The Morning-After Pill: Overview and Opinion of Plan B

I recently had a discussion with a friend who was considering using the Morning-After Pill. She had recently started dating someone and was not yet able to start taking the pill but did not want to deal with condoms. Our discussion escalated to how we felt about this method of birth control and what it meant in terms of morality and ethics. It was nothing I had ever thought about before, because it was not something that was necessary for my lifestyle. Our discussion about it made me think seriously about what emergency birth control means in general and what it means to me personally.

Plan B, also known as the Morning-After Pill, is meant to be used in the event of failed birth control, such as a condom breaking or if a birth control pill is forgotten. It is a back up and not meant to be used as a sole means of birth control, although I imagine it is used this way quite often. Prior to my discussion with my friend about Plan B and emergency birth control, I did not know the difference between it and RU-486, which is better known as the Abortion Pill. But, there is in fact a big difference. Plan B is used to prevent pregnancy, where as RU-486 is used to end pregnancy.

I have always been a huge free choice advocate, but I personally do not believe in abortion for myself. Therefore, not knowing the details of Plan B, I was immediately apprehensive about its purpose. And, once I did realize how it worked, I still had to really think about what it meant. Is taking any method of birth control after the fact considered abortion? I personally don't see how it could be.

Preventing pregnancy and ending pregnancy are two completely different things. If a life was never created, how can a life be ended? Plan B is no different than any other method of birth control, except that it is taken after sex instead of before. Therefore, morally, if one does not have a problem with using birth control methods such as the pill, then it would not be logical to have a problem with Plan B. The problem comes with lack of knowledge, as it did for me.

Plan B is considered to be 89% effective if used exactly as prescribed, and the earlier the pills are taken, the more effective they are.

Two pills come in a pack, one to be taken no longer than 72 hours following intercourse, but the sooner it's taken, the better it will work. The second pill is to be taken 12 hours after the first.

One of the most controversial things about Plan-B is that it is available over the counter. It must be obtained behind the pharmacy counter, but a prescription is not needed. One dose is very expensive, costing more than $40 with tax. It is also only good for one administration. This means if a woman has sex twice in a night or in a weekend, two doses must be taken. It is important to be careful if this happens, as the pill could already have uncomfortable side effects which will most likely be enhanced by more than one dose.

Side effects of Plan B can include; nausea, headache, breast pain, and menstrual changes. These are all similar side effects that come with birth control pills, and because the dose is higher, the likelihood of the side effects occurring can be higher. My friend did decide to use Plan B, and when I asked her about these side effects, she said none of them occurred, even after two doses. I do not know if this is typical or if she was just lucky.

It is understandable how, without the proper education, someone can mistake Plan B for the abortion pill. It's what I thought until I did my research. Upon researching Plan B and how it works, I would not be apprehensive about using it in the future and would even go so far as to say that for someone who is regularly sexually active, having a dose handy is not a bad idea in case of emergency. I know when I was on birth control pills, there were certainly times when I missed doses and would have felt more comfortable knowing I could still have sex without as much worry.

I do not advocate Plan B as regular method of birth control. In my opinion, the responsibility in prevention of pregnancy should be taken before sex. I do not have a problem, however, with using an emergency method of prevention if needed and am relieved to know that such a method exists.

Source:
http://www.go2planb.com/ForConsumers/Index.aspx