The bitter issue of the morning after pill
Apr 25th, 2008 | By Editorial Team | Category: Features
Lauren Halligan
Photo: Daniel Horacio Agostini (used under Creative Commons license Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0)
It’s a moment that most women fear: you’ve had sex, you could be pregnant and now you need the morning after pill.
There are various reasons why you may be asking for emergency contraception — maybe you forgot the
condom at that crucial moment, or maybe you forgot to take your pill yesterday.
Whatever the reason, seeking the help of two tablets can ultimately
change your future. For those of you who have never used the morning
after pill it’s the most common form of emergency contraception, used
only when your usual method fails.
It works by preventing fertilisation, or if this has already taken
place, it prevents implantation. It works for up to 72 hours after
intercourse, becoming less effective the further into this time frame
you are.
The side effects are varied. They include: nausea, headaches and
bleeding, but like most things, the symptoms vary from woman to woman.
The only side effect common to everyone who takes it is an emotional
rollercoaster.
Contrary to the prevasive belief that it can only be taken up to
three times, the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) sets the
record straight. “There is no limit on the number of times a woman
can take emergency contraception (EC) pills in her life, or in the same
menstrual cycle.” “Several scientific studies have examined
multiple use of EC and found it to be safe,” says their spokesperson.
On March 27 the Union of Students met at their annual congress in
Bettystown, Co Meath. The recent debate of whether or not the morning
after pill should be made available over the counter without a
prescription was high on their agenda for discussion (see page 5 of the
main section of this newspaper).
As with many emotive topics,
tempers and emotions flared and the end result, for the first time, was
a tied vote between conflicting sides.
Meanwhile, the BCFE student body seems almost as undecided. In a recent poll taken in the college (see here for other results),
students were asked if they thought the morning after pill should be
made available over the counter without prescription. Yes to No came
out 48 persent to 52 percent.
Of the 50 women polled, 45 percent said that they had taken
emergency contraception at some point. While 42 percent of men polled
said that their partner had taken it.
So why is everyone so torn on this subject?
Many cite the adverse side effects as a reason for strict
monitoring. Others assume that the morning after pill will become
nothing more than another form of contraception.
Again, the Irish Family Planning Association is quick to disagree
with this: “It is a common myth that women and girls will use EC
multiple times instead of other more reliable methods of contraception.
This is false. Research into multiple use of EC in Ireland found that
89.5 percent requesting EC had either never used it before or had used
it only once before.”
The other side of the argument states that, as many doctors and
family planning clinics are shut over the weekends, pharmacies should
be able to accommodate people instead of making them wait 48 hours.
IFPA is well and truly decided when it comes to their position on
the subject, saying that they believe the morning after pill should
certainly be made available over the counter.
“It is a safe, effective and responsible method of preventing
pregnancy when regular contraception has failed. Emergency
contraception meets the standards for over the counter availability: it
is non-toxic, non addictive, there are no contraindications (medical
risks) and has minimal side effects.”
So, whether it’s a free ticket to promiscuity or the answer to a
mistake that everyone should be entitled to fix, this is one debate
that will rage on and on.