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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Though &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/emergency-contraception-906722&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;emergency contraception&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;\u00A0is not a new idea to society, it is still igniting many debates just as it did when it was first introduced to the United States. The controversy stems from people&amp;amp;#39;s beliefs about whether or not &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/plan-b-one-step-906725&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Plan B One-Step&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; (the main brand of emergency contraception), Plan B One-Step&amp;amp;#39;s generic alternatives (&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/next-choice-one-dose-906723&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Next Choice One Dose&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/my-way-generic-morning-after-pill-906572&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;My Way&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;,\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/take-action-morning-after-pill-906573&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Take Action&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, and &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/afterpill-affordable-emergency-contraception-906570&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot;&amp;gt;AfterPill&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;) or &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/next-choice-generic-plan-b-906715&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;7&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Next Choice&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; (the generic equivalent of &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/plan-b-ec-the-morning-after-pill-906724&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;8&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Plan B&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;) terminates a pregnancy.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Emergency contraception continues to be a highly emotional and controversial issue -- both for advocates who believe emergency contraception will lower the number of &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/unplanned-pregnancy-help-906670&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;9&amp;quot;&amp;gt;unintended pregnancies&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/about-abortion-906654&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;10&amp;quot;&amp;gt;abortions&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, and for opponents who believe that using emergency contraception amounts to an abortion. The controversy fueling this debate centers around one of the ways that emergency contraception is thought to work. Because of inconsistencies in what the research says and what FDA labels on these products say, people mistakenly believe that emergency contraceptives\u00A0prevent the\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/implantation-906754&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;11&amp;quot;&amp;gt;implantation&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; of a fertilized egg. This mechanism of action is included on Plan B&amp;amp;#39;s product labels, but research has demonstrated that this emergency contraceptive has &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;no impact&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; on implantation.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/how-plan-b-works-906842&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;12&amp;quot;&amp;gt;How Plan B One-Step Works: Research vs. Product Labeling&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Confusion with the Abortion Pill&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Emergency contraception is often confused as being the same thing as the abortion pill, &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/ru486-the-abortion-pill-906956&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;13&amp;quot;&amp;gt;RU486&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. This is not the case, and these two medications serve two very different purposes.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/the-morning-after-pill-vs-the-abortion-pill-906574&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;14&amp;quot;&amp;gt;The Morning-After Pill vs. The Abortion Pill&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Emergency Contraception Background:&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Emergency contraception originated in the 1960s as treatment for rape victims to prevent unintended pregnancy. Doctors would prescribe a high dose of regular &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/learn-more-about-birth-control-pills-906867&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;15&amp;quot;&amp;gt;birth control pills&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; after a rape.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Although emergency contraception has been available by prescription since 1999, this &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-contraception-906694&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;16&amp;quot;&amp;gt;contraceptive&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; received a lot of attention in 2005 when Commissioner Lester M. Crawford of the FDA passed the Plan B action -- which announced that &amp;amp;#34;until unresolved regulatory and policy issues&amp;amp;#34; could be reviewed, &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/plan-b-ec-the-morning-after-pill-906724&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;17&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Plan B&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; would not be available over the counter and would remain a prescription drug. Because of this action, the Assistant FDA Commissioner for Women&amp;amp;#39;s Health and Director of the Office of Women&amp;amp;#39;s Health (at the time), Susan Wood, resigned in protest.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;On August 24, 2006, the FDA announced that Plan B would become available without a prescription for women ages 18 and older, but those younger than 18 would still need a prescription to obtain Plan B.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Then, on April 22, 2009, the FDA announced that Plan B could be purchased by 17-year-olds without a prescription. These fierce debate over who can buy this product caused emergency contraception to find its way back into the spotlight.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/the-history-of-emergency-contraception-906714&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;18&amp;quot;&amp;gt;A Detailed History of Emergency Contraception&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/tummino-v-hamburg-906711&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;19&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Current Emergency Contraception Legislation&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;What Emergency Contraception Really Is:&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Emergency contraception is used to prevent pregnancy. No matter when it is used, emergency contraception &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;will not&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; cause an abortion. The medical community considers\u00A0&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;a pregnancy to be established only after implantation\u00A0of a fertilized egg has occurred&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;The Fuel Behind the Emergency Contraception Debate&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pro-life advocates and politicians have been pushing to redefine pregnancy as beginning at fertilization. People behind this push are\u00A0falsely\u00A0trying to convince\u00A0women that they are not receiving all accurate facts about emergency contraception. These groups and law makers incorrectly argue that Plan B One-Step (and similar &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/different-progestin-types-906936&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;20&amp;quot;&amp;gt;levonorgestrel&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;-based morning-after pills) will cause a pregnancy to end.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;This viewpoint stems from these organizations\u2019 belief that life begins with the fertilization of an egg. Because of their &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-are-religious-views-on-birth-control-906618&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;21&amp;quot;&amp;gt;beliefs&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, pro-life advocates are trying to convince women that Plan B One-Step causes abortions by creating a hostile environment within the uterus and prevents implantation of an egg -- with the end result being the termination of a pregnancy.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Where the Debate Stands:&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Though pro-life advocates &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;claim&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; emergency contraception causes an abortion by preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus, the government and the medical community agree that Plan B One-Step is considered an emergency contraceptive -- this is because the purpose for using it is to &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;prevent&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;\u00A0a pregnancy from occurring in the first place. According to the &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/08/2/gr080207.html&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;22&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Guttmacher Institute&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, an organization that advances sexual and reproductive health, \u201Cdefinitions that seek to establish fertilization as the beginning of pregnancy go against the long-standing view of the medical profession and decades of federal policy.\u201D&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;So, to get to the bottom of the emergency contraception debate, you must look at the medical and legal facts. Scientifically, something is considered an abortifacient if it causes a pregnancy to end prematurely. Medical and scientific authorities consider a pregnancy to be established only once the implantation of a fertilized egg has occurred. Federal policy, in accordance with medical experts, defines medication that acts before implantation as &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;preventions&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; to pregnancy and &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;not&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/methods-of-abortion-906598&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;23&amp;quot;&amp;gt;methods that terminate&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; pregnancy.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The beliefs of people who are against the use of emergency contraception are purely just opinion and theory. Their belief that Plan B One-Step causes abortions is just that, a belief -- there is no medical data to support this. It is important that people are educated with factual information. \u00A0Science and research clearly shows that emergency contraception is not abortion and will not cause an abortion. It&amp;amp;#39;s completely impossible to terminate a pregnancy that does not exist.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Plan B One-Step is a safe and effective method for women to &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;PREVENT&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; a possible pregnancy after engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse or experiencing &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/main-reason-for-birth-control-failure-906675&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;24&amp;quot;&amp;gt;contraceptive failure&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Over the years, it\u00A0\u00A0 has proven to be drastically reduce the number or unwanted pregnancies as well as the number of abortions that would have taken place if these pregnancies were not prevented through the its use.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.verywell.com/the-emergency-contraception-debate-906719>