By: Sarah Alderfer

USE OF EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE

• The United States has the highest teenage pregnancy rates of all

industrialized nations• 57% of teen pregnancies ended in live

births, 27% in induced abortions and 16% in miscarriage or still birth

• Implications of a teenage pregnancy can be serious and long term for a woman

and the fetus

TEENAGE PREGNANCY

TEEN BIRTH RATES

Birth rates for women aged 15-19, CDC, 2010

• Emergency contraceptive is a pill that a woman takes after sexual intercourse

• The pill prevents fertilization of the egg• It is most effective if taken within 72

hours of unprotected intercourse

WHAT IS EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE?

How long after the morning after?, WHO, 1998

• Emergency Contraceptive is used by a female

• Currently anyone over the age of 17 can get emergency contraceptive without a

prescription• Anyone under the age of 17 can obtain emergency contraceptive with a prescription• The FDA, AMA, AAP and the ACOG are

currently pushing for it to be available to everyone without a prescription

WHO CAN USE EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE?

• Pill form – called Plan B• Copper bearing IUD

WHAT FORMS DOES EMERGENCY

CONTRACEPTIVE COME IN?

Emergency Contraceptive pill form, Health Tap, 2013

IUD Emergency Contraceptive Medicalstuttering.com, 2013

• Many young girls are scared to go to the doctor to get a prescription and would just

end up pregnant• In the case of rape some girls may not want to report it and believe they will have

to talk about it if they go to the doctor• The emotional and physical implications of

pregnancy are often too much for a young girl

WHY SHOULD IT BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE WITHOUT A

PRESCRIPTION?