World Population Awareness
Emergency Contraception (EC)
January 28, 2012
Emergency contraception (EC) is opposed by anti-abortionists because they are convinced it is an abortifacient. However, it has yet to be shown that EC causes a change in the uterus to prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall. EC works by impeding sperm and delaying or blocking ovulation. Breast feeding suppresses ovarian function which results in the thinning of the uterus, which would prevent implantation if there were an egg to fertilize. No one objects to breast feeding, so why object to either artificially blocking ovulation or preventing implantation?
October 2010
People who are anti-contraception must believe that "every sperm is sacred". ... by www.mikhaela.net - click to enlarge 
Emergency Contraception - Behind the Confusion and How it is Available in the Bathroom of 27% of All Women Using ContraceptionApril 25, 2003 Patrick Burns
 The Yutzpe MethodGeneral instructions: Take one dose every 12 hours for 24 hours, discard the last 7 pills in a 28-pill pack as they do not contain any hormones. If you are using Triphasil, Tri-Levlen, or Trivora, use only the correct color of pills that are noted below. Source: Trussell J, Koenig J, Ellertson C, Stewart F. Preventing unintended pregnancy: the cost-effectiveness of three methods of emergency contraception. American Journal of Public Health 1997;87(6):932-937. Please note that the FDA has explicitly declared that the brands of birth control pills listed above are safe and effective for use as emergency contraceptives. These protocols work!
Karen Gaia says: this is an old article, and the details may be outdated, but the principle remains the same.
Ella, Morning After Pill Approved by FDA in Tablet FormAugust 14, 2010 USA NewsweekElla is a new morning after - or emergency contraception - pill that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It prevents prevents pregnancy if taken within five days after unprotected sexual intercourse. The pill, comprised of ulipristal acetate, can be obtained by prescription only The FDA stressed that people should not use Ella as a contraceptive. Ella inhibits or delays ovulation. It has been sold in Europe since May 2009 under the name EllaOne. Women don't use emergency contraception enough to make an impact on pregnancy or abortion rates, Dr. James Trussell of the Office of Population Research said. Ella package side effects: headache, abdominal pain, nausea, dysmenorrhea, fatigue, dizziness
India;: Cipla Introduces I-pill Helpline on Emergency ContraceptionSeptember 25, 2007 Domain-B.comEmergency contraception (EC), is not well known in India. To dispel the myths associated with it and provide information Cipla launched the "i-pill helpline" service. The i-pill is the first single-pill emergency contraception available over the counter in the Indian market today. Emergency contraceptive pills contain common female hormones, prevent pregnancy in the first place and so do not cause an abortion. Cipla's i-pill prevents pregnancy by stopping or delaying release release of an egg), blocking fertilisation or preventing implantation by making the lining of the uterus inhospitable for pregnancy. It has to be taken within 72 hours or three days of contraception. The i-pill contains the hormone levonorgestrel, and when taken immediately offers maximum protection against pregnancy. It can prevent pregnancy by up to 89% if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse and is available without a prescription at all chemist outlets.
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Abortion Rate at Highest EverFebruary 08, 2007 TelegraphA total of 5,992 abortions were carried out last month at the Marie Stopes nine UK clinics, a rise of 13% on the 5,304 figure for January 2005. The charity believes this increase could have been caused by Christmas drinking, leading to unprotected sex. In total, 61,983 abortions were performed at Marie Stopes clinics in the UK in 2006. We may be seeing the consequences of the festive season. The charity offered emergency contraception in an attempt to encourage women to keep emergency contraception at home. Some family planning groups called it irresponsible. MSI has called for a Government-funded education campaign to alert women and men to the importance of preventing unwanted pregnancies and STIs. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), has seen a higher than usual number of women for abortion treatment this January. Closure of family planning facilities, GPs and pharmacists during the holiday period means contraceptive access is reduced. Making emergency contraception available over the counter has caused controversy. A professor argued that making it easier for women to get emergency contraception had no effect on abortion rates and education was the key to cutting the figures.
