After much confusion I thought I would clarify the difference between the abortion pill and emergency contraceptions (Plan B). Yes, there is a big difference. Here is why I am against the abortion pill:
Argument #1- Pill that kills is like a pill playing God
There is often a confusion with RU-486 and emergency contraceptives. And the FDA states that RU-486 does cause an abortion, while “The Morning After Pill,” or “Plan B,” prevents rather than ends, a pregnancy. The FDA continues that the drug blocks the tools that nourish the fetus and induces contractions, which results in an abortion. In other words the FDA is saying that this pill kills. When we put two and two together it is easy to see how this pill is playing God. The problem comes down to this? Should a pill with this kind of power be legal? We think not.
Argument #2- Makes abortions more generally available
No longer does getting an abortion require a doctor or a clinic. It has been quietly available in thousands of doctor’s offices since the end of the Clinton administration. A simple two-dose pill is all you need to not have a baby. It can become as universal as aspirin. Which scares people not in favor of abortion. In fact it has already been used over 575,000 times by U.S. women according to The Washington Post.
Argument #3- Dangerous to women who take it
What is also scary about the RU-486 is how un-researched it is. The Washington Post claims that since March 31, 2006, there has been 950 adverse event reportings. This reportings include 8 deaths, 9 life-threatening incidences, 232 hospitalizations, 116 blood transfusions, and 88 cases of infections. For a drug that has only been on the market since the 90s it seems like this is a widespread amount of side effects. Infections caused by the fetus not deteriorating and causing a bacterial build up of clostridium in the womb was the reason of death of a 18-year old California girl.
I support emergency contraceptives. However, I come no where close to supporting RU-486 or the French Death Pill as Pope John Paul II claimed. Because this pill is causing pain to an already created thing. If you are seeking an abortion (which I am against anyway unless it was an incest or rape incident) I think it should be done medically by a doctor and not done by a pill that starves the fetus.
This is a good post. I had not heard of the side effects of this pill, and it sounds pretty dangerous to me. Although I do not believe in making abortions illegal, I do not think they should be taken this lightly. If you are serious about having one, do it the correct and safest way possible.
Very informative. I am against a pill that causes an abortion. Abortions are serious and like you said, they should not ne taken as casually as taking a pill, people would abuse this eventually and suffer from serious side effects. I do however beleive that if a woman wants to have an abortion, she has the right to make such a decision.
It would be a wise decision to leave religion out of the way of medicine. If you are going to play that card, then it is just as fair to say that tooth implants or pills that cause ovulation are "playing 'God'" becuase they create something that would otherwise not be there. Destruction and creation are both heavenly properties, no?