Bills to allow pharmacists to dispense “emergency contraceptives” to women under certain circumstances without a prescription from their doctors passed both houses of the General Assembly but failed in the House-Senate Conference due to differences in the bills. The issue caused considerable confusion among pro-lifers concerning the meaning of emergency contraceptives and how they work.

Most articles on the subject claim that these drugs work in one of three ways: inhibiting ovulation, inhibiting sperm transport, and preventing implantation. The first two are contraceptive in nature; the third, if true, would be abortifacient.

Because of the abortifacient claims, a group of 22 pro-life Ob-Gyns published an analysis of the medical information on the subject in January, 1998 entitled Birth Control Pills: Contraceptive or Abortifacient?; four of these doctors followed up with a more detailed paper in April, 1999 entitled Hormone Contraceptives, Controversies and Clarifications. Both papers state unequivocally the authors’ belief in the sanctity of human life; that fertilization, not implantation, is the beginning of human life; and that disruption of the fertilized egg represents abortion.

The papers conclude that, despite claims to the contrary, there is no evidence to support the abortifacient action of these drugs. In brief, the paper notes that the pills do cause changes to the uterine lining which have been called a “hostile endometrium.” However, a fertilized ovum, known as a blastocyst at this stage, does not require a “friendly endometrium.” A blastocyst has an invasive nature and a demonstrated ability to invade, find a blood supply, and successfully implant on various kinds of tissue, whether “hostile” or even entirely “foreign” to its usual environment. In reaching this conclusion, the papers go into considerably more medical detail and discuss comparisons between pill and non-pill users.

The authors do not intend these papers to be the “final word” and state that they would oppose any agent scientifically shown to be abortifacient just as they oppose elective medical and surgical abortions.

Among the 22 doctors signing the first study are Dr. Watson Bowes of the University of North Carolina; Dr. Matthew Bulfin, founder of the American Association of Pro-Life Ob-Gyns; Camilla Hersh of Georgetown University; and Dr. Anthony Levatino of the Albany Medical Center in New York.

VSHL does not take any position on contraception. Since the emergency contraception bills in the General Assembly dealt with contraception, and not abortion as indicated above, VSHL did not lobby concerning them.

Published in VSHL Lifesaver, April 2001