Reducing the abortion rate

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Emergency contraception (EC)
a.k.a. the "Morning After Pill"

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About this section:

When these essays were written, the methods by which emergency contraception (EC) worked were not clearly known. It was generally accepted that EC mainly acted as a contraceptive. It could inhibit ovulation -- the release of an ovum from an ovary -- and thus terminate any chance of pregnancy. It was also agreed that EC did inhibit fertilization -- again terminating any chance of pregnancy. But it was unclear whether EC could work in a third way: to interfere with the implantation of the blastocyst -- the products of conception -- in the wall of the uterus.

Many pro-life groups concentrated on this third path; some even implied that it was the only way in which EC worked. Under the definitions of terms that many pro-life groups used, pregnancy starts at conception. By interfering with implantation, this would have made EC into an abortifacient -- a medication that caused an abortion.

Subsequently, medical research revealed that this third path was extremely unlikely and probably impossible. But many pro-life continued to refer to EC as an abortifacient.

The essays in this section were mostly written a few years ago when this third path was not fully understood by researchers. The smoke has now cleared and it is obvious to them that EC operates purely a contraceptive. We have begun to update our essays to reflect this situation. Unfortunately there are about 60 essays to be edited, so it is going to take some time to complete the job.

Terms used:

EC (emergency contraception) has unfortunately become popularly known as "the morning after pill." This is a poor term. Many people believe that women have only a small interval of time to take the medication:

	Some people have concluded that a woman has to wait for many hours before taking the pill - perhaps until the next morning.
	Others believe that the treatment is no longer effective if a woman waits past the next morning.

Neither is true. The medication can be taken immediately after unprotected intercourse, or at any time up to about 72 hours later. Some studies indicate that it is effective even later. However, its efficacy seems to be reduced as time passes, so it is important that, if it is going to be taken, that it be taken as quickly as possible.

Topics included in this section:

	Information about EC (How it works, side effects, impact on abortion, safety, etc.): Part 1: Types. How it works. Self medication. Abortion numbers. Effectiveness. Other considerations. Part 2: Concerns, misinformation & later developments
	Awareness of EC
	Access to EC The FDA approval process for EC Denial of service by WalMart Access to EC and EC information in Roman Catholic Hospitals EC administered in Connecticut Catholic hospitals EC is available without prescription in Canada Attempts to deny students' access to EC in Wisconsin Bill introduced in Congress to require pharmacists to dispense birth control & EC Will Catholic hospitals make EC available to rape victims? Making EC available to military servicewomen
	Is EC a contraceptive or an abortifacient?
	Can EC or regular hormonal birth control pills prevent implantation?
	Does EC reduce or increase the number of abortions?
	EC Developments: During 1998 During 1999 During 2000 During 2001 During 2002 During 2003 During 2004 During 2005 During 2006 During 2007 and later Since 2007, EC has become available "over the counter" to U.S. women who are 17 years of age or older if they have proper identification. We do not expect many new developments in the near future, as the use of EC has become largely routine in North America.
	Roman Catholic instructions in bioethics, 2008 "Dignitas Personae"

References used:

1. Lawrence Morahan, " 'Morning-After' Pill Available at Some DoD Clinics," CNSNews.com, 2002-JUN-3, at: http://www.cnsnews.com/
2. "Doctors: Have emergency birth control Rx on hand," Associated Press, 2006-MAY-08, at: http://www.cnn.com/

Information sources:

	"Back up your birth control" campaign is a coalition uniting hundreds of national and local medical organizations and women's health advocacy groups to promote EC awareness. See: http://www.backupyourbirthcontrol.org/
	Fact sheets are online from the following medical organizations: American Medical Women's Association Association for Reproductive Health Professionals Family Health International Planned Parenthood Federation of America PATH - Información clave sobre la Anticoncepción de Emergencia (Espanol)
	Fact sheets are online from the following advocacy organizations: Advocates for Youth Advocates for Youth Teen pamphlet (English) Advocates for Youth Teen pamphlet (Espanol) Center for Reproductive Rights NARAL Pro-Choice America National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (English) National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (Espanol) Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States
	A personal story: Dana L's difficulties obtaining EC and later abortion

Copyright © 1999 to 2011 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally published on 1999-JAN-13
Latest update and review: 2011-DEC-08
Author: B.A. Robinson

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