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Emergency Pill for Chilean GirlsFebruary 05, 2007 BBC NewsChile's president has signed a decree so that the morning-after contraceptive pill can be given to girls of 14 without their parents' consent. The government says teenagers have 40,000 unwanted pregnancies a year. The Catholic Church and opposition parties are against the move; they say it is a method of abortion, which is illegal. President Bachelet's government announced that it would allow public health centres to give the morning-after pill to girls of 14 and older, even if they did not have the consent of their parents. However, two weeks ago, the Court ruled that the health minister did not have the power to do so. The decree signed on Monday includes an amendment which requires teenagers to receive counselling when they are given the pill. Despite having some of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the world, it is estimated that in Chile 35% of all pregnancies are terminated illegally. The morning-after pill may prevent pregnancy if a woman takes it within 72 hours of having sexual intercourse.
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Argentina;: Morning-after Pill Gaining in Latam Despite ChurchJanuary 08, 2007 ReutersIn Buenos Aires, public hospitals offer the emergency contraception free and Argentine lawmakers are pushing to extend this service nationwide. Despite resistance from the Roman Catholic Church, governments are making emergency contraception available in much of Latin America. The Catholic Church considers the pill a chemically induced abortion. But the morning-after pill is gaining acceptance in Latin America as people ignore traditional church teachings on sexuality.
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Emergency Contraception: Have We Come Full Circle?August 21, 2009 RH Reality CheckTwo decades ago, Dr. Felicia Stewart began her campaign to let out of the closet "America's best-kept secret" - emergency contraception twenty years ago. Many providers thought the method was "not effective enough," or would lead women to use it "too much" - in place of using other more effective methods. Dr. Stewart and other women's health advocates pushed to make emergency contraception more public and more available because they saw the need for a method that could be used after sex and one that was safe enough to provide without the barrier of a medical interface. They believed that women could learn to use the method appropriately, and that women had the right to this important option. After twenty years there are many dedicated emergency contraception products now available worldwide, women's awareness and use of EC has been increased, and, in the U.S., the direct to consumer marketing of EC by a pharmaceutical company. Also the method is popular. Recently it has been shown that emergency contraception is not as effective in reducing unwanted pregnancy rates at a level for which we once hoped, which has slowed funding, and women are using it repeatedly instead of switching to other more effective methods. Also, by providing it directly to women we are missing opportunities to provide women with a full range of reproductive health services. However, it should be remembered that emergency contraception fills a unique and important role in the mix of available contraceptive methods; it is effective enough to be promoted as a contraceptive option; and women's use of the method contributes in a positive way to every woman's significant challenge of how to avoid unplanned pregnancies over her lengthy fertile years. Emergency contraception is the only method a woman can easily use post-coitally, important not only for women who have had no control over their exposure to sex, as in the case of sexual violence, but also for couples who find themselves in need of contraception after sex. Also the method is convenient compared to other methods because it can be used without having to see a doctor or health care provider. Women are willing to pay more for emergency contraceptive pills than for a month of oral contraceptive pills. This should tell us something about what women want. While EC did not produce the hoped-for level of pregnancy prevention, the fact is that women with enhanced access to emergency contraception do not always use it when they need it - individual women have a right to use the contraceptive method that best suits them, not the one that best contributes to overall demographic indicators. Estimates of the effectiveness of emergency contraceptive pills range from 59% to 94%, but it is more effective than doing nothing. While it was found that the typical effectiveness of condoms and pills was much lower than their theoretical effectiveness, we did not push women to stop using them in favor of more effective IUDs or towards sterilization because it has the highest level of real effectiveness. Providing access to a wide variety of contraceptive methods is an effective approach to helping a diverse range of women meet their reproductive needs and desires. Women (and men), when considering contraception methods, prioritize effectiveness, but also may consider other factors, like convenience, privacy, insurance coverage, avoiding hormones, and the reputation - accurate or not - of the method. These factors change over the course of a woman's life, explaining why the average woman uses between three and four different contraceptive methods during her lifetime.
