Age Limit for Birth
Control?
The main
topic that has been discussed recently, regarding new legislation to have an age
limit for birth control, is mostly referring to emergency contraception, like Plan
B One-Step – also known as the morning after pill. Plan B is an emergency contraception pill
that can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. The pill is one dose (only one pill) and
contains 1.5 milligrams of levonorgestrel.
Levonorgestrel is also used in many daily birth control pills; however,
these pills contain a lower dosage. The
effect of Plan B depends on how soon you take it. If taken within 24 hours the pill is 95%
effective, and if taken within 72 hours the pill is 89% effective.
Plan B is
not an “abortion pill.” It is different
from RU-486, which is an abortion pill.
Plan B will not cause a miscarriage or an abortion if taken. Plan B does not stop development of a fetus once the
fertilized egg implants in the uterus, so this pill will not work if someone is
already pregnant. Plan B was made as a
backup plan though – hence the name “Plan B.”
The pill was made for emergencies only and is not recommended for people
to use as their main form of birth control.
There has also been much talk about what
age women should be to use this type of emergency contraception. This is a big issue for people on both sides
of the aisle and would affect millions of Americans. In June this year, the U.S. Department of
Justice stopped the appeal of a recent U.S. District Court ruling requiring
expanded over-the-counter access to emergency contraception products without an
age restriction. Many medical
organizations stand behind their support of the Court’s ruling, citing
scientific evidence in support of the safety of emergency contraception for
women of all ages. The FDA has stated
that it will allow the sale of one-pill versions of emergency contraception
without age restriction, starting with the most common form, Plan B One-Step.
The AAP (The American Academy of Pediatrics) President, Thomas K.
McInerny, MD, stated, “For pediatricians, the science has always been clear:
emergency contraception is a safe, effective tool to prevent unintended
pregnancy in adolescents of any reproductive age.” Another group that has been advocating for
birth control at any age is Planned Parenthood.
After the Department of Justice stopped the appeal in June - therefore
allowing girls of all ages to purchase emergency contraception – the President
of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards had this to say, “Age barriers to
emergency contraception are not supported by science, and they should be
eliminated.” Another group, the National Women’s Liberation, had this to say
about the decision, “NWL demands full control over
the decision to have children. We want free and full access to all forms of
birth control, including contraception and abortion.”
There are people on both sides of the issue though. According to Dr. Jennifer Landa, a hormone
specialist and chief medical officer for BodyLogicMD, making emergency
contraception available for young girls is sending the wrong message about
pregnancy prevention and safe sex. She
says, “Overall, it shows a lack of caution if you ask me. Of course the prevention of unwanted
pregnancy is a good thing. The problem is it encourages women to be more
cavalier and not use more reliable birth control we’d like them to be using,
including barrier methods that protect against sexually transmitted diseases.” Dr. Manny Alvarez agrees with Dr. Landa and
states, “This is a dangerous precedent. So you’re going to allow a 13-year-old
child to be able to buy what once was a prescription regulated medication over
the counter without any kind of restriction, any kind of parental advice.
How is a child at the age of 13 going to be able to understand
indication, usage and potential side effects?”
Overall, this is a very important
issue because of the number of people it affects. Additionally, it can be looked at through the
eyes science or religion, which can cause people to have his or her unique
views. With any decision the government
makes, there will be people who agree with it, and people who disagree.
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