Natural Procreative Technology

A conference in Seoul on infertility and NaPro (natural procreative) Technology, recently discussed in the pages of the Peace Weekly, reviewed the present state of assisted reproductive technology in Korea. The archbishop said in his introductory talk at the conference "We are not only called to love the child who is born but the process of conception and pregnancy is also important. The husband should be present at the birthing process, and respect should be shown for the dignity of the child throughout the birthing process." He added that he hopes they will be able to make the act of marital love the foundation from which to develop any natural procedures.
 
According to current standards, if during a year of marital relations there is no pregnancy, the couple is considered infertile. 10 to 15 percent of couples of child-bearing age are infertile; 30 to 40 percent of the time the man is responsible for the infertility, 45 to 50 percent of the time the woman. For the man, the problem resides in the formation of sperm, and for the woman ovulation, tubal or uterine problems.

NaProTechnology is described as "a health science that not only helps facilitate or avoid birth but to care for the woman's health and to promote the marital relations of the couple." It provides medical and surgical treatments that cooperate completely with the reproductive system. It is a natural way of respecting the body and maintaining the marital act in the birthing process. Korea is one of the countries that have recently begun working with the new technology.
 
Sister Arlene Te of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, a family doctor, at the Cardinal Tien Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan, spoke at the conference on her successful use of NaPro Technology in providing infertility treatments at the Taiwan hospital. The fertility methods used there are in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Dr. Thomas Hilgers, developer of the method in 1976, said, "Approaches that do not separate love from life are the methods that are in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church." They do not include artificial means, he added.

Sister Arlene reports that NaPro Technology was introduced to Taiwan in 2005. At the Cardinal Tien Hospital 120 previously infertile couples have given birth by natural means. The program is used in the  United States, Poland, Australia, Malaysia, and other countries. In Taiwan the success of the NaPro Technology method, says the sister, has a better success rate than in vitro fertilization methods.
 Sister Arlene laments that in Taiwan the Catholics only number 2 percent of the population which makes it difficult to spread natural procreative technology. Those without religious beliefs will try any method to have a child; natural methods hold no attraction. She is hopeful, nonetheless, that NaPro Technology will ultimately be so successful that its method simply cannot be ignored by anyone, regardless of religious beliefs.