U.K.: Morning-After Pill the Choice for 50% of Young WomenMay 2, 2009 Daily MailThe morning-after pill is the contraceptive of choice. A survey of 500 students found nearly half used the pill. 7 in 10 of those who took it did so because they hadn't used any other form of precaution. The drug was advertised last month and is on sale online as well as pharmacies. Critics claim easy availability of emergency contraception will encourage women to have unprotected sex. The latest study was carried out among students in their late teens and early 20s in SW London. A fifth said they had had more than one sexual partner in a week and one in ten claimed to have slept with at least two women in one day. A third said they did not regularly use condoms, leaving them at risk of sexually transmitted infections. When the morning-after pill was first approved for use in the UK, assurances were given that it would be used only in exceptional circumstances and under the control of doctors. The morning-after pill is lulling young women into a false sense of security, exposing them to increased risk of sexually transmitted infections. Sex education isn't getting through to people. The morning-after pill was designed for occasional use only. It is important it doesn't replace regular contraception methods.
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According to Engenderhealth: Democrats on the committee offered various amendments to allow U.S. money to UNFPA to be directed to specific programs, such as ending child marriage and female genital mutilation, preventing and repairing obstetric fistula, and providing safe birth kits to pregnant women following a natural disaster, but these were turned down by the Republicans.
Navigating the Turbulent Waters of Religion and Women's Rights: An Interview with Thoraya ObaidHuffington PostThoraya Obaid, a proud Muslim and Saudi Arabian citizen, just completed ten years as Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). In her reflections, she said: "My father was a devout Muslim who took very seriously the first principle in the Quran which is about learning. He insisted that his daughters get a good education and he never interfered with my life choices. "It was clear from the day I started at UNFPA that it was the most controversial of the UN agencies. The attacks were strongest during the Bush 43 administration years, but we have been attacked all the time, including by feminist groups that fear that UNFPA has 'sold out'". The attacks come only from the United States. Recent Republican administrations have withdrawn United States funding from UNFPA, citing the "Kemp Kasten Amendment" which was enacted to ensure that no US money goes to any organizations that participates in the management of coercive population policies. "The issue is that UNFPA works in China, and China is considered by some in Congress and the US administration (when there is a Republican President), to be subject to the Kemp Kasten Amendment. UNFPA's work in China has been reviewed many times, and always with the conclusion that UNFPA has a positive influence on China's policies. The Bush administration sent a team to China that reached the same conclusion, but that made no difference. Throughout President Bush's tenure, Congress appropriated funds for UNFPA but Bush would not release them. It all was the result of the influence of the religious right. "Democratic Presidents (Clinton and Obama) release the funding, after deducting the small amounts that would be spent on UNFPA's China program; we are asked to put the funds in a separate account and be held accountable for it." Thoraya Obaid met several times with the Holy See's representative to the United Nations. They agreed to disagree. It was significant that they opened a channel that would allow them to communicate if times got tough. On the ground, in many parts of the world, we work all the time with the Catholic Church on common agendas such as ending violence against women. "We are working to build relationships and partnerships with a wide range of groups, including but also going beyond the traditional feminist/reproductive health groups. It is important to broaden the base of understanding and support and find ways to support each other. Some groups still have doubts about UNFPA's commitment and approach and some are uneasy specifically about our effort to work with faith groups, fearing that it signals an erosion in our commitment to human rights. It absolutely does not. Today, over 400 faith based groups form the Global Network of Faith-based Organizations for Population and Development. "By dealing with cultural values and religious beliefs, we aim to promote human rights, never to accept the status quo or harmful practices but rather to expand the reach