Emergency Contraception

Unplanned pregnancies are a significant health problem throughout the world as well as in the United

States. Up to half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned, with many of these being teen

pregnancies.

Unfortunately, many of these unplanned pregnancies are aborted. In fact the actual statistics are that

50% of women who have an unplanned pregnancy will wind up having an abortion. When you look

at teenagers who experience unplanned pregnancy, the numbers are even more alarming with 75% or

more of these ending in abortion.

Emergency contraception is a treatment that could potentially prevent many of these abortions.

Emergency contraception refers to a method of pregnancy prevention that can be used in cases where

the usual contraceptive method has failed (e.g. condom breakage) or when no method was used in the

first place.

Emergency contraception includes the use of pills and the IUD, but for this article, I will focus on the

pills. It should be made clear that emergency contraception is not the same as the “abortion pill”.

Emergency contraception pills are actually high-dose birth control pills that must be taken within 72

hours of unprotected intercourse. Their primary method of action is to prevent ovulation, and

therefore to prevent pregnancy from occurring in the first place. This method does not cause

abortions, and in fact studies have shown that it will not even adversely affect an established

pregnancy. This is in contrast to the “abortion pill” or RU 486. This pill has been used to cause

abortion after pregnancy has occurred, and this is not the same as the emergency contraception option.

The emergency contraceptive pills are currently marketed under the brand names Preven and Plan B.

Plan B is the newer option, and has fewer side effects. Use of this regimen can reduce the risk of

pregnancy by almost 90% over use of no contraception.

In summary, the use of emergency contraception can prevent the amount of unplanned pregnancies,

and therefore will reduce the rate of abortion. This method prevents pregnancy by preventing

ovulation, and does not cause abortion. If you feel that you may need this method talk with your

doctor, but remember that it must be administered within 72 hours.