Morning After Pill

There is a pill becoming readily available that would aid in reducing the amount of unwanted pregnancies. It is the “morning after pill” as it is being called. This pill can be used during the first three days after unprotected sexual intercourse to prevent the fertilization of an egg or the attachment of a fertilized egg to a woman’s uterus. The question is not necessarily in the ethical issue of the pill itself. The problem or question lies in the issue of the pill being sold with or without a prescription. The measure would allow girls and women to obtain this medication, without a physician’s visit or prescription and without parental consent regardless of the patient’s age.

For those who believe that every fertilized egg is a human life, the debate would be identical to the debate over whether or not abortion should be legal. It is a question of how human life is defined, and which circumstances, if any, it is allowed to end it. Yet, since the pill has the ability to prevent women from getting pregnant in the first place, and is not invasive, shouldn’t this pill be available to women who might be trying to correct a personal mistake and not necessarily trying to accommodate a careless lifestyle? Thus the need for an over the counter pill that would rid the need for the millions of abortions done yearly in the United States alone.

Although, some argue that the morning after pill will promote promiscuity because it will alleviate some of the consequences of having unprotected sex, it does provide some peace of mind for rape victims who fear becoming pregnant from their attackers. It is really useful when getting to a doctor for a prescription can be difficult. For instance, on weekends or without a previous scheduled appointment.

Although, one should also consider the fact that abuse might occur. There has not been any research conducted on the side effects of such an incident. For example, some women might abuse the pill through multiple uses, possibly even taking them more than once in one month. While not likely, since the side effects to the morning after pill include nausea, fatigue, headache and abdominal pain or cramps, and diarrhea; they are hardly an appealing combination.

An individual should also consider some of the barriers that might cause a drastic decision, such as, rationalization, enculturation, or even denial. A person should not be persuaded to say that it is a good idea to sell the pill over the counter just because they went through a similar situation in the past. It is important to gather information and learn about the issue before taking a stand.

Religion or culture could also be a barrier to the decision, since some feel it is immoral in the first place to have sex before marriage or to terminate a pregnancy. This is where denial comes in; since some feel because of their beliefs it will not happen to them or to someone in their family. Therefore, the drastic decision is made to not make the pill so readily available.