of the human rights agenda." "There are some things that we, UNFPA, cannot address and discuss, while some things women's groups can address less effectively. "Abortion is the most controversial topic. We, UNFPA, are mandated to consider abortion within the context of public health, but never as a right, as some NGOs do. That is a clear parameter from the ICPD Programme of Action, the famous and much contested clause 8.25 which set out the position towards abortion. It states that abortion should never be a form of family planning and that when family planning services are available and accessible that lowers abortions. Abortion is a national issue to be decided by national l Morning-after Pill Not Linked to Drop in Unplanned PregnancyApril 18, 2007 Press Association (UK)Women who receive an advance supply of the "morning after pill" have an equal chance of becoming pregnant as women who do not. This is based on studies of more than 6,000 women in the US, India and China. EC use was higher among women given an advance supply of the birth control pills, but that did not translate to a drop in pregnancy. We don't know if women were using EC at the times when they were at risk for pregnancy. Marie Stopes International disputed the findings. If someone has an accident and is prepared, the quicker they take emergency contraception, the more effective it is. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service urges women to keep the pill ready at home in case they risk pregnancy. The findings should not prevent easier access to emergency contraception. Women deserve the chance to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy. The presence of EC does not lead to an increase in promiscuity. There was no difference in sexually transmitted infection rates between the two groups, unprotected sex, condom use or changes in use of other contraception. Advance provision of EC has no harmful effects in terms of risky sexual behaviours.
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Chile;: President Stands Her Ground on Emergency ContraceptionApril 17, 2007 Latin America PressWhen Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced that the country would provide emergency contraception to "everyone who requires it" she was aware of the storm that would ensue. Six years ago, as health minister, Bachelet proposed giving sex abuse victims access to the emergency contraceptive pill, at drugstores by doctor's prescription. A flurry of lawsuits, counter suits, injunctions, and constitutional challenges have pitted pro-life forces led by the Catholic Church against Bachelet's government, backed by women's rights organizations and health professionals. Before the Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling and banned the sale of Postinal, considering it abortifacent, the governmental drug licensing agency had already approved a second product, Postinor-2. Even though Postinor-2 has the same components as Postinal, the Santiago Court of Appeals ruled that the plaintiffs could not represent unborn babies and that scientific or ethical determinations about when life begins are out of the court's realm of competency. Bachelet signed into law the Regulations on Fertility that permit women over 14 to obtain Postinor-2 without parental consent. Chilean law enacted in recent years lowered the statutory age at which minors may be tried as adults and the age of informed sexual consent to 14 years of age from 16. Mayors of the Independent Democratic Union party, influenced by traditional Catholic doctrine, vowed to block the distribution of emergency contraception in public clinics in their municipalities, while congressional advocates have filed protective orders against these mayors. A final ruling from the Constitutional Tribunal is expected later this year. Midwives or doctors at public health clinics administer Postinor-2, prefaced by counseling on birth control methods. Family planning programs in Chile began in the mid-1960s, when an average 550 women died annually due to complications related to childbirth. During the same period, and with therapeutic abortion still legal in Chile, an estimated 300 women died each year as a consequence of illegal abortions. Then-President Eduardo Frei Montalva a devout Catholic, put aside his personal beliefs to initiate free distribution of birth control methods to save women's lives. The 1973-1990 dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet maintained this family planning practice, but a lack of consensus within the Junta on penalties delayed the banning of therapeutic abortion until Bishop Jorge Medina interceded to urge the regime to enact the prohibition in September 1989, six months before the inauguration of the first democratically elected government in 17 years.
