Morning After Pill: Pros and Cons - Literature review Example

Day Month Year Morning After Pill: Pros and Cons Introduction For as long as we have been alive, humans have given into desire. There are times when our natural inclination to be loved and cherished by someone, in that moment, gives way and supersedes our ability to think and behave rationally. In many instances, we cannot take back our actions in those moments, and so we live years, maybe a lifetime, in regret for those choices that we made. How we wish we could wind back the clock and make a different decision, but it is rarely that simply. One area of life where a moment of temptation is often too strong to resist is sexual desire. The consequences of a one-night stand, or possibly a sexual encounter that was simply unplanned in that moment, can be far-reaching. There are sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies to contend with. In the past, these were simply the potential consequences of poor sexual decision-making. All of that has now changed with recent medical breakthroughs. The morning after an ill-times sexual encounter is often the worst. Feelings of guilt, and then worry, abound. Emergency contraception has now become available to ensure, with a high likelihood, that the body will reject any potential pregnancy as a result of the encounter. Called the morning-after pill, it has been applauded by many, and demonized by others. The morning-after pill is also beginning to show signs of repressing sexually transmitted diseases, if taken within 24 hours of the sexual encounter (Zuger 2). Again, there seems to be advantages and disadvantages of this particular pill and this essay will seek to cover those opinions in detail, while reaching a conclusion about the future of such measures to cover up and protect from lasting physical consequences of such sexual encounters. Advantages of Morning-After Pills To be sure, there are many considerations to take into account before choosing to make the morning-after pill a viable option for emergency contraception. Here, we will consider the numerous advantages in doing so. After many years of research and development, this particular contraception works just like the birth control pill. It is a natural product and, as such, does not have any potential for many physical side effects. In order to be effective, it must be taken within 120 hours of an occurrence of unprotected sex. A second large does would then be taken within 12 hours of taking the first one. Beyond that, there are few complications, so the first advantage to consider is the simplicity with which the product offers to a woman who reconsiders a sexual episode and wants to protect herself from an unwanted or unintentional pregnancy (Williams 10). It should be noted that the sooner the first dose of the pill is taken, the better. Research shows a 95% effective rate if taken with the first 24 hours after unprotected sex. The percentage dips to an 85% effective rate if taken between a 25-48 hour window. The effectiveness of the pill dips to 58% if taken between 49-72 hours after unprotected sex. That being said, a major advantage of the morning-after pill lies in its effectiveness. While it is not a guarantee, it can certainly be considered to be statistically effective at prevented pregnancies that could complicate the life of numerous people, including the woman who is at risk of carrying a baby to term and the man who may have had no desire to have children in the first place. Again, there are certainly ethical and moral considerations at play here as well, but those will be discussed in the next section (Williams 15). Another major advantage of the morning-after pill is that it has proven able to help females of all ages, from 14 years of age and older. This has proven to be a major aid in prevented unwanted teenage pregnancies globally. While many places still require minors to have a prescription to buy the contraceptive, anybody over the age of 17 is able to purchase the pill without a prescription. This makes the option available without reservation to anyone who needs it. There is no need to call or see a physician, a process that can not only waste valuable time, but also one in which many women may not be willing to consider or one that they are able to afford. Taking the morning-after pill can also provide sexual partners with psychological relief. The initial hours after an instance of unprotected sex may be wrought with nervousness and fear. This essay is not meant to judge the reasons why couples may succumb recklessly to their fleshly desires. The fact of the matter is, when unprotected sex happens, perhaps the best course of action from a psychological viewpoint is to have such an emergency contraceptive available as a viable option. Partners can rest easy, with reasonable certainly, that the morning-after pill will prevent any unintended consequences a result of the sexual escapade, and they can resolve to practice safer sex moving forward. Perhaps the most significant advantage of the morning-after pill, from a reproductive standpoint, is that its occasional and infrequent use does not preclude a woman from getting pregnant at any point in the future. The use of this emergency contraceptive measure is often as a result of a sexual mistake. The partners are not ready for a child and they do not intend to conceive at this time. That does not mean that they will not be ready at some point in the future. Any woman who feels the need to take the morning-after pill can do so with the confidence that their reproductive ability will