jadecat: (Happy Sam)
[personal profile] jadecat
At long last!

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14497678/

FDA OKs nonprescription ‘morning-after’ pill
Decision allows over-the-counter sale of Plan B for those 18 or older

Updated: 11:02 a.m. ET Aug. 24, 2006

WASHINGTON - Women may buy the morning-after pill without a prescription — but only with proof they’re 18 or older, federal health officials ruled Thursday, capping a contentious three-year effort to ease access to the emergency contraceptive.


---

I'm more than a little on the Pro-Choice side of things- for those that didn't know. To mis-quote a familiar line- let's have every child be a wanted child. So along those lines, I think this is very good news for American women.

Date: 2006-08-24 03:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kunphormyst.livejournal.com
I am very much on the pro-choice side of things and I am overjoyed by this development.

Date: 2006-08-24 03:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
Took them long enough- didn't it?! I'm going back and forth on the whole 'only at pharmacies' sort of thing. I do like the idea of someone detailing to a woman how to take the pill, rather than simply printing it on a box and assuming it'll get read.

Then again, pharmacies sometimes have stupid hours (as I discovered when I would try to get pseudophedrine) and that can make it difficult too. At least this current developement makes the whole process that much easier in general.

Date: 2006-08-24 03:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kunphormyst.livejournal.com
Does this still mean that pharmacists can still oppose the selling of the pill, or would it be up to the discretion of the retail stores whether it will be available or not?

Date: 2006-08-24 03:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
Hmm, I don't know about that. I suppose that some might try that- there are some pharmacists who don't seem to want to fill Plan B prescriptions at all. But I hope that this is considered different and will be easier to get...

Date: 2006-08-24 04:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] esmerel.livejournal.com
Probably - it's effectively a strong birth control pill. Still, one step is better than no steps.

Date: 2006-08-24 03:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] farmishtphoenix.livejournal.com
I am very much on the women-control-their-own-bodies side of things, and this is fabulous news.

Date: 2006-08-24 03:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
Women controling their own bodies... what a bizarre thought. ;)


That icon of yours... I find myself watching it for awhile every time I see it.

Date: 2006-08-24 04:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] farmishtphoenix.livejournal.com
You're not the first to be captivated by The Dancer... and I can't even remember where I snagged him!

Date: 2006-08-24 04:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mightyafrodite.livejournal.com
I have to agree with her. It's absolutely fascinating.

Date: 2006-08-24 04:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mightyafrodite.livejournal.com
About bloody time!!!

Date: 2006-08-25 01:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
Literally. ;)

Date: 2006-08-24 04:57 pm (UTC)
mstab: (ice queen)
From: [personal profile] mstab
I think this is very good news. If this had happened before now, I might not have two teenage parents living with me right now. I hardly think she would have decided to have the baby over a quick pill that would remove her mistake.

As much as I dislike people being able to terminate a pregnancy so easily - why don't they just keep their legs closed in the first place? - it helps in so many areas. Less of a strain (we hope) on government-funded welfare type programs. Less unprepared parents rearing babies that wind up being hellions and murderers. I could go on and on.

Date: 2006-08-25 12:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
why don't they just keep their legs closed in the first place? Yeah, I do know what you mean. I still, some days, find it terribly odd to read some of these lj communities wherein a young woman talks about having something like a yeast infection- and how abstaining until it's cleared up is 'OMG SO HARD! I NEEEEEED MY BOY!!!!'

But for those people that are having sex and 'oh no, the condom broke!' I like that there is an alternative for them.

Date: 2006-08-26 01:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jaklumen.livejournal.com
*sigh* yeah, recalling past experiences, don't get me started about welfare whores.

Not to gross anyone out, but why would someone want to have sex with a yeast infection? The guy can get the yeast infection, too, and lemme put it this way: it wasn't that appealing to me when I got one.

Date: 2006-08-28 07:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
Because some people have more hormones than brains apparently. I don't know why any woman would want to have sex during a yeast infection (the itching and burning probably don't add to the pleasure...). However, some late teens seem to think that abstaining for a couple days is just too much to ask... Oi.

Date: 2006-08-28 06:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cheerchump5.livejournal.com
As much as I dislike people being able to terminate a pregnancy so easily...

Sorry, I found this thread on a random search. The morning after pill, Plan B, does NOT terminate a pregnancy. If you read up on it, it simply prevents the joining of the sperm and egg. It doesn't cause a miscarriage, and it is not a "pill-induced abortion". Nothing of the sort. It just prevents pregnancy, it doesn't end one. I think it has something to do with it thickening the mucus lining in order to prevent sperm from doing their job. Also, it isn't meant to be used in lieu of regular contraceptive (condoms, birth control, etc.) it is meant as preventative measure, should these methods fail (condom breaking, forget to take pill).

Date: 2006-08-28 07:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
You name, it is familiar. ;) ([livejournal.com profile] mi_weddings I believe)

Plan B has the potential to work one of three ways- 1, preventing ovulation, 2, if ovulation occurs it thickens the mucus in the fallopian tubes so the egg doesn't travel to meet sperm (and the sperm can't find it's way in) and 3, thins the uterine lining so if the first two steps are foiled than the fertilized egg has no where to implant.

Date: 2006-08-28 07:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cheerchump5.livejournal.com
ha, that is funny! Leave it up to a random search to not be so "random" after all!