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Plan B Compromise Might Be Closer: Church is Studying Draft Contraception Bill Proposed by LawmakersMarch 31, 2007 Hartford Courant (US)Women's advocates and the Catholic Church are trying to agree on a compromise that would allow rape victims treated at Catholic hospitals to get emergency birth control pills in a way that does not violate the church's abortion ban. Under the proposal by legislators who favor universal access to Plan B emergency contraception, Catholic hospitals could contract with an independent health care provider to perform rape examinations and offer the pills. The private provider would be paid by the state. If an ethicist determines that the proposal does not violate Catholic doctrines, a law requiring all Connecticut hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape victims could be voted on soon. The 2-year-old debate has become a public relations nightmare for a church battered by priest sexual abuse scandals. Archbishop Mansell ssaid "We are not opposed to emergency contraception for women who are victims of rape, we are opposed to abortion. Church leaders brought a proposal that was immediately rejected. It would have allowed a rape victim who was denied emergency contraception to call an independent counselor or sexual assault nurse. That independent care provider could bring the pills to the hospital, but would have to give them to the victim off the hospital grounds. A group of lawmakers suggested that Catholic hospitals be allowed to contract with an independent rape examiner who would be called as soon as a rape victim arrived and would perform the examination and offer emergency contraception. A rape victim at any hospital would be offered emergency contraception after a negative pregnancy test. Catholic hospitals offer Plan B only after an ovulation test shows there is no possibility of future pregnancy. A similar bill died in the final days of the legislative session amid strong pressure from the Catholic Church. This year votes appear to be in favor of Plan B supporters. In several other states, including New York and New Jersey, Catholic hospitals have agreed to administer Plan B to sexual assault victims as long as they are not pregnant. Advocates have said that forcing a rape victim to find a pharmacy and pay for the pills adds to the trauma of rape. Connecticut Catholic leaders counter that forcing them to offer the pill in their hospitals violates their religious freedom because Plan B can interfere with implantation of an embryo in the uterus, which in Catholic eyes, amounts to abortion.
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Kroger: No Refusing Morning - After PillMarch 11, 2007 Associated PressKroger Co. reiteraterd its drug policies to all of its pharmacists after a Georgia woman claimed she was denied the morning after pill. The chain said if its pharmacists object to fulfilling a request, the store must have that prescription filled for the customer. Koger's role is to furnish medication in accordance with the doctor's prescription. Carrie Baker, said a Kroger pharmacist in Rome, Ga., refused to supply her with the contraceptive. Girls 17 and younger still need a prescription to buy the drug, which the FDA made available over-the-counter to adults in August. Supporters say widespread availability will cut down on unwanted pregnancies and abortions. Critics argue it encourages promiscuity and unprotected sex. Major pharmacy chains have pledged to ensure that customers can buy Plan B, even if one employee declines to provide service for reasons of conscience.
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Call Your Senator About An Upcoming Battle in the War on WomenNovember 10, 2011 Population InstituteAs early as today the Senate will be debating a "minibus" appropriations bill. It contains funding for the State Department and various foreign assistance programs, including international family planning and reproductive health. The Senate Appropriations Committee version was a victory for women. 1) It increases the current funding level for international family planning assistance for the 2012 Fiscal Year to $700 million, including $40 million for the United Nations Population Fund. 2) It makes permanent an executive order issued by President Obama that repealed the " Unfortunately, next week a number of amendments are expected that would most likely reduce the amount of money for international family planning and reproductive health, eliminate funding for the United Nations Population Fund, and block the language that would permanently repeal the global gag rule. According to research from the Guttmacher Institute, for every $10 million cut from the international family planning and reproductive health program: * 610,000 fewer women and couples would receive contraceptive services and supplies; * 190,000 more unintended pregnancies, and 82,000 more unplanned births, would occur; * 83,000 more abortions would take place (of which 60,000 would be unsafe); * 500 more maternal deaths would occur; * 2,300 more children would lose their mothers. To help, call (202) 224-3121, tell the operator what state you are from, and ask to be connected to one or both of your U.S. Senators. Tell your Senators that you support full funding for international family planning and a permanent repeal of the "global gag rule."
