The Vatican teaches that human life must receive absolute protection from conception and opposes direct abortion; Catholic teaching also rejects artificial methods of contraception. AdvertisementWhere doctrine collides with reproductive autonomyThe World Health Organization defines reproductive health partly through the freedom to decide whether, when and how often to reproduce. He described his wife as an “ardent Catholic” and recounted how, after their two sons were born, she became pregnant again. He did not say that the Tamil Nadu government intended to restrict abortion, amend policy or challenge the MTP Act. But standing before bishops, priests, Catholic organisations, students and anti-abortion campaigners at a women’s college, the Speaker endorsed the movement’s central proposition without any ambiguity.