Statement of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and
Gynecologists on JAMA Emergency Contraception Study
11 January, 2005 4:51 PM
Contact: Joseph L. DeCook, M.D.
American Association of Pro-Life
Obstetricians and Gynecologists
616-546-2639
info@aaplog.org
HOLLAND, Mi., Jan. 11 /Christian
Wire Service/ -- Research released on 5 January 2005 fails to support
the contention of those who advocate over-the-counter (OTC) status for the
emergency contraceptive Plan B. The rationale these advocates advanced for
OTC status was that it would cut the unintended pregnancy rate and abortion
rate in half. A study of 2,117 young women ages 15 to 24, reported in the 5
January 2005 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA),
demonstrated that providing young women with non-prescription access to
emergency contraception (EC) did not lead to any decrease in the pregnancy
rate. Even women provided with an advance supply of EC did not have a
decreased pregnancy rate, despite being almost twice as likely to use it.
There was not even the slightest trend toward a decrease in pregnancy rates,
let alone anything approaching a 50% decrease. (See TR Raine et al, Direct
Access to Emergency Contraception Through Pharmacies and Effect on
Unintended Pregnancy and STIs, JAMA, 2005; 293:54-62, at
www.jama.com.) The study demonstrates
that ready availability of EC does not lead to a reduction in unintended
pregnancies, despite erroneous claims to the contrary by some EC proponents.
These new data clearly add to the existing body of evidence that easy access
to emergency contraception is not associated with a decrease in unintended
pregnancy or abortion. A study in Scotland with nearly 18,000 women given
advance provision of EC demonstrated no decrease in abortion rate over a 28
month period. (See A Glaiser et al, Advanced Provision of Emergency
Contraception Does Not Reduce Abortion Rates, Contraception 2004;69:361-366,
at
www.contraceptionjournal.org.) The JAMA study demonstrates that
those who claimed that easy access to EC would decrease unintended pregnancy
were incorrect: easy access to EC has not decreased unintended pregnancy
rates in real world settings, providing no rationale for making this
hormonal preparation available OTC.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) president Vivian
Dickerson has stated that "FDA leaders bear significant responsibility for a
public health failure to reduce these [unintended pregnancy and abortion]
rates if they fail to consider sound scientific evidence." (ACOG press
release Statement of Vivian M. Dickerson, MD, President, The American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on JAMA Emergency
Contraception Study, January 5, 2005). Given the accumulating sound
scientific evidence that OTC access to EC doesn't impact unintended
pregnancy or abortion rates, this accusation is simply reckless rhetoric and
political grandstanding. Further, to continue to claim that OTC access will
cut unintended pregnancy rates and abortions in half, when sound scientific
evidence exists to the contrary, is to betray public trust.
The American Association of Pro-Life
Obstetricians and Gynecologists represents over 1000 Obstetricians and
Gynecologists as a Special Interest Group of the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
kk
"window.open('http://www.myimage.com'); return false;";