Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?I’ve published two academic articles on the likely association between the birth control pill (BCP) and unrecognized abortions (the so-called “post-fertilization effect” of the pill):

• Postfertilization effects of oral contraceptives and their relationship to informed consent
• The Growing Debate About the Abortifacient Effect of the Birth Control Pill and the Principle of the Double Effect

My friend, pro-life physician and researcher Chris Kahlenborn, MD, recently wrote this to me regarding a well-designed, and well-performed study showing that women on the BCP ovulate frequently while taking the BCP:
In Table 4, you will see that the estimated ovulation rate for triphasic oral contraceptives (OCs) is between 13% and 19% after the first cycle.
Although it’s impossible to say for sure, I think most would agree that with a high rate of break-through ovulation, it means you are either having a lot of early abortions or that these oral contraceptives are stopping all sperm all the time in the other ovulatory cycles which did not visibly register as pregnancy.
My logic is that since we know women get pregnant on the pill, in those cycles, the mucus did not stop the sperm so we know that sperm can get through at times.
But what if women ovulates on the pill and we do not detect a visible pregnancy? It seems logical to me that the conditions on the sperm were similar (ie, in both cases ovulation occurred) and so the hormone levels in the  body and the effects on the cervical mucus are likely very similar; therefore, sperm are likely getting through in the latter situation also, which tends to indict early abortion as a likely method of action.
Bottom line: with a high rate of break-through ovulation, I think it’s disingenuous to assume that OCs prevent pregnancy by stopping the sperm all the time.
I think anyone with a hint of intellectual honesty would agree that the potential for early abortion is very high, given the high rate of break-through ovulation.
I think if you told the average lay person that you still ovulate 15% of the time on the pill and told them that it’s very likely that at least some sperm get through with each sexual intercourse, many would wonder what is happening to the baby.
Hope this helps … note also that this paper was funded by Johnson and Johnson, a contraceptive manufacturer … if the drug companies are are discovering the high rate of ovulation, I think it the least we can do it think about their study’s implications.
I do think that one day if someone does a study with early pregnancy factor, it will show that OCs cause early abortions.
However, even then, with good biochemical proof, docs (even, unfortunately, many Christian doctors) will likely thumb their noses.
There is no logic with evil as pride clouds even the brightest minds.
Feel free to pass on to whomever wants to read this explanation.
Maybe some OB/Gyns will read it and think or more importantly, pray over it. It’s a huge challenge for them, but they will sleep more tightly once they begin to look into it and ask God for help.
You can read about an ethical birth control option in a letter I’ve posted on the topic:

• “Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?” A Letter From a Reader

Here are some of my other blogs and writings on this very important topic:

• New documentary features Dr. Walt and exposes abortifacient qualities of the birth control pill
• The Abortifacient Effect of the Birth Control Pill (A Reading List)
• American Society of Reproductive Medicine Statement Confirms the Pill Causes Abortion
• Professor Says Women Use Birth Control Pill Wrong, Resulting in Abortions
• Postfertilization effects of oral contraceptives and their relationship to informed consent
• Postfertilization effects of oral contraceptives and their relationship to informed consent (My Commentary on How This Study Changed My Beliefs and Practice)
• The Growing Debate About the Abortifacient Effect of the Birth Control Pill and the Principle of the Double Effect