TresSugar

Teens to Text For Morning After Pill in UK - Good or Bad Idea?

TresSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:12:43 -0800

There are more teen pregnancies in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. It might make sense then, that an experiment was conducted at six secondary schools that were considered "pregnancy hotspots" in Oxfordshire. The experiment? Girls from age 11 have been able to text requests for emergency contraception (aka the "morning after pill") if they had unprotected sex or were worried their condoms broke.

Since July, five students (less than one student per school) requested the service. The students don't just get a pill magically at their doorstep afterwards; they get a face-to-face appointment for a full clinical assessment with a nurse. (Incidentally, not one of the five students was deemed eligible after their consultations.)

Not surprisingly, people are divided about this "text-for-pill" trial. Family values groups think it promotes promiscuity among young girls, and those in support of the program want to roll it out to all schools in the county.

Does providing access to emergency contraception (via text and after consultation with health care professionals) to young girls make sense to you?

More Indian Women Casually Using Emergency Contraception

TresSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:15:43 -0700

Widespread access to family planning medication can come with some negative side effects. Gynecologists in India are reporting a sharp rise in medical complications, such as excessive bleeding or incomplete abortions, due to women's casual use of over the counter emergency contraception and abortion pills. Doctors say that women commonly look up the dosages on the Internet and then buy the pills themselves, never consulting a doctor. . . until something goes wrong.

Based on anecdotal evidence from doctors and patients, women appear to be increasingly relying on these medications as their first line of contraception. One woman told the Times of India that women turn to the morning after pill because "when you’re with your boyfriend, you don’t want to use condoms." Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned daily birth control pill?

While it's important for women to have access to emergency contraception or the abortion pill, it seems like there are plenty of medical reason to avoid using it as the main form of birth control.

Source: Flickr User gregor_y

A Do or a Don't: Keeping Plan B in Your Medicine Cabinet

DearSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0800

If you've had an "oops" moment in the bedroom where the condom broke, your NuvaRing slipped out for too long, or you forgot to take the pill, then you may be grateful that Plan B (emergency contraception) is available.

Since it's crucial to take Plan B within 72 hours of your mishap, you'll have to rush to the drugstore to pick it up ASAP . . . or, you could keep a dose in your medicine cabinet. Just in case! Of course, Plan B should not be used as a form of birth control, but since mistakes do happen, tell me, is keeping Plan B on hand a do or a don't?

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Sunday Confessional: I Didn't Tell Him the Condom Broke

DearSugar — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:00:00 -0800

I recently went off the pill because my husband and I want to start trying to get pregnant this Spring. I thought it would be a good idea to let my body adjust, so we've been using condoms ever since. Though I've been ready for a while now, my husband wants to wait until we're more financially stable, which I completely understand.

One night last month while we were having sex, I kept thinking to myself that it didn't feel like the condom was still on - it just felt too good. When he took it off, he didn't say anything so I just assumed it was still intact. I went to the bathroom to freshen up and checked the trash, just in case, and I was right - the condom had torn. Something inside of me got excited - there was now a possibility that I could become pregnant!

I didn't say anything to him about that night, and just this morning, I realized my period was late. I took a pregnancy test and it showed I am in fact pregnant! I'm thrilled, but at the same time, I'm guilt ridden for not being honest. The current state of the economy has made us even more financially unstable and I'm petrified to tell my husband this news. I would hate to think that he would have wanted me to take the morning after pill, so my train of thinking is what he won't know won't hurt him. Is it forgivable to keep my knowledge of the broken condom my little secret?

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What Do You Know About Plan B

DearSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Whether the condom broke while you were having sex, or you noticed that your NuvaRing had accidentally slipped out without you knowing, there may come a time for emergency contraception (Plan B) so let's see what you know about it.

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Have You Ever Taken Plan B?

DearSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:00:00 -0700

Emergency contraception, also called Plan B can be a total life saver if your birth control fails you. Contrary to popular belief, Plan B is not an abortion pill - it's simply 2 little pills that contain levonorgestrel, the same hormone found in regular birth control pills, but just a stronger dose. When taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, they can prevent the fertilization of your egg. If the egg is already fertilized, Plan B can prevent it from attaching to the uterus.

