Finally! Morning After Pill Approved

Remove all ads!

It seems like the U.S. finally decided to move into the 21st century - even though I believe this was available in most of Europe during the 20th century. The FDA has now allowed the sale of the morning after pill for over-the-counter sales. Here's the article.

I am pleased with this ruling, because I think that the availability of this pill without a perscription will reduce the numbers of unplanned pregnancies and subsequent abortions that happen annually. (And regardless of your stand in the pro-life or pro-choice debate, I think we can all agree that fewer abortions are a good thing, right?) For those who think of the morning after pill as an abortion pill, you may be enlighted by this opinion piece.

About the only thing that I don't like about the ruling is that is only available to women 18 and older. Those 17 and younger still need a perscription. While I suppose this was necessary to get a consensus, I imagine a great many of the unplanned pregnancies that occur every year are from those under 18. I would guess that nearly all pregnancies from those under 18 are unplanned.

Your thoughts?

 

Ah, I hear the sweet rhythmic chant of squeaking bedsprings all across the country. Bravo.

You'd think that hardcore pro-lifers would be all for this. It's the most reasonable alternative to abortion that currently exists (other than, of course, carrying the child to term). It's nothing if not a workable middle ground. I consider myself pro-life now, and I think this is a great invention and I hope it helps.

 

That implies taking a pill to prevent an unwanted pregnancy is less reasonable than carrying a child to term - that can't possibly be what you meant - was it?

As for squeaking bedsprings, I seriously doubt the availability of this pill is going to cause people to have more carefree sex, at least to no greater degree than birth control does, which has been around for close to 40 years now.

I'm an idiot. I forgot the sarcasm inherent in DR's posts.

 

No, no sarcasm this time. I see this as a perfectly viable middle ground. One side wants abortions with no restrictions, the other side wants restrictions and no abortions. This method terminates a pregnancy at the moment fertilization takes place, thus removing the heartache for all involved. At least, unless someone deliberately chooses to see the issue as still taking a human life (which IMO it isn't really - not in the first 24 hours).

My "other than" caveat was a pre-emptive response to the inevitable pro-life arguement of "carrying the child to term is the only viable option."

 

I didn't know you needed a prescription to get those pills. I got one during a check-up at Planned Parenthood.

 

Really? I had always thought the pill terminates a pregnancy right after fertilization. For a lot of Pro-Lifers here, this was the same as an abortion and so it was not-done.
A female friend of mine has a cylinder placed in her arm that contains certain hormones (or 'anti-hormones'). She won't get pregnant the coming 6 months. If it's a succes, she will get a container for 2 years. I forgot what is does to her Red Sea High Tide, though.

IIRC, you don't need precription here to get an MA-pill. You can buy them for about 15 euro's, I thought. But what do I know? I never needed one. That's the best way to prevent unwanted pregancy.

 

It does - or at least it could. Maybe you're saying the same thing two different ways. The pill does two things. 1. It greatly reduces the chance that an egg is released. 2. If an egg has already been released prior to taking the pill, it reduces the chance of a fertilized egg implanting in the uterus. There's no way that the pill will stop fertilization if the egg is already out there waiting to be fertilized.

 

Ah! Thanks, you Foppish Idiot

I never was much of a biologist. Interesting stuff for my Christo-Moral ethics. Sofar, I guess I am just neutral. But because I am pro-condom, I guess I would be pro-Morning After pill, too. (Your point 1).
I can understand why people would be against it or would compare it to abortion (point 2).

 

This wasn't ok before in the US? Bloody hell, for a really advanced country, you're dead behind on somethings

 

Like Barmy, I just assumed that this has been available forever. I can't remember a time when the Morning After pill was not available here.

 

It's been available via prescription for a long time - just not available in over-the-counter sales. Prior to this you had to get a prescription for it from a doctor.

 

Meh...too much time to go see a doc first, especially when it happens on a saturdaynight when most docs aren't working in the first place. Boy...this sure brings back a memory or two.

 

That explains why you asked me if you could borrow the poker that was standing next to my fire-place...

 

Kids shouldn't be able to have sex. WTF is with all those people wanting to keep the age of consent low, spread sex lib among children and whatnot?

By the way, interrupting pregnancy after fertilisation is abortion.

Also, many "before" pills include the risk of an "after" effect. This means pills are often abortifacient.

Personally, I'd never have sex with a woman if I knew she was on a potentially abortifacient pill. I see legalising over the counter sales of it not as moving to the 21st century... unless BC. When some tribes murdered babies for whatever silly excuse. As they did before and after and even nowadays. It's getting back in touch with the animal side of man: kill your babies if you don't like them. Spartans did that. Romans did that. You can too.

 

As much respect as I have for you, Chev, there are some circumstances in which it is better to actually not have the said kid. If you're gonna spawn a kid and can't afford it's wellbeing and by ricochet forcing him to live in misery, go for abortion, FFS.

 

People want it this way chev because making it illegal would be pointless since its a victimless crime. Police would have better things to do like hunting down murderers, rapists, thieves and whatnot rather than managing the sexual lives of under 18 year olds.

I have sex, I enjoy sex, it's the most fun you have have without laughing. I don't care about any religious justification that every sperm is sacred or that when a sperm enters an egg it suddenly has a soul or whatnot... I don't believe in souls.

I'll stay out of your churches and you stay out of my bedroom.

 

Good point.

[ August 25, 2006, 06:55: Message edited by: Disciple of The Watch ]

 

I would actually liken this to birth control pills. It prevents pregnancy, not terminates it. Mind you I'm still no fan of premarital or extramarital sex...

 

I don't think very many people are fans of extramarital sex... but that's a whole other topic.