Emergency Contraceptive Pills ( Ecps )

As of recently, the approval of the emergency contraceptive Plan B, for the use of girls as young as fifteen years old has stirred up quite some controversy (Belluck, 2013). Those who oppose it cite the diminishing moral values that this would impose on an already increasingly secular society. These individuals believe that having access to such a powerful substance would encourage young girls to engage in sexual promiscuity without any fear of repercussion (Belluck, 2013). However, proponents of this new law argue that giving full access to fifteen year old girls would discourage them from becoming pregnant at such an early age and gives them the opportunity to make wise decisions about their bodies. Aside from the two strongly opposing sides to this dilemma, the actual nature of the dilemma stems from the ease with which these young girls would be able to access the emergency contraceptive drug. Before the new law came into place, the emergency contraceptive was only available through the prescription of a doctor and could only be accessed through a pharmacist (Aleccia, 2013). With the new law, anyone fifteen or older would be able to access and purchase the drug over-the-counter. Granting such access to girls who may at times not be fully aware of the consequences of their actions is the nature of the dilemma.

In Summary, the pill remedies the chance of ineffectiveness of methods of contraception like birth control and condoms without invasive surgery. The pill has the potential to reduce the number of surgical abortions and undesired pregnancies in the United States considerably, especially if it is provided over the counter. The pill is radically more effective the sooner one takes it after intercourse and the great advantage of making it available over the counter as opposed to by prescription only, is that it would give a larger number of women faster and more access to it. Fortunately, for the women of America, the FDA has recommended making the morning after pill available over the counter in the United States as it is in other

Unintended pregnancies occur in the United States because of lack of accessible prevention methods. To end unwanted pregnancies and abortions, a change needs to occur. Currently, an oral birth control is in deliberation by healthcare professionals to potentially switch availability for women to buy over-the-counter (OTC). Because no prescription would be necessary, this would make obtaining oral contraceptives easier. The drug would be progestin-only, a female hormone otherwise called progesterone, which is not available in the United States in an oral drug formulation. This birth control is objectively safer than common oral birth control pills that are typically estrogen-progestin combinations. Plan B, (levonorgestrel), an oral emergency contraceptive, was recently legalized to purchase OTC without any

One solution to preventing teen pregnancy would be to provide better access to birth control for teenagers. In Jacqueline Sedgwick’s article, “American Adolescents and Emergency Contraceptive Pill Access,” she argues that the American teenage pregnancy and abortion rates are higher than any other nation due to the irregular or improper usage of birth control. Many American teenagers are unaware of how to properly use the contraceptives and mistakenly find themselves in difficult situations, but with more knowledge about birth control, teens will be able to properly protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. According to the article, the federal court order the US Food and Drug Administration to make emergency contraceptive pills available to teens over the age of seventeen without a prescription (Sedgwick). Allowing easy access to birth control will enable teens to be prepared and inhibit them from unintended pregnancies that are likely

In the United States, the teenage pregnancy rate is higher than in many other countries. Birth control is available to teens over 18 without parent consent. One form of birth control is a pill to prevent women from getting pregnant. ‘The pill’ works by stopping the sperm from the male getting to the egg in the female. The “hormones in the pill stop ovulation” in women (Rettner). This form of birth control requires a prescription and a consultation with a doctor to ensure that a woman understands the side effects of birth control. Many facilities can give emergency contraception. The most common brand is plan B. All women, including teen girls between the age of 13-18, should be able to get birth control without a prescription.

Last Tuesday, advisors to the Food and Drug administration voted to make the "morning-after" pill available over-the-counter (1). The FDA has not yet acted on this recommendation (1). The morning-after pill is the vernacular term for emergency contraception, specifically, two pills with the commercial name, "Plan B", which have the ability to inhibit and, depending on one's perspective, possibly to terminate unwanted pregnancies. The FDA approved the first version of the morning-after pill for prescription use in 1998 (1). The issue today is whether it should be available without a prescription.

One of the most controversial topics in the United States is whether or not teenagers should be allowed to take birth control while they are still in high school. “… teen pregnancy is a serious problem in the United States.” (“Teen Pregnancy”). Girls should be allowed to take birth control because girls and guys are obviously going to mess around in high school; therefore, birth control provides a safe way for teenagers to have sexual intercourse. If they are going to do it, they should undoubtedly be protected. There are many easy ways for a teen to obtain birth control. For instance, birth control is free at the health department. If they

More than half of all high school students, both male and female, use condoms as their way of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases during their first time having sex. Since condoms are the primary source of contraceptive amongst teens and can easily be misused, schools need to enable sexual education courses to teach students the proper application in order to prevent later repercussions. Another popular form of contraception, the oral birth control pill, is more effective than condom; however, birth control pills come with the responsibility of taking them properly along with no protection against STDs. With the strict schedule that birth control pills should be taken, teens are likely to forget which can cause hormonal harm within a young female, and some are not even completely aware of how to take birth control pills. Many adolescents are mainly focused on how to not get pregnant when it comes to sex, which birth control pills are proven to most likely prevent, but they are as familiar with

Since the 1960’s, doctors have been debating on if birth control could be safely sold over the counter. Over the counter, pill access means that rather than go to the doctors' office for prescription women would be able to buy a pack from the drugstore. In the U.S., drugs like Tylenol, Advil, Claritin, and Aspirin were once prescription only and are now available over the counter. In at least 80 countries, women can buy the pill without a prescription. Birth control was designed to prevent pregnancy and a lack of contraception and sex education causes teen pregnancy and abortion rates to spiral. Not only does the pill prevent pregnancy, but can also have many health benefits for women of all ages.

The ‘morning-after pill’ also known as emergency contraception, is an “oral drug usually containing high doses of estrogen taken up to usually three days after unprotected sexual intercourse that interferes with pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation or by blocking implantation of a fertilized egg in the human uterus.” One of the most common emergency contraception is Plan B; the history of the pill began when the Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in 1999, making it accessible by prescription only. Fast-forwarding seven years later, the Food and Drug Administration gave permission to sell Plan B over the counter to

I understand why adults disagree that morning-after pills shouldn’t be sold to under age because adults believe that they will depend on pills for safe protection and prevent pregnancy. Teens lately been thinking that sex is showing that

The morning-after pill being sold over the counter to people under 17 poses many advantages. The pill should be sold over the counter because it can stop unwanted pregnancies, prevent future abortions, and can give privacy.

Nemours, a children’s health organization, created pamphlet for doctors’ offices geared towards parents and teens who have questions about common issues in the realm of sexual health. They define “the pill” as an oral contraceptive, “a daily pill that usually contains the hormones estrogen and progesterone, and is taken to prevent pregnancy.” Other points discussed in the pamphlet include the safety of

" More than one in five sexually active girls have used the morning after pill, a significant rise from a decade ago, when only one in ten girls used the emergency contraception." according to a report released on 22of July. Many girls under 17 have unprotected sex, then they have to get the morning after pill. Most of the time the pill is sold over the counter to the girls under 17. Many of times it is sold without a prescription from a doctor. Plan b shouldn't be sold over the counter to girls under 17 because a doctor didn't prescribe the pill to them, teenagers that age are not emotionally ready for that decision, and they have no knowledge of what the pill is or does.

10  Damages the human heart and the Whole Person:               emotionally, socially, intellectually, physically, and morally/spiritually (that is, your inner-most being)