Morning After Pill may soon be OTC. Thoughts?

[2kitties]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one. I'm so torn and simply can't make up my mind.
The Morning After Pill may soon be available over the counter.

On the one hand, I see a valuable alternative to unwanted pregnancy, risky abortion, etc. It apparently has no side effects and keeps the egg from implanting. It seems to me as a great way to avoid abortion- to simply avoid conception. It can help decrease unwanted children and pregnancy, thereby decreasing abortion frequency. On the surface, it seems like a fantastic option for women.

But on the other hand, if it is so readily available, will it become just an abused form of birth control? It seems like a Pandora's Box for irresponsible sex. Imagine young women with little regard for their own bodies, simply seeing this as a means of fixing their mistakes, rather than taking proper precautions. Even the name of the pill- Plan B- makes me feel the marketing is way to casual.

I don't know. Is this a good idea that will help society, or a good idea with horrible consequences. I'm not certain this is a debate between the pro-life and pro-choice. I think it is more a debate on whether it's a good planned parenting option for women in America. I'm okay with the pill, just not sure it should be OTC.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/12/16...ill/index.html

[Soledad]

Amen, Allelujah, Praise Jesus, Glory Be....


That's all I have to say.

[2kitties]

No, Tell us how you really feel Soledad

[Soledad]

I can't wait to be able to go out and have all sorts of irresponsible sex now!!

[G.P.girl]

*snort* well if thats how you feel soledad......
i think it's stupid and that it's going to encourage teenage sex and there are going top be more teen pregnanies because they are going to sleep in and/or forget to take it.IMO anyways

[Soledad]

Sleep in? It's a morning after pill to prevent ovulation. You take it after sex.

[2kitties]

hmmmm, I wonder if there will be age requirements to purchase?

[2kitties]

Everybody read the link to learn about the topic. Then post.

[Soledad]

Wow, ya think?

[G.P.girl]

but it says up to 72 hours so somepeople who are dumb and think you're s'posed to take it the next morning cuz of the name (like me ) might do that. or they might fall asleep right when they are done or whatever.

[2kitties]

The name of the pill is Plan B.

See this is my point. I'm not certain the average American woman is quite ready for this kind of thing. Clearly not all women will understand it.

And, will it increase the number of sexually transmitted disease. Whether we like to belive it or not, many women only use protection to prevent pregnancy. Especially teens.

It's too bad there are so many negs to what should be such a great solution to social problems. Think of the economics alone.

[Soledad]

I don't think it'll increase the number of STDs. People who would abuse this method, are abusing other methods as well.

At least it ensures that people stupid enough to use this method w/o regard to STDs do not breed.

[lizbud]

Originally posted by Soledad
Sleep in? It's a morning after pill to prevent ovulation. You take it after sex.

Seems not many people do read the info before commenting.

The article says;

" Plan B works by keeping a fertilized egg from implanting in the wall of the uterus. If the egg is already attached to the uterine wall -- which happens from seven to nine days after the egg is fertilized -- Plan B will not have any effect.

This is in contrast to the so-called abortion pill, mifepristone or RU-486. Emergency contraceptives prevent pregnancies from forming, while the abortion pill terminates the developing fertilized egg attached to the uterine wall, according to the Mayo Clinic. "

It does not prevent ovulation but works to prevent the egg
from attaching to the uterine wall. This is the part of the article
that sounds troubling;

" Plan B contains a high dose of a hormone found in traditional birth control pills which can cause blood clots in certain people.

"If this is over-the-counter, it will be a high dose of this drug," said Wendy Wright of the Concerned Women for America, a public policy organization. "So it's likely to cause all kinds of unknown problems, and women are more likely to use it repeatedly."

[Cataholic]

On pharmaceutical use in general, "If it comes in a pill form, I want it!"


Bring it on. Sign me up. Can I get it at CVS? Is it covered on my plan?


If having unprotected sex, with various people, risking life, limb and the chance of pregnancy doesn't stop people from ENGAGING in the behavior, why is it that PROMOTING the morning after pill will ENCOURAGE the behavior?

One doesn't bring on the other. If it did, the converse would also be true. It isn't.

I use this similar argument with people that don't 'hit' their kids, because of 'the message it sends". Your kids ain't gettin the message, cause they hit, despite the fact you don't hit them.

The problem is not the availability of alternate forms of birth control (used loosely here). So, eliminating the forms of birth control won't stop the sex. Gotta do something different.

[pit chic]

I'm kinda riding the fence on this one. I think Plan B is a great idea for say, someone who has been raped and doesn't want to give birth to a living reminder of that event. But if someone is too irresponsible to be on "the pill" and condoms while having sex with anything and everything, how is Plan B going to make them responsible? It will just keep them from becoming parents. If people take Plan B to prevent unwanted pregnancies, then they will still continue having unprotected sex and AIDS will eventually plague the US as it is doing to Africa. The ones who need to be on "the pill" or Plan B such as welfare junkies, won't want to take it because if they stop getting pregnant, then their benefits stop too. And the breeding continues.

Yes, Plan B is a good way to prevent unwanted pregnancies, so is "the pill" and abstinence. It's just one more contraceptive on the market that may or may not be a big hit. It's really going to depend on people's moral stand point.