I don't think any of those 3 ways could be considered a pregnancy though, so it definitely isn't "terminating" one. I know a LOT of people disagree with Plan B, but they really haven't read up on it. If they disagree with that, then they disagree with birth control of any sort, essentially. I think it's a great idea for it to be more accessible. I would definitely say there needs to be restrictions on it, as with any controlled substance, but hopefully this cuts down on the amount of abortions and unwanted pregnancies that result in children not being cared for properly.

Date: 2006-08-28 07:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
Apparently not totally random at least. :)

I wouldn't consider any of the 3 ways a pregnancy. But there are those... people (to be polite) that would consider a fertilized egg to be the start of pregnancy.

Those being the same people who refuse to acknowledge that something like 1/3 of all fertilized eggs fail to implant and are 'washed away' in menstruation anyhow. That's an awful lot of miscarriages...

Date: 2006-08-28 08:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cheerchump5.livejournal.com
I agree 100%.

IMO, a pregnancy isn't a true and fast pregnancy until there is actual implantation of the fertilized egg.

Anyway, the people who get so vocal and are adament against it haven't done their homework.

Date: 2006-08-28 08:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
I concur. They haven't done their homework, or are at least totally oblivious to the science and deny it. The last there bothers me the most. They're the people you can explain it to- and STILL have them claim it's abortion.

At which point a brick wall to pound your head into looks inviting. ;)

Date: 2006-08-28 08:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cheerchump5.livejournal.com
It's one thing to be ignorant, but quite another to blatantly ignore proven information on principle alone.

*sigh* sometimes there just aren't enough brick walls to go around... :)

Date: 2006-08-24 08:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jaklumen.livejournal.com
I have been a supporter of the 'morning after' (RU-486, correct?) pill for a long time, although I am sure many of my faith are not.

Miscarriages are not easy-- I have been there. But I believe if abortions are rare, legal, and safe, then this would be a more humane way to do it-- to do it early, than to have a surgerical procedure that is far more invasive and traumatizing.

I believe in abstinence before marriage, although from my experience, I know that is merely ideal, but not necessarily realistic. I believe that a marriage relationship provides a secure family structure when children do come along. I believe that aborting a pregnancy should be carefully (and prayerfully for those of faith) considered, but again, if it should be done, it should be done early and humanely.

I believe in birth control. For me personally to not do so would be irresponsible in my situation. We are poor, my wife is nearing 40, and I do not believe in welfare whoring (because that is where we are until Social Security goes through). Family planning and contraception should come before anything else, in my opinion. I know some do not believe in such, but there is nothing in my faith that I can see would prohibit me from restricting my progeny to those that I can care and provide for with the best of my means.

Date: 2006-08-25 01:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
RU-486 and Plan B are totally different things. :) RU-486 can be used for longer as it is an actual abortificant. Plan B is a mega-high dosage of hormonal birth control pills that is only really effective for 72 hours post sexual encounter.

The goal of Plan B is to a- prevent ovulation, b- alter mucus in the fallopian tubes so that should an egg be released the odds of it meeting sperm are greatly reduced, and c- should a and b fail, and an egg is fertilized the final step is to thin the uterine lining; giving the fertilized egg no where to implant.

However, if a woman is pregnant when she takes Plan B it will not harm the developing fetus and odds are it will not cause a miscarriage. RU-486 is usable for weeks and WILL cause a miscarriage if the woman is pregnant.


I strongly believe in birth control, for many of the same reasons you do. Plus- there are some people who just really don't want children. Some people just don't like them. So for those people- who don't necessarily want to under go surgery (or for whom getting someone to perform the surgery is really difficult) I like that they have more options.

Date: 2006-08-26 01:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jaklumen.livejournal.com
Thanks for the info!

I see why Plan B is called the 'morning after' pill, now. If it's classified as birth control, I see that much more justification for it. It's still preventive, even if it is after intercourse.

More options is good.

I think the opponents are afraid this encourages promiscuity among unwed teenage and young adult women-- they might try to pass it off as abortion, but the more intellectual will use it as argument against birth control, more especially when they try to push abstinence.

But on the other hand, what ever happened to inhibin? Why do women have to do everything for birth control? After this next child is born, I'd like to have an option that *I* can do. I'm not sure about surgery, so this would be nice and I can't recall if male birth control is even really available.

Date: 2006-08-28 08:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
Young people are going to have sex no matter what. Hell, most of them think that whatever is out there (AIDS, herpes, etc) that it won't happen to them. So they will be careless. I don't know how many times in one of the women's communities here that I read some girl writing 'so last night the boy and I had sex, but he pulled out before he came, but I know pre-cum can still have sperm...' or 'we had sex without a condom (stupid I know!) and...' These are the people who do need to have Plan B available.

I don't know anything about Inhibin, so I can't help you there. I would like to see more options for men- but with things like Viagra taking the fore it seems more like the research is going to helping men get it up and not birth control.

"This next child" are you and the wife expecting another one?

Date: 2006-08-28 11:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jaklumen.livejournal.com

"This next child" are you and the wife expecting another one?

Yes'm.

Date: 2006-08-25 12:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jiffjenn.livejournal.com
Hooray! I am also Pro-Choice when it comes to women's rights. Even though I am a catholic. Don't tell the Pope

Date: 2006-08-25 01:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadecat.livejournal.com
I won't- our weekly phone calls have been delayed for some time now. *giggles*

But, I also don't see why belief in birth control should affect your status as a Catholic.

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