5.8 million women have already availed themselves of the so-called “morning after pill” — and pretty soon, your 15-year-old daughters can too.
On Tuesday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the sale of Plan B, the morning-after pill to girls as young as 15, without a prescription, and without parental permission. The Plan B pills will be available at your neighborhood pharmacy for sale over the counter.
According to the Washington Post, a U.S. District judge ordered the pill to be made available to all women. The Obama administration was given until May 5 to file an appeal. The FDA approved the sale of the pill to 15-year-olds as a compromise — since girls even younger than 15 are having sex without protection.
If the Obama administration does not file an appeal by the deadline, the pill may be available without an age restriction.
Unlike the RU-486 pill, the Plan B pill does not cause spontaneous abortions. The Plan B pill works by delaying or prevention ovulation so young girls can’t get pregnant. The Plan B pill must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
Neither the RU-486 or the Plan B pills protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
The reaction to the news was mixed. Some parents are outraged at the idea of losing more control over what goes into their children’s bodies. Other parents are relieved that the emergency contraceptive protects their already sexually active teens from unwanted pregnancies.
More from Sandrarose.com:
