Cancer Risk

New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Opposed by Societies