Ensure Access to Birth Control--tell Congress to Pass the Abc ActSeptember 27, 2010Recently the FDA approved a new, more effective emergency contraceptive called Ensure. Quick to react, the Family Research Council started a new campaign to "encourage" pharmacists to refuse to dispense the new drug. Not surprising since they are doing the same thing with all birth control. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-14th/NY) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) have introduced the Access to Birth Control Act (ABC Act--H.R. 5309/S. 3357) in the U.S. House and Senate. This Act simply requires pharmacists to fill valid prescriptions for contraception and to dispense over-the-counter emergency contraception when asked, or to provide a referral to another store. Pharmacists do not have a right to interfere with a woman's private medical decisions, or to substitute their moral judgment for hers. Click on the headline above to send a message to your Members of Congress: co-sponsor and support the passage of the Access to Birth Control Act.
It's not just contraception that's needed, but girls' education and women's rights - starting with an end to child marriages . Educated women tend to have fewer children. The Population Institute came out with a report that said gender inequality has replaced lack of access to contraceptives as the biggest barrier to reducing birth rates. We also need to find better contraceptives. A new breakthrough is an inexpensive vaginal ring that releases hormones, lasts a year and should not require a doctor. It could even contain medication to reduce the risk of an infection with the AIDS virus. Republican presidents like Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush provided strong support for birth control, even though the Roman Catholic hierarchy was opposed, but then family planning became tarnished by overzealous and coercive programs in China and India, and contraception became entangled in America's abortion wars. Many well-meaning religious conservatives turned against it, and funding lagged. The result was, paradoxically, more abortions. When contraception is unavailable, the likely consequence is not less sex, but more pregnancy. The U.N. says that contraception already prevents 112 million abortions a year, but the United Nations Population Fund is a bête noire for conservatives, even though, through contraception it may have reduced abortions more than any organization in the world. Republicans want to cut more money from international family planning, resulting in more abortions and more women dying in childbirth. They also are trying to slash Title X Family Planning programs within the United States. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that in a year these domestic programs avert 973,000 unintended pregnancies, of which 406,000 would end in abortions. These programs also save taxpayers roughly $3.4 billion annually that would otherwise be spent on pregnancies and babies. The good news is that a group of evangelical Christians, led by Richard Cizik of The New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good, is drafting a broad statement of support for family planning. It emphasizes that family planning reduces abortion and lives lost in childbirth. "Family planning is morally laudable in Christian terms because of its con International Year of Youth Started August 12thAugust 16, 2011 Population Reference BureauTo harness the energy, imagination, and initiative of the world's youth to help overcome global challenges, the UN proclaimed an International Year of Youth that started on Aug. 12, 2010. To commemorate the close of the Year of Youth and International Youth Day, PRB has published content that highlights the reproductive health challenges facing youth: Are the 58 Million Girls Who Married Early Overlooked by Policies and Programs? http://www.prb.org/Articles/2011/married-adolescents.aspx International * Discuss Online, Aug. 18:"Mobilizing Youth in the Development Process" http://discuss.prb.org/content/interview/detail/6528/ * Involving Youth in Development Programming: Interview With Cate Lane, USAID - webcast http://www.prb.org/Journalists/Webcasts/2011/youth-development-programming.aspx * Commemorating International Youth Day: Reproductive Health of Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa - Power Point Presentation - http://www.prb.org/Reports/2011/youth-reproductive-health-africa-ppt.aspx * PPT:Reproductive Health of Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa - http://www.prb.org/Reports/2011/youth-reproductive-health-africa-ppt.aspx * Graphics Bank:New PowerPoint Slides on Youth - Graphics Bank: Children and Youth - http://www.prb.org/Publications/GraphicsBank/Youth.aspx -- These files are part of a collection of PowerPoint graphics for speakers, trainers, and others presenting information on population and health topics. For more information, please see the Graphics Bank home page. * Report:Facts of Life: Youth Sexuality & Reproductive Health in the Middle East - http://www.prb.org/Reports/2011/facts-of-life.aspx - (June 2011) One in five people living in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, or nearly 90 million in 2010, is between the ages of 15 and 24, a demographic group called "youth." No longer children, but not yet independent adults, these young people are at a crucial juncture in their lives. The vast majority are physically ready to initiate sexual activity, making it critical to reach them with accurate information and accessible services to protect their sexual and reproductive health. All too often, however, young people's sexual and reproductive health is excluded from countries' health and development agendas, particularly in the MENA region.
