Emergency Contraception (EC)

Awareness of, and access to, EC

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Awareness and usage of EC:

The Alan Guttmacher Institute estimates that there are about 6.3 million unintended pregnancies each year in the U.S. About half result in abortions. The FDA predicted that if doctors and women adopt emergency contraception (EC) up to 2.3 million of these pregnancies could be prevented; this could prevent up to one million abortions. This change would reduce the level of abortions to a small fraction of their present levels.

There are many barriers preventing widespread use of EC. An article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) lists some barriers which are certainly true in the U.S. as well:

"...lack of knowledge, reluctance of young women to request medication from their physicians, denial of pregnancy risk, and lack of timely access to physicians or family planning clinics." ₁

The CMAJ concludes that: "As the effectiveness of emergency contraception is time-dependent, convenient prescription and dispensing mechanisms are crucial to enabling its use." ₁

If unwanted pregnancies and abortions are going to be reduced through the use of emergency contraceptives, then public health officials have an uphill battle educating the public about the availability of the pills.

	Public awareness: EC would be more frequently used if more women became aware of it, and if more service providers offered it. This is expected in the future as educational projects around the world increase awareness and availability of the treatment. Lack of awareness of EC appears to be widespread in the United States. A 1994 survey of American women showed that only about 1% had used the method. This compares with 4% for all ages of Finnish women and 25% for their women under 25. 1 In "South East Scotland, 93% of fourth year students (ages 14-15) knew of the method, and 31% of girls had used it." 2,3 A 2000-NOV poll indicated that one out of four American women had never heard of emergency contraceptives or morning-after pills. Nearly two-thirds of women did not realize that the pills were available in the U.S. 4 Use of emergency contraception appears to be increasing rapidly. A 2003-MAR news release by the Family Research Council cited an unidentified poll by the New York Times. The poll found that about 5% of all American women aged 18 to 44 had used emergency contraception. 5 The New York Times apparently reported in 2003 a recent Kaiser Family Foundation Survey which found that 6% of American women have used the morning-after pill. This is an increase from 2% in the year 2000. 6
	Pharmacist awareness: Planned Parenthood of New York City conducted a survey of 100 pharmacists in 1999. They found that few druggists were able to provide their customers with reliable information about EC: 3% gave out accurate information. 37% knew nothing at all about EC. 60% offered incorrect information. 11% said that EC is an illegal drug!
	Rejection of EC for religious reasons: Many -- primarily conservative -- faith groups define pregnancy as starting at conception. They also teach that EC sometimes prevents the implantation of a blastocyst -- a pre-embryo -- in the uterus. Thus they have concluded that EC can be abortifacient. Some groups state flatly that EC is an abortifacient. Further research has shown that EC only works as a contraceptive by preventing ovulation or preventing fertilization. Many of these groups still teach that EC is an abortifacient, in spite of evidence to the contrary. Most of these faith groups also teach that human personhood is achieved by the pre-embryo at fertilization. They thus regard EC as a poison that murders babies.

Information services:

A voicemail service, the Emergency Contraception Hotline, provides information on EC to callers from the US or Canada. Their number is 1-888-NOT-2-LATE (or 1-888-668-2528). The Hotline will list the nearest health providers to your location. For callers from Canada, they will list the nearest American providers. If you are far from the U.S. border you might wish to phone the emergency room in the nearest non-Roman Catholic hospital for information.

An information website: The Emergency Contraception Website has a search function to find an EC provider in your zip code. See: http://ec.princeton.edu/

Access to EC in the U.S.:

In the U.S.: Two brands of emergency contraceptives were originally available in the U.S. only under a doctor's prescription. Unfortunately, they have to be taken within a short time of intercourse. There often was insufficient time for a woman to get an appointment, obtain a prescription, get the pills and take them within the 72 hour limit.

Some states passed legislation allowing trained pharmacists to dispense EC without a doctor's prescription.

After a major battle, and an unusual temporary personal veto by the Commissioner of the FDA, the FDA switched EC to non prescription status. Kaiser Network's daily reports announced that:

"In 2006-AUG-24, the FDA approved Barr Laboratories' Plan B^™for nonprescription sale to women and men 18 years and older throughout the U.S. Barr agreed to send anonymous shoppers into pharmacies to test their compliance with the age description. In addition, gas stations and convenience stores are prohibited from selling the EC." ₇

In practice, the age limit will probably not present a significant barrier to sexually active young women under 18-years-of-age. Most will be able to make an arrangement with an older woman or man who will be able to buy the pills for them.

Most newspapers' editorials and opinion pieces reacted positively to the development on 2006-AUG-25. However some opinion pieces by conservative Christian groups disapproved:

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Access to EC in Canada:

"Plan B" a popular EC, was approved for purchase without a prescription in Canada on 2005-APR-20. ₈ They require only a consultation with a pharmacist. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada, the Canadian Pharmacists Association, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Federation of Medical Women of Canada, the Canadian Women's Health Network, and the Canadian Nurses Association all approved of the move. The medication is produced by Barr Pharmaceuticals' subsidiary Duramed Pharmaceuticals.

According to Medical News Today on 2005-APR-22:

"EC already was available without a doctor's prescription in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Quebec and Saskatchewan, and provincial rules say that pharmacists can refuse to dispense EC for moral or religious reasons. ... The move makes Canada the 34th country worldwide to make emergency contraception available without a doctor's prescription, according to a Barr Pharmaceuticals representative." ₈

Canadian Physicians for Life expressed opposition, as did numerous Canadian pro-life and conservative religious groups.

A public opinion survey by Leger & Leger during 2004-MAY found that 81% of adults in Quebec and 70% of adults in all of Canada agreed that EC should be available without a prescription. More details.

Associated essay on this website:

Access to EC and EC information in Roman Catholic hospitals in the U.S.

References:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. Judith A. Soon, et al., "Effects of making emergency contraception available without a physician's prescription: a population-based study," Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2005-MAR-29, Page 172-180. It is online at: http://www.cmaj.ca/
2. Reports on Britain and Finland were at: http://www.path.org/html/emergency_contraception_update_10_97.htm
3. Anna Graham et al., "Teenagers' knowledge of emergency contraception: questionnaire survey in south east Scotland," BMJ Publishing Group, 1996-JUN-22, at: http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/
4. Julie Severens Lyons, "Law makes morning-after pill available without prescription: PHARMACIES WILL BE ABLE TO DISPENSE EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVES," The Mercury News, 2001-OCT-16, was at: http://www0.mercurycenter.com/premium/ No longer online.
5. "Washington Update: Pill pushers," News release, Family Research Council, 2003-MAR-24.
6. Dann Denny, "More women using morning-after pill to prevent pregnancy,"  Herald-Times, Bloomington IN, 2003-MAY-21, at: http://www.hoosiertimes.com/
7. "Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Summarizes Editorials on Approval of Nonprescription Plan B Sales to Women Over Age 18," KaiserNetwork, 2006-AUG-28, at: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/
8. "Health Canada Approves Emergency Contraceptive Plan B as OTC Drug," Medical News Today, 2005-APR-22, at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

Site navigation: Home > "Hot" topics > Abortion > Reducing abortion >  EC menu > here

Copyright © 1999 to 2010 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally published on 1999-JAN-13
Latest update: 2010-JUN-20
Author: B.A. Robinson

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