Question about plan B?

[leahkari]

Hello,
Just wondering if it is wrong to take plan b? … & does anyone know if you take it too much could it be harmful to your body? Like when you decide to have kids? Thanks

 

[Allegra]

If you have already conceived a baby, but the baby has not implanted yet, Plan B will cause an abortion. The manufacturer claims that there is no evidence that the drug will harm an implanted pregnancy. It’s generally gravely immoral to use it, however, many Catholic theologian argue that it doesn’t go against Church teaching to use it in the case of a rape, provided that it is known that the woman hasn’t ovulated and there is no risk of an abortion. I don’t think there is an official teaching regarding that situation, but the teachings of the Church are clear that abortion is always gravely immoral and the use of contraception in a marriage is also gravely immoral.

According to the manufacturer’s website, it is simply a larger dosage of a commonly used BC synthetic hormone, so it isn’t likely to cause more long-term damage then regular hormonal birth control, unless you are literally taking it every other day or something like that.

 

[Kelfa28]

Yes, it is a sin to take plan B.

Plan B is an abortion pill and abortion is always wrong.

 

[1ke]

Hello,
Just wondering if it is wrong to take plan b? … & does anyone know if you take it too much could it be harmful to your body? Like when you decide to have kids? Thanks

If one is unmarried, why would one be taking “plan b” since sexual relations outside marriage (fornication) is a grave sin against the sixth commandment?

If one is married, why would one be taking “plan b” since contraception is a grave sin against the sixth commandment?

So, the real question is, why would you ever take this drug once, let alone so frequently as to be concerned with taking it “too much”?

 

[1ke]

Plan B is an abortion pill and abortion is always wrong.

This is not entirely accurate.

Plan B is simply a high concentration of oral contraceptive. It is contraceptive in its intent and primary action, and taken within72 hours of sexual intercourse as contraception. It may or may not act in a contraceptive or abortive manner based on numerous factors.

It is not the “abortion pill”. That is RU486, designed specifically to induce an abortion in an already pregnant person under 9 weeks gestation.

 

[pensmama87]

If you have already conceived a baby, but the baby has not implanted yet, Plan B will cause an abortion. The manufacturer claims that there is no evidence that the drug will harm an implanted pregnancy. It’s generally gravely immoral to use it, however, many Catholic theologian argue that it doesn’t go against Church teaching to use it in the case of a rape, provided that it is known that the woman hasn’t ovulated and there is no risk of an abortion. I don’t think there is an official teaching regarding that situation, but the teachings of the Church are clear that abortion is always gravely immoral and the use of contraception in a marriage is also gravely immoral.

According to the manufacturer’s website, it is simply a larger dosage of a commonly used BC synthetic hormone, so it isn’t likely to cause more long-term damage then regular hormonal birth control, unless you are literally taking it every other day or something like that.

I don’t think I would take Plan B even in the case of rape, but I do think there is something to the argument that the use of Plan B in the case of rape is not contraceptive, because its intent is to prevent completion of the sexual act that was not consented to in the first place. There was an interesting discussion about this I think on the Moral Theology forum not too long ago.

That said, in probably 99.9% of cases where Plan B is prescribed it’s not for situations of sexual violence. And as 1ke mentioned, Plan B is just a high concentration of oral contraceptives. Moral issues aside (though those are huge), I’ve heard people say that even if you’re on the Pill you “need it,” which IMO is ridiculous, unless you haven’t been diligent about taking your regular prescription. There was a situation on my college campus where the feminist groups were freaking out about the fact that the college health clinic did not stock it, and the clinic’s perspective was a) we’re not open on weekends and you can get it at any of the three pharmacies within walking distance from campus and b) we’ll write you a prescription for the Pill if you want it and c) It would add to student health expenses. But that was all sexist and evidence of the patriarchy to the groups.

(And unfortunately I think the college capitulated after I graduated.)

 

[Kelfa28]

This is not entirely accurate.

Plan B is simply a high concentration of oral contraceptive. It is contraceptive in its intent and primary action, and taken within72 hours of sexual intercourse as contraception. It may or may not act in a contraceptive or abortive manner based on numerous factors.

It is not the “abortion pill”. That is RU486, designed specifically to induce an abortion in an already pregnant person under 9 weeks gestation.

I stand corrected.

Thank-you.

 

[phil19034]

Deacon Jeff’s is 100% correct

 

[Antegin]

This is not entirely accurate.

Plan B is simply a high concentration of oral contraceptive. It is contraceptive in its intent and primary action, and taken within72 hours of sexual intercourse as contraception. It may or may not act in a contraceptive or abortive manner based on numerous factors.

It is not the “abortion pill”. That is RU486, designed specifically to induce an abortion in an already pregnant person under 9 weeks gestation.

Its purpose is to harden the uterine lining so any ‘‘products of conception’’ pass through without implanting. Products of conception is double speak for a pre implantation, pre born person. It is an abortafacient.

Theranostics, the leading researcher into ‘‘contraceptives’’ who wrote the insert for the package chose not to call it abortafacient because medicine does not call it a pregnancy until implanted. But the Church teaches that life begins at conception. So all those little embryos, with all the genetic material needed to grow an unique human being, not to mention possessing a soul, are excreted and die because of plan B. The only time plan B is not abortafacient is if there was no ovum or viable sperm in the first place or when it prevents conception.

Here’s what Theranostics says:

http://planbonestep.com/faqs.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=planb%20contraceptive&utm_campaign=OTC|Branded|General&utm_content=srGVdEIJE_pcrid_65556094875_pdv_c&WT.mc_t={campaign}&WT.mc_n=google|planb%20contraceptive&WT.mc_r=365&buf=999&WT.srch=1

Kelfa28, you were right in the first place.