Robinson: More Funds for Family PlanningSeptember 20, 2011 Newsday.comMary Robinson was the first woman president of Ireland (1990-1997), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997-2002, and is now chairwoman of the Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health, formed by current and former presidents, vice presidents and prime ministers of Brazil, Finland, Latvia, Liberia, Malawi, New Zealand and Norway. Global reproductive rights activists are asking world leaders attending the United Nations in New York this week to deliver on promises made 17 years ago at the UN International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, when they agreed to make contraceptive services available for women all over the world by 2015. World population will soon hit 7 billion, and more than 200 million women in the poorest nations of Africa and Asia are in need of the family planning services they would gladly use to delay or space their children, if modern contraceptives were available. Mary Robinson fought her first political battle in the 1960s as a member of the Irish Senate, pushing for legislation to legalize family planning. Then not even married women could use the contraceptive pill, unless they had cycle regulation problems -- and many married women lied to their doctors saying they had such problems. While Robinson thought it would be easy to draft a law legalizing contraception, it was a difficult battle, but contraception was finally legalized for married women by the Supreme Court in 1974. Every year, more than 358,000 women die in the developing regions of the world from pregnancy-related causes. The failure to support the health needs of developing countries is now a global problem, one with long-term implications for the economic, environmental and political health of the entire world. Women who have access to family planning have fewer children, and the ones they do have are healthier and better educated. Investments in reproductive health are reflected in lower carbon emissions and a reduced likelihood of civil unrest, as smaller families help lift communities out of poverty and reduce pressure on food security, scientists report. In some countries, including the United States, reproductive health has become a hot-button political issue domestically, and it is often incorrectly associated with support for abortion. The UN estimates that an additional $3.6 billion to extend family planning in the poorest nations would save lives -- and cut the costs associated with maternal and infant death by $5.1 billion. Although traditionally family planning services have been funded by donor countries, now the largest increases in money for these services come from developing nations, which have learned that this investment is cost-effective and can provide an immediate dividend in economic development and peace and stability. We are fighting for the rights of millions of women who have no doctors and no tools with which to prevent unwanted pregnancies -- as many as 75 million of them every year. In those countries, it's a matter of life and death. As we look down the road to sharing the world with 10 billion people -- projected to happen in 2100 -- it may someday be a matter of life and death for all of us.
U.K.;: Women to Be Able to Get Pill on Demand at Local PharmacyDecember 13, 2007 Guardian (London)Women will be able to get the contraceptive pill from their chemist under new plans revealed by the government. They will be able to walk into the chemist's and obtain the pill after a discreet conversation with the pharmacist. It had not yet been decided whether girls under 16 would be able to get the pill without their parents being informed. The morning-after pill is already available to women including under-age girls from a pharmacist, if he or she is satisfied that they are competent to make the decision to take it and are in good health. Any woman getting the pill would involve a questionnaire about her health and other medication she might be taking. It could also mean that the pharmacist would take her blood pressure. Pharmacists will be given extra training. The move towards pharmacy availability is intended to make life easier for women. Pharmacies could play an increased role in the provision of contraception and other sexual health services because of their accessibility and convenient opening hours. For the change to come about, strategic health authorities must issue instructions called patient group directions, permitting pharmacists to prescribe specific medicines to specific groups of people. Not only the morning-after pill but also cholesterol-lowering statins are available from pharmacists, who carry out checks to ensure the drugs are suitable for those who request them. The Department of Health wants to increase the range of medicines available this way.
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Calling Your Lawmaker is Also Very Effective.