Plan B can only prevent a pregnancy that hasn't happened yet. It's also good to know that if you take Plan B and you are already prego, it will not harm the pregnancy.

So with all that said, I want to know...

What You Should Know About Plan B

DearSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:00:00 -0700

Has this scenario ever happened to you? The condom breaks while having sex? It happens all the time, but luckily there is EC (Emergency Contraception) or the "Morning After" pill as a backup -- accidents do happen!

EC, also known as Plan B, should be taken within 24 hours after intercourse to be most effective, but can be taken up to 3 days after. It is NOT meant to be your main form of birth control, since it's only 89% effective against preventing pregnancy and does NOT protect you from STIs like HIV.

Those 2 little pills contain the hormone levonorgestrel, the same hormone found in regular birth control pills, just a stronger dose. You take both pills at the same time, which will prevent an egg from getting fertilized, and if the egg is already fertilized, Plan B can prevent it from attaching to the uterus. While Plan B can stop an unwanted pregnancy, remember that it is NOT RU-486 (the abortion pill) and it can only prevent a pregnancy that hasn't happened yet.

What happens when you take Plan B and where can you get it? To find out read more

Usual side effects of Plan B include nausea, abdominal pain (similar to period cramps), fatigue, headache, menstrual changes, dizziness, breast tenderness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Plan B affects everyone differently so sometimes it will bring on your period, and other times you will just get it at your regular time. If your period is more than a week late, you should take a pregnancy test since it's not 100% effective.

Dear's Advice: Plan B is totally safe to use, but is meant for emergencies only. If you have had unprotected sex in the last 72 hours and think there is a possibility that you might get pregnant (and you're NOT happy about it), be safe rather than sorry and get Plan B from your pharmacist. ** Plan B is now available over the counter, without a prescription if you're over 18**

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Washington Pharmacists Can't Refuse to Dispense Plan B

TresSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0700

"Any refusal to dispense - regardless of whether it is motivated by religion, morals, conscience, ethics, discriminatory prejudices, or personal distaste for a patient - violates the rules."

This week a US appeals court ruled that a pharmacist's personal convictions does not outweigh a patient's right to timely medication.

Two Washington state pharmacists filed a lawsuit saying that their religious beliefs should exempt them from carrying emergency contraception. Washington state law requires pharmacies to stock and sell the "morning-after pill." The pharmacists argued that the requirement would make them chose between keeping their jobs or supporting a medication they regard as a form of abortion because it can prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. The court ruled the law did not violate freedom of religion, saying that the law was valid and neutral. Following the ruling, the requirement that Washington pharmacies carry Plan B has taken immediate effect.

Should Contraception Be Considered Abortion?

LibertySugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:45:07 -0700

Right now Church and State aren't looking so separate in the US. Both the Catholic Church's opposition to birth control as well as the Bush Administration's similar attempt to limit access to contraception by defining it as abortion, have been openly criticized this week by contraception advocates.

An open letter, written by over 50 international Catholic dissent groups, asks the Pope to lift the Church's ban on birth control. Taking out an ad in an Italian newspaper, the groups point to the important role contraception plays in the fight against AIDS, especially in poor countries. But the plea fell on deaf ears, as the Vatican quickly denounced the ad as propaganda, adding that condom policies have failed to fight AIDS.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton wrote an open letter to her supporters, hoping to raise awareness about Bush's plan to put "ideology before science and women's health." Clinton explains that the Department of Health and Human Services wants to make it harder for women to access common forms of contraception like birth control pills, emergency contraception, and IUDs by labeling them "abortion." Proposed regulations would allow healthcare providers to refuse to provide contraception to women who need it, disproportionately impacting uninsured and low-income Americans.

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Should 17-Year-Olds Be Allowed to Buy Plan B?

DearSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

I'm grateful that Plan B is available in drugstores and pharmacies, but you have to be at least 18 years old to buy it without a prescription. In spite of that, minors are also having sex, which is why a judge in Brooklyn has ordered the FDA to reconsider its decision and allow underage girls access to this emergency contraception too. The court ruling ordered the FDA to act within 30 days, so now all women 17 and up will soon have access to this safe and effective drug! This is big news.

So what do you think about this ruling? Is it only fair to let Plan B be available to all women, regardless of their age? Or do you think this ruling sends the wrong message to teens about having unprotected sex?

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