Here’s what Medline says:

webmd.com/women/guide/plan-b#1

 

[ChibiViolet]

If you have already conceived a baby, but the baby has not implanted yet, Plan B will cause an abortion. The manufacturer claims that there is no evidence that the drug will harm an implanted pregnancy. It’s generally gravely immoral to use it, however, many Catholic theologian argue that it doesn’t go against Church teaching to use it in the case of a rape, provided that it is known that the woman hasn’t ovulated and there is no risk of an abortion. I don’t think there is an official teaching regarding that situation, but the teachings of the Church are clear that abortion is always gravely immoral and the use of contraception in a marriage is also gravely immoral.

According to the manufacturer’s website, it is simply a larger dosage of a commonly used BC synthetic hormone, so it isn’t likely to cause more long-term damage then regular hormonal birth control, unless you are literally taking it every other day or something like that.

I read that the Church teaches it is acceptable in the case of rape, for a woman to use it, provided she has had a pregnancy and ovulation test to determine that no abortion will occur…I don’t know if it is an official teaching or not, but it is at least accepted by the Church. Why risk a pregnancy in such traumatic circumstances when the Church does not say you must?

 

[Allegra]

I read that the Church teaches it is acceptable in the case of rape, for a woman to use it, provided she has had a pregnancy and ovulation test to determine that no abortion will occur…I don’t know if it is an official teaching or not, but it is at least accepted by the Church. Why risk a pregnancy in such traumatic circumstances when the Church does not say you must?

Are you addressing this question to me?

 

[1ke]

Its purpose is to harden the uterine lining so any ‘‘products of conception’’ pass through without implanting. Products of conception is double speak for a pre implantation, pre born person. It is an abortafacient.

I disagree that this is the only, or even primary, mechanism.

There are three: inhibit ovulation, inhibit sperm transport, thin the uterine lining.

But the Church teaches that life begins at conception.

You are preaching to the choir.

So all those little embryos, with all the genetic material needed to grow an unique human being, not to mention possessing a soul, are excreted and die because of plan B.

In theory.

“All those little embryos” is quite the overstatement. There are three mechanisms of action, and which one actually occurs depends on many factors including where the woman is in her cycle. It is entirely possible that many people who take “Plan B” have no action at all needed as they would not have conceived with or without such post-coital intervention.

The only time plan B is not abortafacient is if there was no ovum or viable sperm in the first place or when it prevents conception.

Which is why it is not accurate to call Plan B the abortion pill. RU486 is the abortion pill. Its purpose is an abortion.

Plan B is a contraceptive, which *like a number of other contraceptives *can also in some cases be abortifacient.

It is never in the prolife movement’s interest to misrepresent facts or try to argue something that isn’t accurate. It just succeeds in making people skeptical of prolifers.

There is no need to state other than facts.

 

[Antegin]

I disagree that this is the only, or even primary, mechanism.

“All those little embryos” is quite the overstatement. There are three mechanisms of action, and which one actually occurs depends on many factors including where the woman is in her cycle. It is entirely possible that many people who take “Plan B” have no action at all needed as they would not have conceived with or without such post-coital intervention. Which is why it is not accurate to call Plan B the abortion pill. RU486 is the abortion pill. Its purpose is an abortion. Plan B is a contraceptive, which *like a number of other contraceptives *can also in some cases be abortifacient.

It is never in the prolife movement’s interest to misrepresent facts or try to argue something that isn’t accurate. It just succeeds in making people skeptical of prolifers.

There is no need to state other than facts.

By your ‘‘logic’’ RU486 is not abortafacient because it fails to kill the embryo or fetus 6.8% of the time depending on a list of medical conditions. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7512053

Neither Church nor medicine use that logic. When medicine determines a drug is a class d teratogen, the drugs’ primary purpose is something else (i.e. thalidomide’s primary purpose is controlling vomiting) and 20-30% of exposed embryos and fetuses have deformities. medscape.com/viewarticle/767158_2
While the Church calls ABC potentially abortafacient, prolife groups call it abortafacient despite evidence that a small percentage of conceptions take place.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/12/the-pill-contraceptive-or-abortifacient/266725/
How many lives taken does it take to be called life destroying?

If you read my post, I did not use the term ‘‘the abortion pill.’’

It is never in the interest of truth to water down the facts to make them more palatable.

Since there is no need to state other than facts, consider removing your post as immaterial. You have not one citation. My posts have links to pharmaceutical, medicinal, Church and prolife sources.

 

[Miss_Felicity]

Plan B is basically high dose birth control, if one finds themselves in need of it on a consistent basis they need to explore a regular plan of birth control; this does not have to be hormonal or prescription based.

 

[1ke]

Plan B is basically high dose birth control, if one finds themselves in need of it on a consistent basis they need to explore a regular plan of birth control; this does not have to be hormonal or prescription based.

If one is in need of spacing or planning children, one should explore abstinence-- either periodic through natural family planning or total abstinence for serious situations.

One should not explore contraception, as that is always immoral.

 

[Miss_Felicity]

If one is in need of spacing or planning children, one should explore abstinence-- either periodic through natural family planning or total abstinence for serious situations.

One should not explore contraception, as that is always immoral.

I was answering the question from a sexual health educator standpoint, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[1ke]

I was answering the question from a sexual health educator standpoint, nothing more, nothing less.

Reminder: This is a Catholic website. We are here to proclaim the Gospel.

“Sexual health educators” can and should give information on abstinence, the best, most effective, and healthiest of all ways to prevent pregnancy. And also a moral way. One who describes themselves in their profile as a “Christ follower” should have no problem with that.