Kosher Sex Ed

Meeting Three Goals:

• Social: Build confidence in Sexuality Education Content

• Jewish Learning Content 

  • Understanding the three categories of contraception as understood by Jewish Law and how they apply in a modern context.

• Sex Ed Content: 

  • Understand the basic physiological process of conception.

  • Be able to list multiple types of contemporary birth control and understand the difference between hormonal and barrier methods.

  • Become familiar with the process of applying an external condom.

How many forms of contraception (pregnancy prevention) can you think of? Who in this cohort can come up with the most?

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Today, we have two main methods for stopping a pregnancy from occurring. These are:

Hormonal

Hormonal methods work by changing the naturally occurring hormones in the female body, generally progestin and/or estrogen, to either stop ovulation or implantation or to thicken the cervical mucus so that sperm cannot get through.

• Examples include: the Implant, the Pill, the IUD, etc…

Barrier

Barrier methods are exactly what they sound like, they physically stop the sperm from entering the uterus so that fertilization cannot occur.

• Examples include: the internal condom, the external condom, the diaphragm… 

However, it is permissible to prevent pregnancy indirectly, by means of two main methods: a) taking birth control pills; b) inserting an IUD (intrauterine device). These are considered the most effective contraceptive methods and the most halachically preferred, because the prevention of pregnancy takes place in the body of the woman, and indirectly, with no harm done to the sperm. Therefore, when birth control is permitted, these methods are permissible according to all opinions.

There are two contraceptive methods that are halakhically controversial. One is the use of a spermicidal foam, gel, or suppository that a woman inserts into her vagina before sexual relations. The second is the use of a diaphragm, a shallow, dome-shaped cup that a woman inserts in the vagina to block the opening of the cervix to block sperm from reaching the uterus. Spermicide is usually placed on the diaphragm in order to increase the effectiveness of the contraceptive. 

Poskim who are lenient maintain that since the woman is the one who inserts the diaphragm or spermicide, and since the couple has sexual relations without any barriers between their bodies, it is not considered a waste of seed, only a means of preventing the sperm from reaching the uterus and fertilizing the ovum. Those who are stringent maintain that using spermicide is, by definition, destroying seed.

When there is a real need to avoid pregnancy, and for whatever reason birth control pills and an IUD are contraindicated, a couple may use these two methods. However, if spermicides and diaphragms were more effective, it would be permissible to rely on the lenient views only under extenuating circumstances. It is precisely because there is more than a ten percent chance that a woman using these methods will get pregnant within a year that they may be used if necessary. This is on condition that a couple using them have reconciled themselves that should a pregnancy occur they will accept it with good grace.