What does the Catholic Church teach about contraception?

The Catholic Church teaches that artificial contraception is intrinsically wrong because it deliberately separates the unitive and procreative dimensions of the marital act, which God designed to be inseparable. This teaching was affirmed by Pope Paul VI in the 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae. The Church holds that every act of marital intercourse must remain open to the transmission of life. Artificial methods such as the pill, condoms, IUDs, and sterilization are therefore prohibited. However, the Church encourages and approves Natural Family Planning (NFP), which involves identifying a woman's fertile periods and abstaining from intercourse during those times when a couple has serious reasons to avoid pregnancy. NFP respects the natural design of the body, requires mutual cooperation, and has been shown to strengthen marriages. The Church acknowledges that this teaching is challenging but holds it as integral to God's plan for human love and sexuality.