Reducing the abortion rate

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

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Alert:

About this section:

Since this essay was originally written, many information sources have expanded the meaning of "emergency contraception" (EC) to include not only EC medication but the insertion of an inter-uterine device, a.k.a. IUD. These essays will deal entirely with EC medication.

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 fertilization and pregnancy. It was also agreed that EC will inhibit fertilization -- again terminating any chance of fertilization and 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. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires Teva Pharmaceuticals, creators of Plan B to have a warning label stating that the drug:

"... may inhibit implantation by altering the endometrium" [the inside lining of the uterus]."

Teva has repeatedly asked the FDA for permission to remove the warning because there is no scientific evidence to support it.

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.

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
	Can EC or regular hormonal birth control pills prevent implantation? (That is, are they contraceptives or abortifacients? Overview: Conflicts among pro-life, pro-choice & medical sources. More detailed analysis including recent studies: Part 1 Part 2
	Does EC reduce or increase the number of abortions?
	EC Developments during: 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 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 2013 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally published on 1999-JAN-13
Latest update and review: 2013-MAY-12
Author: B.A. Robinson

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