NARAL Pro-Choice Montana: P.O. Box 279 Helena, MT  59624 406.443.0276 prochoice@mt.net

 

On the Issues: Emergency Contraception

Emergency contraception (EC) is often called "the nation's best-kept secret" because few Americans are aware of back-up birth control methods that are available and can prevent pregnancy after sex.

ECPs are ordinary birth control pills that reduce a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant by up to 89 percent when taken within days of unprotected sex. ECPs do not cause abortion; rather they prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation, fertilization, or implantation before a pregnancy occurs.

Nearly three-quarters of women surveyed have not heard of emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), and only six percent of women aged 18 to 44 have used ECPs. Emergency contraception may be used when contraceptive methods fail, when they are misused or not used at all, and when women are sexually assaulted. Although emergency contraceptive methods are not a substitute for ongoing contraceptive use and do not protect against the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, these important and underutilized contraceptive options can reduce unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion.

Although emergency contraceptive pills are one of the most promising avenues for reducing unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion, barriers to access created by their prescription-only status impede ECPs from reaching their full potential. Because ECPs meet all the criteria for over-the-counter drugs, NARAL Pro-Choice Montana supports efforts to switch ECPs to over-the-counter status.

Emergency contraception (EC) holds tremendous potential for dramatically reducing the number of unintended pregnancies among young women. Naturally, fewer unintended pregnancies also means fewer abortions – a goal on which we all should be able to agree. Yet, despite emergency contraception’s tremendous potential, opponents of choice claim that over-the-counter (i.e. non-prescription) access to emergency contraception would be “dangerous” to young women’s health. Nothing could be further from the truth. Scientific evidence proves not only that over-the-counter access is safe and effective for young women, but also that better access to EC is particularly important for this group.

For more information on Emergency Contraception, click here.

For talking points to write a Letter to the Editor regarding EC Access and over-the-counter availability of EC, click here.

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