>>>>Is there any prescription that could predictably prevent ovulation from occuring at a particular time? I've never heard of one.<<<<
I suppose this is in relation to the post from the Catholic Medical Association I posted above. I am not a physician but I think COD is one. Perhaps she can shed some light. I would think the CMA, which has a broad base of support in terms of the types of physicians represented, would not have adopted this resolution if they thought there was merit to these drugs. The resolution as much as states that there is no medical certainty that the compounds do NOT act as abortifacients or have a clear cut effect in preventing ovulation alone.
I have the utmost concern and horror for the woman involved in a situation of rape. Still, the CMA is making a strong stand as regards this statement. They also were of high profile in the Schiavo (Schindler) case. This is not as clear cut as I thought and it was brought to light by Dom Bettinelli.
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Sorry, I am not a physician, just a RN. FWIW, here are my thoughts.
The morning after pill is basically a double dose of birth control pills. It is not the abortion drug, RU486, which is given after implantation. Morning after pills must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex in order to be effective. Any fertilized egg which has implanted will not be aborted. The pill does not have that capability. The pills work like birth control pills which inhibit ovulation and/or make the lining of the uterus chemically inhospitable for a fertilized egg to implant. It is possible the egg may implant anyway. There are no guarantees. Sperm can remain active for days.
From a medical perspective, while a fertilized egg is human life it is not a pregnancy. Pregnancy begins at implantation. It's a hard sell to call the pills abortifacent from a medical standpoint. Those few days in between are a gray area. Fertilized eggs fail to implant at high rates. I don't know of any easy way to test for ovulation or the presence of a fertilized egg in the ER. The pills are given to prevent pregnancy.
The debate is more of a religious or moral nature. It is immoral to interrupt the life process and under what circumstances? Accurate definition of terms is important in order to be taken seriously. As medical science becomes more sophisticated it is a (pre)cradle to grave dilemma. Any hospital of a religious affiliation has the right to operate under its belief system.