not be compromised in any way and, if their body is able to ovulate and conceive, they will be able to safely do so in the future (Williams 18). Many social workers believe that making the morning-after pill easily available to women will lower the number of abortions, both legal and illegal, that occur every year. The pill will also serve to lower the number of children born to women who are unprepared to care for a child of their own. Statistically, many women in this category tend to lack the financial or emotional capacity to raise a child today. By providing them with a cheap and easy way to access this form of emergency contraception, these women are not forced to make drastic decisions later down the road in terms on whether or not to get an abortion (Kelly 6). That leads to another advantage of the pill. Many women, even if a pregnancy is unplanned, have a moral and ethical objection to getting an abortion. If they give into a night of passion, and do not have access to emergency contraception, reality dictates that they may end up pregnant. Once this occurs, women are often traumatized emotionally because they do not believe in the idea of an abortion, which may lead them to carry the baby to term. It is important to note, however, that the morning-after pill does not induce an abortion. The pill only works before a pregnancy takes hold. By taking the morning-after pill soon after an instance on unprotected sex, a woman can be reasonably assured within 95% probably that they will not get pregnant in the first place. This will take away much of the anxiety and emotional trauma that would come with weeks of waiting to see if a child was conceived (Lacovera 3). Disadvantages of Morning-After Pills As mentioned, there are not any major physical side effects to taking the morning-after pill. There can be, however, some other issues that result from this particular form of contraceptive that can certainly be construed as disadvantages. The first, and probably most obvious disadvantage, involves mindset. By making the morning-after pill so readily available to anyone that is of sexual maturity, the pharmaceutical industry may unwittingly be promoting promiscuous sexual behavior. Common sense seems to dictate to us that practicing safe sex is the best course of action when not attempting to conceive a child. There are certain behaviors and actions that should be decided upon ahead of time that dictate this internal decision. If that were to take place, then the morning-after pill would likely become obsolete. Because of its relatively easy accessibility, however, the fear is that many couples simply give into their passion rather than practice sensible sexual behavior. They might begin to believe that the pill is a fail-safe against any unintended results of promiscuous sexual behavior. This is an obvious and inherent disadvantage that must be considered before promoting the acceptance of such emergency contraceptive measures, as both sexual partners need to be aware of the consequences of their actions (McMillan & Hope 1331). Many people believe that the very fact that the morning-after pill can be bought so easily over-the-counter, without a prescription, is a disadvantage in its own right. The thought here is that anyone needing to take the pill requires counseling before making such a decision. In addition, the lack of any type of oversight in terms of who can buy the pill means that women with certain medical conditions can be putting themselves at a high-risk of life-threatening complications. Because they are afraid, individuals may often be afraid of discussing their decision with anyone, and they may not think coherently about the seriousness of their actions and potential future health and psychological affects (Wright 13). Another perceived disadvantage lies in a startling statistic. According to Wright (2006), “In areas that allow easy access to the morning-after pill, the sexually transmitted disease rates have skyrocketed” (14). Because of the pill’s stated rate of effectiveness, many women apparently begin to rely on the morning-after pill as their primary means of contraception, which runs counter to its intended goal as being an emergency option only. As such, many women may begin to engage in consistent unsafe sexual practices, opening themselves up to a host of other health and reproductive issues down the line. In addition, many opponents of the morning-after pill claim that drug manufacturers are grossly overstating the effectiveness of the pill. They are also understating the risks to women and do not adequately explain that the pill should not be viewed as a regular means of contraception. Because of the high doses of hormones contained in this particular form of contraception, many experts feel that it should be used sparingly, if at all. Yet, with the lack of proper screening of patients, and with little oversight, women are likely to ignore this advice and will continue to rely on this pill each time they have an episode of unprotected, or unintended sex that results in nervousness or fear (Graham 306). There have also been reported instances where a male partner may slip the pill to an unsuspecting partner. This is not only morally reprehensible behavior, but can cause physical problems as well. If too much of the pill is taken, cramping and problems with menstruation can occur. The pill can be used as way to silently force one partner into not conceiving a child, thereby creating a breakdown in communication and interpersonal relationships between two consenting adults. The decision about whether to