Karin:
I keep reading that the pill may cause abortions**…where can I get info about this **as the info that comes with the pill (yes all the tiny print that I do read for all medications ) does not mention this.
Hi Karin, That’s a valid question. The package insert on birth control pills probably won’t come right out and say “abortion”. What it probably describes is method of action. The thinning of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) may result in what we are refering to as “abortions” because a fertilized egg (which has all the DNA of a unique individual separate from the mother) is less likely to implant in a woman’s uterus when she is using the birth control pill.
I did a web search and found an article that sites lots of references which documents this better.
From
http://www.epm.org/articles/bcp3300.html
"The* Physician’s Desk Reference* is the most frequently used reference book by physicians in America. The* PDR*, as it’s often called, lists and explains the effects, benefits, and risks of every medical product that can be legally prescribed. The Food and Drug Administration requires that each manufacturer provide accurate information on its products, based on scientific research and laboratory tests.
As you read the following, keep in mind that the term “implantation,” by definition,
always involves an already conceived human being. Therefore, any agent which serves to prevent implantation functions as an abortifacient.
This is the
PDR’s product information for Ortho-Cept, as listed by Ortho, one of the largest manufacturers of the Pill:
Combination oral contraceptives act by suppression of gonadotropins. Although the primary mechanism of this action is inhibition of ovulation, other alterations include changes in the cervical mucus, which increase the difficulty of sperm entry into the uterus, and changes in the endometrium which reduce the likelihood of implantation.[
Hope this helps you understand what we are refering to when we speak of early abortions from the birth control pill.[5[/color]]“
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_control_pill"The Pill prevents pregnancy in three ways. It works primarily by preventing
ovulation,but it also makes the
uterus less likely to accept implantation of an embryo if one is created. The synthetic hormones thicken the mucus in the
cervix making it more difficult for sperm to reach any egg.”](
http://www.epm.org/articles/bcp3300.html#_edn5)
