According to Catholic Answers, being a faithful Catholic couple does not mean you must have an unlimited number of children. The Catechism of the Catholic Church allows that there are times when spouses “may wish to space the births of their children” using “a method of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods” (CCC 2368, 2370).
Modern methods of NFP are highly effective when followed correctly—equally as effective as the contraceptive pill, according to a 2007 report published in Europe’s leading reproductive medical journal, Human Reproduction. And they are easier to use than ever due to modern developments such as a small hand-held device that detects changes in temperature, urine, or saliva to help determine times of fertility.
A number of women who have recently started using NFP instead of the Pill enthused about how their marriages have become much more of a loving partnership. Yes, using NFP requires self-discipline, commitment, and open communication from a couple, but don’t those sound like the very qualities that would be helpful in a mature, loving relationship?
Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that couples using NFP have a dramatically low divorce rate—less than one percent (“National Survey of Family Growth” by Dr. Robert Lerner, University of Chicago, 2000). In society at large, the divorce rate has skyrocketed since the 1960s, which flies in the face of the assertion that the use of artificial birth control has been a boon to marriages.
It has been postulated in a few studies that our high divorce rates are partly because couples now are able to delay parenthood and have fewer children. The experience of parenthood generally has a maturing effect and strengthens marriages. Besides being a unifying source of love and pride for couples, it causes them to become more responsible and less focused on their own needs.
Does having more siblings than the average family “handicap” children? Studies have shown, in fact, that due to the increased sibling connection, children from large families have better social skills (Journal of Marriage and Family, Ohio State University, May 2004), do better at school (Family Composition and Children’s Educational Outcomes, Institute for Social and Economic Research, 2001) and grow up feeling more emotionally supported (Sibling Relationships Across the Lifespan, University of Utah, 1982). These studies and others have shown that children in large families naturally develop skills to negotiate and accommodate, are more independent and self-sufficient as young adults, and are more resilient in coping with life’s stresses.