The Morning After Pill (MAP) is a term coined to describe a series of pills given to women within 72 hours of sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy. A single dose version of the drug is expected on the market in August 2009. The pills, also referred to as "emergency contraception", contain high concentrations of the hormones found in oral contraceptives.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved this off-label use of oral contraceptives in 1997. Currently, Plan B™ is the only product on the market that has been approved by the FDA for this purpose. Plan B™ contains a high dose of a hormone called progestin (levonorgestrel). The physiological mechanisms are not precisely known but there is general consensus in the medical community that these pills may operate in one of three ways:1
- To delay or prevent ovulation (the release of the woman’s egg)
- To prevent sperm from reaching the egg, preventing fertilization and acting as a contraceptive
- To alter the lining of the uterus (endometrium), preventing implantation of an early embryo after fertilization
This last point is one of major debate and one that pivots on the definition of pregnancy. Traditionally, fertilization — the joining of sperm and egg to form a zygote — is recognized as the beginning of pregnancy. Biologically, fertilization marks the creation of a genetically complete human being that only needs time, nourishment, and a place to grow.2 However, groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists define pregnancy as “beginning with the successful implantation of a fertilized egg.”3
Based on the fertilization definition of pregnancy, MAPs may cause an early abortion. This is information women have a right to know before taking the pills.
For more information on the possible abortifacient effect of EC, see: C. Kahlenborn, et al., “Postfertilization Effect of Hormonal Emergency Contraception,” The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, March 2002.
Carrie Gordon Earll is the Senior Policy Analyst for Bioethics at Focus on the Family and a fellow with the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity.