conceive or not should be discussed openly between both partners. The woman, however, has the final say over her reproductive life. If she does not want to take any form of contraception, then she should inform her sexual partner(s) of that decision. The ready availability of the pill, however, can make it easy for a male partner to ensure that a woman takes emergency contraception in one form or another (Wright 15). There are also moral objections to the morning-after bill. In addition to numerous religious organizations that have a policy against all forms of birth control, many individual citizens believe that women does not have the right to stop the process of conception, even if the sexual encounter was not planned. Some pharmacists, for example, argue that they should not be required by law to dispense this form of emergency contraception (Gold 91). By forcing them to do so, the government is forcing them to go against some inner moral objection. Wright (2006) also contends that the morning-after pill can be use by males during a moment of passion to weaken a woman’s defenses against having unprotected sex. If a partner produces such a pill on this occasion, the woman might give into sexual pressure on this basis alone. This, in the end, can increase the likelihood of sexual abuse and, in extreme cases, cause silent rape to go undetected (14). Because the pill is relatively easy for young people to get their hands on, they are often not emotional mature enough to ensure taking a correct dosage. They also may not read the directions completely, nor will they understand potential medical complications if mixed with other medication they may be taking. In addition, many young people will take the pill without anybody knowing, so if complications do arise from its use, they may be hesitant to notify anyone for fear of ‘being found out’ (McMillan & Hope 1333). Studies have shown that the morning-after pill encourages sexual activity amongst teenagers. In many Western countries, the pill is distributed free of charge in some locations. “An official survey revealed that the morning-after pill use among teenage girls in the United Kingdom more than doubled since it became available in pharmacies, increasing from one in 12 teenagers to one in five” (Wright 15). Perhaps even more alarming is the fact that many of the girls were found to be as young as 12 years of age. Finally, another disadvantage of the morning-after pill resides in the fact that many women do not understand it is not to be used as a regular form of birth control one recent survey in the United States, in fact, discovered that 33% of women did not realize that the pill was not to be used as a form of birth control on a regular basis (Trussell 351). This implies that there may be false of misleading advertising taking place on the part of the drug manufacturers. In addition, there appears to be little interest in correcting this by being clearer in labeling the packaging that the contraception arrives in. Women can do harm to their bodies if they overuse the product, and this fact alone should be more clearly communicated. Conclusion Medical advances in nearly every field are advancing our quality of life. In terms of reproductive health, we must move cautiously. In the end, however, women are faced with difficult decisions in terms of what to do about instances on unplanned and unprotected sex. On the one hand, they do not want to risk a pregnancy that they are not prepared for. This has grave implications for only the family, but for larger society as well. On the other hand, they want to make sure that the products they are taking or morally acceptable and that they are safe. These are the primary issues to consider when discussion the morning-after pill. We have closely examined some of the various advantages and disadvantages of this particular product. In the end, each of these thoughts should be carefully considered before using the morning-after pill as a viable option of contraception. When considering all options, the pill may be the best alternative to protect the emotional health of both sexual partners, but it is also a decision that should not be considered lightly. As long as a responsible decision is made in the end, couples can rest assured that they made the correct decision in the end. Works Cited Bandow, Doug. “Pharmacists Should Be Able to Refuse to Dispense Birth Control.” Birth Control, 6.9 (2005): 22-27. Gold, M. “The Effects of Advance Provision of Emergency Contraception on Adolescent Women’s Sexual and Contraceptive Behaviors.” Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Gynecology, 17.2 (2004): 87-96. Graham, Charlotte. “Pharmacists and the Morning After Pill – Who Has the Right to Refuse the Birth of a Child?” Issues in Law and Medicine, 23.3 (2008): 305-307. Kelly, Maura. “Teens Should have Access to Emergency Contraception Without Parental Consent.” Birth Control, 2.1 (2012) 5-8. Lacovara, Philip. “Broadly Speaking.” Commonweal, 139.13 (2012): 2-4. McMillan, John & Hope, Tony. “The Morning After the Morning After Pill.” The Lancet, 363.9417 (2004); 1330-1333. Trussell, J. “Advance Supply of Emergency Contraception: A Randomized Trial in Adolescent Mothers.” Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Gynecology, 18.5 (2005): 347-354. Williams, Anne. “The Morning-After Pill.” Human reproduction and Genetic Ethics, 13.1 (2007): 8-36. Wright, Wendy. “The Morning After Pill Does More Harm Than Good.” Birth Control, 5.2 (2006) 12-15. Zuger, A. “Feasibility of HIV Morning-After Pills.” Journal Watch, 3.13 (2001): 1-3. Read More