Plan B - Safe As Milk

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Plan B is an abortifacient in the same way that the Pill can be an abortifacient. 

[CatholicsAreKewl]

Plan B is an abortifacient in the same way that the Pill can be an abortifacient. 

 

I know that many people believe this. I just can't find anything that supports this view. I'm only concerned because restricting plan b might lead to more abortions.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

I'm not in the mood to explain how the Pill kills children right now. Perhaps someone else can do it, or else I'll do it tomorrow hopefully.

[add]

I know that many people believe this. I just can't find anything that supports this view. I'm only concerned because restricting plan b might lead to more abortions.

 

it's called "the morning after pill" and a abortifacient by some catholic's because it is.

 

see the "Hippocratic Oath", a non-catholic view point

 

Hippocratic Oath: Classical Version

I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:

To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and if he is in need of money to give him a share of mine, and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage and to teach them this art—if they desire to learn it—without fee and covenant; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken an oath according to the medical law, but no one else.

I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.

I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.

I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work.

Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male persons, be they free or slaves.

What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.

If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.

[CatholicsAreKewl]

Let me attempt to answer my own question and respond to it.

The term "abortifacient" means something different to many people because they believe life begins at implantation, not conception. This is why people claim that Plan B isn't abortifacient.

 

However, the must recent studies suggest that there isn't evidence that Plan B actually prevents implantation. It's a possibility, yes. But "the same time, however, all women should be informed that the best available evidence is that the ability of levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate ECPs to prevent pregnancy can be fully accounted for by mechanisms that do not involve interference with post - fertilization events."  (Trussel & Raymond, 2013) <-- this article is cited on pro-life sites too.

 

Btw, I was wrong about what I said earlier. There's no evidence that availibility of Plan B reduces abortions (people have actually tested this a couple of times).

 

Is the Church's stance that we should be careful and wait until more evidence completely rules out the possibility that Plan B could work as an abortifacient? Am I overlooking something?

Edited June 17, 2013 by CatholicsAreKewl

[KnightofChrist]

Let me attempt to answer my own question and respond to it.
The term "abortifacient" means something different to many people because they believe life begins at implantation, not conception. This is why people claim that Plan B isn't abortifacient.
 
However, the must recent studies suggest that there isn't evidence that Plan B actually prevents implantation. It's a possibility, yes. But "the same time, however, all women should be informed that the best available evidence is that the ability of levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate ECPs to prevent pregnancy can be fully accounted for by mechanisms that do not involve interference with post - fertilization events."  (Trussel & Raymond, 2013) <-- this article is cited on pro-life sites too.
 
Btw, I was wrong about what I said earlier. There's no evidence that availibility of Plan B reduces abortions (people have actually tested this a couple of times).
 
Is the Church's stance that we should be careful and wait until more evidence completely rules out the possibility that Plan B could work as an abortifacient? Am I overlooking something?

Prior studies did suggest that Plan B is an abortifacient. You're quoting from the same study your friend JeffBoom did a couple weeks ago. As it was then it is now questionable. The study doesn't view an abortion as an abortion until after implantation, so by the criteria they wouldn't count abortions of persons before implantion. And it is still very questionable that this study clearly advocates access to and use of birth control and abortive products it says are ok, that is not objective.

[CatholicsAreKewl]

Prior studies did suggest that Plan B is an abortifacient. You're quoting from the same study your friend JeffBoom did a couple weeks ago. As it was then it is now questionable. The study doesn't view an abortion as an abortion until after implantation, so by the criteria they wouldn't count abortions of persons before implantion. And it is still very questionable that this study clearly advocates access to and use of birth control and abortive products it says are ok, that is not objective.

 

This is a review of the most recent studies. It's even quoted on some pro-life sites (I've already found it on two of them). Although this review doesn't have the same definition of abortion, that's irrelevant. It says clearly that the best evidence is that the effects of ECPs can be fully attributed to mechanisms taking placebefore fertilization. I am willing to accept the claim that the conclusions of published work can be affected by the biases of the writer(s). Is there a reason to conclude that this would be the case for this specific review?

 

Like I said earlier, I'm only trying to understand. I know way too little to claim I'm right about this.

Edited June 17, 2013 by CatholicsAreKewl

[KnightofChrist]

This is a review of the most recent studies. It's even quoted on some pro-life sites (I've already found it on two of them). Although this review doesn't have the same definition of abortion, that's irrelevant. It says clearly that the best evidence is that the effects of ECPs can be fully attributed to mechanisms taking placebefore fertilization. I am willing to accept the claim that the conclusions of published work can be affected by the biases of the writer(s). Is there a reason to conclude that this would be the case for this specific review?

It's not irrelevant how they determine when an abortion is abortion and when an abortion is not an abortion. I am not willing to accept or trust a review/study that clearly advocates the products it determines safe. Edited June 17, 2013 by KnightofChrist

[Papist]

What's Plan A?

[CatholicsAreKewl]

It's not irrelevant how they determine when an abortion is abortion and when an abortion is not an abortion. I am not willing to accept or trust a review/study that clearly advocates the products it determines safe.

 

That's fine, and I don't blame you for doing that. However, could you link me to evidence that suggests otherwise?