From: mcochran@nyx.cs.du.edu (Mark A. Cochran)
Subject: Re: O.R. protest against homosexuals on CSPAN
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Date: Sat, 23 Jan 93 19:03:56 GMT

In article <1993Jan22.173100.21195@cs.yale.edu> rescorla@rtnmr.chem.yale.edu (Eric Rescorla) writes:
>In article <1993Jan22.171126.11425@noao.edu> forgach@noao.edu (Suzanne Forgach) writes:
>>From article <C0xMKq.AsE.1@cs.cmu.edu>, by garvin+@cs.cmu.edu (Susan Garvin):
>[Susan comments that Randall Terry and the Pope teach their followers
>various distasteful things, and lastly that they teach them to hate.]
>
>>> (Thanks to Suzanne for illustrating
>>> this last similarity so well.)
>>Please explain to me how avoiding contraception or abortion is "hateful"?
>I doubt that that is what Ms. Garvin believs is hateful about you.
>Just as first-pass guesses, I would suggest that what makes her
>think you are hateful would be saying things like
>(approximately)
>Women who have sex before being married are lower than prostitutes
>because at least prostitutes get paid.
>Gay men hate women.
>
>>problem.   As you well know, I have posted many times where and how
>>other people can learn to live successful, self-determined, lives
>>without messing their bodies up with contraceptives or slaughtering
>>their children with abortion.
>Yes, and whenever anyone asks you for any real details you evade
>the question. I will repeat the appropriate question about NFP
>yet again. You have repeatedly claimed that NFP has a success rate
>approaching that of oral contraceptives, and posted some statistics
>which, although not peer reviewed, support this to some extent. What
>you have not, and seem to refuse to do, is posted the percentage
>of time which one must abstain from intercourse to obtain such
>effectiveness. Will you please do so?

Her claim about the failure rate of NFP is false.

Method			Failure rate %
--------------------------------------
Chance				85
Spermicides (alone)		21
Periodic Abstinence		20
Withdrawal			18
Cap with spermicide		18
Sponge
	Parous Women		28
	Nulliparous Women	18
Diaphragm with spermicde	18
Condom w/out spermicide		12
IUD
	Progestasert		 2
	Copper T 380A		 0.8
Pill
	Combination		 0.1
	Progestogen only	 0.5
Injectable Progestogen
	DMPA			 0.3
	NET			 0.4
Implants
	NORPLANT (6 caps)	 0.04
	NORPLANT (2 rods)	 0.03
Female Sterilization		 0.4
Male Sterlization		 0.15

[Trussell J, et all: _Contraceptive failure in the United States: An
update_ Studies in Family Planning Jan/Feb 1990]

As we can see, NFP has an abysmally high failure rate, and certainly
not anywhere near the rate of the pill, or NORPLANT.

The absinence period for NFP is taught as anywhere from 6-10 days per
month, but varies widely. Couples using a 10 day abstinence period and
following the NFP guidlines *perfectly* have reported a filure rate of
14.4% instead of the average of 20%. [Same source as the table]

--
                  Mark Cochran          merlin@eddie.ee.vt.edu
These are the views of my employer, your employer, your government, the
Church of your choice, and the Ghost of Elvis. So there.
Member, T.S.A.K.C.
Newsgroups: talk.abortion