Few modern inventions led to as much debate as the morning-after pill. Opponents of the pill, designed to help women prevent unwanted pregnancies, questioned its moral and ethical usage, while others pointed out that it was helpful in cases of rape or abuse. Learning more about the debate can help you determine how you feel about this form of birth control.
The morning after pill was originally a prescription medication, and women needed to see a doctor and request a prescription or take the pill in the office. The pill, which will only work if taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse, was the center of a debate over what some called legal abortion. Pro-life proponents claim that the pill makes abortion easy and doesn't force women to think about their actions or their futures. When a woman has an abortion, she must meet with a counselor 24 hours before the procedure. When a woman opts for the morning-after pill, she can take the pill immediately. After the Federal Drug Administration approved the over-the-counter sale of the pill, some questioned whether women would use the pill on a regular basis instead of practicing safe sex.
Women no longer need to visit a healthcare professional after unsafe sex because they can purchase the pills from any drugstore. The only stipulation involved the age of the woman, and the FDA originally ruled that only those over the age of seventeen could purchase the drug. Pharmacies kept the drug behind the counter, but women could purchase the morning after pill by talking to the pharmacist. With the new changes, many drugstores will now keep the pill out on display, letting women buy the contraceptive without talking to a doctor or pharmacist first.
Those fighting for the morning-after pill focused on sexually active women and teenagers who had limited access to birth control. President Obama vowed to give women wider access to the pill, and his promise came true in June of 2013. The FDA removed age restrictions, giving any female the right to walk into a store and purchase the pill. This change will hopefully help reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies in the country, though some point out that it still has a high price tag, $40 to $50 per pill, which some can't afford. Some pharmacists still claim they will limit access to the drug by placing it behind the counter, but the increased availability is good news for many.
Even those who practice safe sex can experience an unwanted pregnancy when a condom breaks. Though the government limited access to Plan B One-Step and similar drugs for many years, the FDA recently mandated that any woman can buy the morning after pill regardless of her age. The pills, which were already available in drugstores and pharmacies, are now easier to buy.
(Photo courtesy of stockimages / freedigitalphotos.net)
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