Morning after Pills (first draft) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Morning after Pills (first draft) - Assignment Example However, it also reduces the incidence of unwanted pregnancy, particularly where none of the parents are ready for a child (Prescott, 2011). The arguments in support and against the legalization of access to morning after pills without prescriptions have been a thorny issue across the world for decades. However, the use of morning after pills, even after legalization of non-prescriptive pills, has been hampered by poor education in its use and ethical issues facing pharmacies with regards to selling to underage girls. While most people have heard about the pill, they do not have all the information about the extent of its purpose. In a survey of 88 patients in a reproductive clinic, in London constructed to observe their knowledge on the morning-after pill, 65% of the women had heard about it, although only 19% were aware of its seventy two-hour limit (Haussman, 2013). While the morning-after pill has the ability to prevent a woman from pregnancy, it will only be efficient is taken after 72 hours orally following contraceptive failure or unprotected sex. In addition, it only works when the woman is not already pregnant. The pill is not an abortion pill and offers no protection against sexually transmitted infections like HIV. It is also not meant for use as a regular method of birth control and should be used for a maximum of four times a month. If a woman is seventeen years or older, she can receive the pill at a local pharmacy if they can present proof age through relevant documents. The pill c ontains elevated levels of levonorgestrel, which is an analog of progesterone that is found in majority of pills for birth control (Haussman, 2013). After a woman takes the pill, various side effects like period changes, pain in the lower abdomen, nausea, dizziness, headaches and tenderness of the breasts are to be expected. Where it is taken within 72 hours, there is a 95% reduction in probability of pregnancy. Although it was