Posted on 05/08/2006 9:51:50 AM PDT by Abathar
WASHINGTON -- Get an advance prescription for emergency contraception so it will be on hand if you need it, the nation's largest gynecologist group advised women Monday.
The new campaign aims to increase access to the morning-after pill following the Bush administration's refusal to allow the emergency birth control to be sold over the counter nationwide.
"We want women to be prepared, well before a contraceptive failure or unprotected sex occurs. Afterward may be too late," said Dr. Michael Mennuti, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The morning-after pill is a high dose of regular birth control pills. It cuts the chances of pregnancy by up to 89 percent if used within 72 hours of rape, condom failure or just forgetting routine contraception.
The earlier it's taken, the more effective it is. But it can be hard to find a doctor to write a prescription in time, especially on weekends and holidays.
Citing assessments that easier access could halve the nation's 3 million annual unplanned pregnancies, ACOG and many women's groups have backed an attempt by Plan B's maker to sell the morning-after pill without a prescription, the way it's sold in Britain and Canada -- and in a handful of U.S. states.
But last year, top-ranking Food and Drug Administration officials overruled their own scientists' decision that nonprescription sales would be safe and, citing concern that young teens might use the pills, indefinitely postponed a decision.
The drug has no effect if a woman is already pregnant. It works by blocking ovulation or fertilization.
Conservatives who consider the pill tantamount to abortion have intensely lobbied the White House to reject nonprescription sales, saying they could increase teen sex.
The new "Ask me" campaign takes the discussion back to doctors' offices. ACOG is providing its 49,000 members with waiting-room posters to urge women of childbearing age to ask about a prescription they could keep on hand in case they need emergency contraception in the future.
"Accidents happen," the posters say.
Morning after WHAT?
Oh right. Let's not state facts.
There is no "morning after" for the child.
The Activism sidebar is reserved for Activism, protests, news and business of Free Republic Chapters.
Not articles such as this.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1611173/posts
Thanks,
There's no need for the morning after pill prescriptions if women who are unmarried abstain from sex. (Rape victims could get it at the hospital when they go in to be checked over.)
I don't want it over the counter because I can imagine some idiot teen taking it a couple times a month, and I can't imagine that's good for you.
I thought it blocked a developing child/embryo from implantation into the womb? Hence it is an abortifacient? Can some FReeper confirm?
As if we are talking some sort of car accident or industrial failure...
I read a journal article studying it and indicating the key mechanism is delay or prevention of ovulation, although the efficacy indicates another mechanism such as prevention of fertilization or possibly implantation may be involved as well.
Good point. let's face it, any oral contraceptive is playing with hormones and it's no concidence that women who've taken the pill have a higher incidence of cystic mastitis.
Remember the 6 P's....proper planning prevents p*ssed poor performance. If people control their behavior, such a thing wouldn't be necessary. Me thinks this was suggested by some drug company.
Hence: abortificant.
I read that line and thought, "Do they want to be prepared, or just take the shirking of responsibility for their actions to a whole new level?"
I will bet the ranch they have their finger in this pie.
'Morning after pill' is a nice way to put the process. Isn't it actually three pills, an at-home passing of the baby through the vagina, the collection of the body, and at least one more office visit?
""We want women to be prepared, well before a contraceptive failure or unprotected sex occurs. Afterward may be too late," said Dr. Michael Mennuti, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists."
In other words, we want to be sure people can murder babies at anytime, especially before they see the light of day.
What a sick jerk.....
These "accidents" seem to happen an inordinate amount of times during these dates...and I'm pretty sure more beer, liquor, and drugs are consumed during these dates as well...I'm sure it is just total coincidence...-sarc
No, you're confusing emergency contraception with chemical abortion.
Not necessarily, and definitely not most of the time.
No. You are confusing this with chemical abortion during pregnancy. This article is about a 'morning after' pill.
The drug has no effect if a woman is already pregnant. It works by blocking ovulation or fertilization.
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