Posted on
April 5, 2013 by
Eleanor
Happy Friday, Feronians! We’re ending off this week with huge, just-breaking news from the FDA: a judge has just ruled that the “morning-after pill” or as we like to call it, emergency contraception, must be available to all ages via over-the-counter sales.
Yes! That’s a good way to end off your week, wouldn’t you say?
Posted on
February 6, 2013 by
Guest Post
Shippensburg University Plan B Vending Machine. Copyright, Think Progress.
We’re happy to welcome in Dave from theohface.com, a blog that discusses sex, gender and sexuality issues from a sex positive perspective. (Check out his post on the female condom; he also wrote a great post on how grapefruit may get you pregnant.) He’ll be guest posting monthly about sexual health from a male perspective; reach him at his blog or on Twitter: @theohfacedotcom
Having emergency contraceptives available at all times to college students is important because they are most effective within 72 hours of intercourse. Some campus health centers close over the weekends and others don’t have on-campus pharmacies so these vending machines are crucial for women who wish to use Plan B within the allotted window of time. It is also a good option for women who don’t feel comfortable talking to a pharmacist or health practitioner in order to get their contraceptives. We still live in an era in which contraception is controversial and the anonymity that these machines provide is surely appreciated That being said, it seems as though the times are changing and this FDA ruling is a big step towards a more rational conversation about contraception.
The major catch with these machines is that Plan B is restricted for use amongst people aged 17 and older. The concern that will invariably be brought up is that people under the age of 17 will use these machines to acquire emergency contraception. (Personally, I don’t really understand this particular age restriction, 17 years old seems fairly arbitrary to me but hey, I don’t make the rules, I just write about them.)
This whole thing came about because Shippensburg University in Pensylvannia installed a Plan B vending machine on campus and instead of telling them to remove it the FDA made the decision to grant them and any other college or university the legal right to have emergency contraceptive vending machines. It’s a brilliant idea and a step towards a future where women’s health decisions are more firmly in their own hands. In fact, for $25 it can be in their hands 24 hours a day seven days a week without having to talk to anyone at a a clinic or pharmacy. I think that’s something worth celebrating.
Posted on
January 1, 2013 by
Eleanor
Happy New Year, friends! We hope you had an amazing New Year’s Eve. (And if something didn’t go quite as planned? Remember, you can pick up Plan B at your local Planned Parenthood; it’s effective up until 5 days after unprotected sex.)
Sharing a few bits of interesting love and sex links on the internet:
Posted on
February 23, 2012 by
Fosgood
Oops! So Plan A was:
Plan A didn’t work out so well.
It used to be when unprotected sex happened all you could do was wait, hope, or pray for your period to make an appearance. Now you have Plan B, otherwise know as “the morning after pill” or “emergency contraception.”
Plan B stops pregnancy 89% of the time if taken within 3 days (72 hours) of unprotected sex. It can be taken up to 5 days (120 hours) because sperm can live that long in your body, but works best when taken as soon as possible.
It works by preventing an egg from being released from an ovary and thickens the mucus in the cervix making it harder for sperm to make its way to the egg. There is no evidence that Plan B stops a fertilized egg from attaching to the wall of the uterus or causes an abortion by causing an attached fertilized egg to detach.
Plan B is made from a high dose of progestin, one of the main ingredients in birth control pills. Side effects? One out of 4 females feels nausea for a day or so. However, it is emergency contraception – for women who would have become pregnant, it reduces pregnancy by 89%. It’s also more effective the sooner it’s taken.
Plan B offers no protection against Sexually Transmitted Infections. You may want to be tested for them also.
If you are male or female 17 years old or older, you can buy Plan B without a prescription. (Yes, men can buy it too!) If you are a female under 17, you will need a prescription, but not the consent of a parent. (However, we here at the Feronia Project believe that there should be no age limit to buying emergency contraception.)
You can find Plan B at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, health clinics or a pharmacy. Prices vary, so check things out before you buy.
It’s nice to know you have a Plan B when Plan A hasn’t worked out so well!
Edit: Some updates to effectiveness statistics.