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What is the morning after pill?
Excerpted from the booklet titled, Who Wins, Who Loses? Facts About the Morning After Pill" published by Focus on the Family.

The Morning After Pill is a so-called emergency contraceptive (EC) that can be taken within the first 72 hours after intercourse to prevent pregnancy. The first EC - Preven - was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 2, 1998.

Preven is a combination of the hormones estrogen and progestin. It comes in a kit with a pregnancy test (if the woman is already pregnant, taking the pill will not work), four pills and an information booklet. In most states, it can only be purchased with a prescription.

How does the morning after pill work?

The first two pills must be taken within 72 hours after intercourse, followed by two more pills 12 hours later. There are four possible mechanisms by which Preven can influence a pregnancy:
  1. Ovulation may be prevented (in which case the egg will not be released).
  2. The menstrual cycle may be altered, which will delay ovulation.
  3. Sperm penetration or migration may be affected.
  4. Alterations may occur to the uterine wall, interfering with the ability of the fertilized egg to implant within the uterus.
Are there any health risks to taking the morning after pill?

YES. Many women who take the Morning After Pill experience flu-like symptoms. This includes:
  • 50 percent experience nausea
  • 20 percent experience vomiting
The pill is a chemically induced alteration of the female reproductive system. Because of the way the female body works, it is very difficult to limit the effects of this chemically induced change to just the uterus. Other risks include:
  • Infertility
  • Breast tenderness
  • Blood clot formation
  • Ectopic pregnancy (in a fallopian tube, which can be quite dangerous to women's health)
"There are no long-term studies to show whether women will be permanently damaged, or risk such diseases as cancer, from these chemicals being given in such high doses." Further research needs to be completed to determine potential dangerous side effects. Another important health risk to consider is that the "Morning After Pill" does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

It wouldn't be like I was getting an abortion... right?

The fertilization of an egg can occur as early as 15 minutes after intercourse. This fertilized egg contains all 46 human chromosomes. These chromosomes are a complex genetic design for every detail of the prenatal human development. This genetic design includes hair, sex, eye color, skin tone and height. "Nothing changes later except your location (in or outside the womb) and how big you are."

If the Morning After Pill is taken after the egg is fertilized, it may not be able to implant due to the effects of the hormones which alter the lining of the uterine wall.

Therefore, the human embryo may not be able to survive the harsh conditions. Under these circumstances, the Morning After Pill is "not a contraceptive, it's a very, very early abortifacient drug."

Emergency contraceptives never prevent STDs. The only real prevention (and protection) against STDs or pregnancy is abstinence.

"Real prevention is something one does before the fact, not after the act."
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