We know what the morning after pill does, but what we don’t know is how it scientifically comparable it is to a full on abortion.
There are 3 pills in question here. The first is Plan B, or the morning after pill. The second is Ella, which is essentially a more powerful version of Plan B that will work as much as a week after sex.
Then there is Mifeprex (code named RU486) which is an actual abortion pill that can be taken a good deal later than the other two. Unlike the first two, Mifeprex is not considered a contraceptive and isn’t covered by new insurance requirements.
But none of them can be taken in place of an abortion at that specific stage of a pregnancy.
“These products are not abortifacients,” says Susan Wood, professor of health policy at George Washington University. “And their only connection to abortion is that they can prevent the need for one.”
What constitutes something as a contraceptive is whether or not it works before or after ovulation. If before, it is considered a contraceptive. What Plan B does, funny enough, is prevent ovulation entirely.
But it has no effect post-ovulation. Ella, however, might be a different story.
“It’s chemically similar [to RU-486], but it was designed to have stronger effects on the ovary and less effect on the endometrium,” said Diane Blithe, a contraceptive researcher for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
But opponents aren’t convinced. “To be as successful as they say it is, it would have to have post-fertilization effects,” said Gene Rudd, senior vice president of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations and a practicing OB-GYN.
So in conclusion, no, none of these pills are the same as having a real abortion. But Plan B is still as effective as you need it to be, and the other two might screw up your ovaries.
Stick with the good ol’ morning after pill until we abuse it to the point where our bodies eventually become immune to its magic. Now that would be a nightmare.
Sean Levinson | Elite.
