10 Reasons Why the Obama Administration Is Wrong on Emergency Contraception

You’ll be hearing a lot about Plan B and morning-after pills and EC in the coming days. Here are the top 10 reasons why we think the Obama administration is wrong to deny women and girls access to this basic preventive health care.

1. Half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. EC offers a last chance to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse or birth control failure.

2. The administration wants to make EC available only to individuals age 15 and older. Young people would have to hold passports to purchase EC, a ridiculous requirement given that less than 5 percent of all Americans—of any age—have passports.

3. Several studies have determined that no deaths or serious complications have been causally linked to EC.

4. There are no situations in which the risks of using combined or progestin-only EC outweigh the benefits.

5. Scientists have concluded that “repeated use of EC is safer than pregnancy, in particular when the pregnancy is unintended and women do not have access to safe early abortion services.”

6. One challenge to making EC more widely available is the belief that women may be less diligent with their ongoing contraception. But regular use of EC is far less effective than other contraceptive methods. Women understand that “E” stands for “emergency” and will behave accordingly.

7. One study demonstrated that educating teens about EC does not increase their sexual activity levels or use of EC, but it does increase their knowledge about proper administration of the drug.

8. Emergency contraception is sold over the counter in six countries and can be obtained directly from a pharmacist, without a prescription, in 54 countries.

9. Many medical groups, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Society for Adolescent Medicine support making Plan B available over-the-counter without restrictions.

10. Medical professionals recommend it. As Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburgput it:

The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) determined that the product was safe and effective in adolescent females, that adolescent females understood the product was not for routine use, and that the product would not protect them against sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, the data supported a finding that adolescent females could use Plan B One-Step properly without the intervention of a healthcare provider.

Politicians need us in order to win. But women can smell the difference between expedient positions and sincerely held beliefs.

We deserve serious action on the issues we care about, from reproductive health to equal pay, education to paid sick days.

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