Contraceptive pill is polluting environment : Vatican newspaper

A report in the semi-official Vatican newspaper claims that contraceptive pill is polluting the environment and is a key cause for the increase in male infertility.

L'Osservatore Romano ( The Roman Observer) is the semi-official Vatican newspaper published from Vatican. It covers views from important churchmen and runs official documents released from the Pope.

A report published in the newspaper by Pedro Jose Maria Simon Castellvi, president of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, claimed that they have enough evidence that contraceptive pill is a cause for male infertility. According to the report, the Pill is responsible for releasing tons of hormones into nature through female urine, polluting the environment . It quotes various WHO reports for substantiating it's claim.

The report says

We have sufficient evidence to state that a non-negligible cause of male infertility in the West is the environmental pollution caused by the pill. We are faced with a clear anti-environmental effect which demands more explanation on the part of the manufacturers.



Many organisations have dismissed the claims made by the report saying it as baseless. Gianbenedetto Melis, vice-president of a contraceptive research association said.

Once metabolised, the hormones contained in oral contraceptives no longer have any of the characteristic effects of feminine hormones.



Over the years, Vatican has been against the use of contraceptives equating it to abortion. Many Women's rights organizations have voiced their concern over Vatican's stand on issues such as emergency contraception to rape victims.