Local Experts React To ‘Morning After’ Pill Ruling

By ABC-7 Reporter Celina Avila

EL PASO — It’s billed as emergency contraception and now the so called “morning after pill” could end up in your teen’s hands; no questions asked.

The morning after pill’s been a hot topic for several years and a judge’s reversal of a Bush administration policy has both sides in the “Plan B” debate fired up.

The judgesaid the decision was based on politics not science andnow the Food and Drug Administration will allow 17-year-old’s to get the pill without a prescription.

The “morning after” pill is offered at the Reproductive Services clinic in central El Paso. “Reproductive services has been doing it since 1985,” said Reproduction Administrator, Gerri Laster.

Even though they don’t think much will change, advocates say the action is long overdue. “Under the family code a 17 year-old can act as an adult and they can make decisions as an adult,” said Laster.

The pill contains a concentrated dose of the same drug found in regular birth-control pills andprevents ovulation and fertilization.

According to theFDA, the pill can reduce a woman’s chance at pregnancy by as much as 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.

Angelica Talavera, Executive Director of the House of Hope, a pregnancy resource center, offers alternatives to having an abortion.She believes the pillwill affect the long-term reproductive health of women.

Talaverasays parents must be involved in their teens medical decisions becausemany teens she deals with lack basic understanding of their bodies. “I’ve seen teens take the pill after the 72 hours. There’s a certain level of maturity that’s lacking.”

Still, Laster and Talavera agree on one thing. The new court rulinghas made education on the topic crucial. “It is going to require education so that it’s not abused and used correctly, ” said Laster.

“It’s not as simple as lifting a restriction and you can go and now purchase contraception that’s readily available to them,” Talavera said, “They need to be aware of what it is they’re actually taking and how this affects their reproductive health.”

The Plan B treatment are two pills and sells for about fifty dollars. Currently,women must show identification with their date of birth to obtain the pill.

—————-