Easier 'Morning After' Pill Access?
The Food and Drug Administration is expected to decide within the year on whether to make the so-called "morning after" emergency contraceptive pill available without a prescription.
The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay says doctors have known for a long time that taking high doses of regular birth control pills within 72 hours of intercourse can prevent pregnancy. The morning after pills were first approved by the FDA about four years ago, and have been growing in popularity for use when other methods of contraception fail.
The pills contain hormones that delay ovulation, inhibit fertilization or prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. They basically contain the same hormones as birth control pills, but in higher doses.
There are currently two brands available to women. Plan B, the one the FDA is looking at, contains levonorgestrel, a synthetic form of the hormone progestin. The other is called Preven, and contains progestin and estrogen.
The effectiveness of the pills depends on which pill is used and how quickly it's taken. Plan B prevents pregnancy in up to 89 percent of cases. Preven prevents pregnancy in up to 75 percent of cases.
Senay says the pills won't work if the woman is already pregnant because it is not the same as the RU-486 pill, also known as mifepristone, which terminates pregnancy.
Some doctors say they would like an emergency contraceptive to be available over-the-counter because many women may not be able to get to a medical facility for a prescription in time to take the pill. For now, some doctors recommend patients get advance prescriptions for emergencies.
Currently, Planned Parenthood offers online prescription in some states, and many family planning and college health clinics dispense the pills. Four states (Washington state, New Mexico, Alaska and California) have laws that allow doctors to give standing prescription to pharmacists to dispense Plan B directly to women without the need for a doctor's visit.
The risks of the morning after pill are similar to oral contraceptive pills, but emergency contraception can also be very disruptive to the menstrual cycle. Side effects can also include nausea, vomiting and breast tenderness.
Senay says emergency contraception pills are not a substitute for other methods of birth control, such as condoms or the daily birth control pill. They are also very expensive, $20 to $30 a dose. And, they do not protect from sexually transmitted diseases.