Critics, who were opposing the decision to make morning-after pills available without a prescription, used to say that no studies had been carried out to show if long-term use of the medicine is safe. They were arguing that easy access to emergency contraception would increase unsafe sex, particularly among the teenagers. Also, they took the idea of the FDA as an objection to moral conscience, a new hidden form of aggression against the weakest and most defenseless creatures, human embryos.

Supporters used to say that there was no evidence that morning-after birth control would lead women into carelessness about regular birth control or sexually transmitted diseases, or cause more sexual activity, in general. They underlined that wider use of the pills could considerably decrease the amount of unintended pregnancies every year and prevent thousands of abortions, which are quite harmful for health.

There were a lot of fears and pessimistic opinions on the problem of availability of emergency contraception for teenagers and adolescents. Also, there were a number of controversial researches conducted in the countries, where PCP could be obtained without a prescription. In particular, Swedish specialists reported about serious increase of unprotected sex and sexually transmitted diseases among the youth in 1999-2004. At the same time, in Britain the amount of incidents of teenage unprotected sex did not increase after launching Plan B.

There were no numerous studies conducted on this point in the US, but the majority of the specialists supposed that making emergency contraception available for everybody, including teenagers and youth, would not bring to increase in risky sexual behavior and would not result in abuse of morning-after pill. Finally, in autumn 2006, the FDA approved non-prescription asses to emergency contraception in our country, therefore, morning-after pill is now available over-the-counter in all licensed pharmacies for women over 18.

This decision did not meet support from American specialists, in particular, from American Academy of Pediatricians, National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association and other institutions. They express the opinion that young people will have sexual relations in anyway, and making assess to PCP limited for teenagers and youth will result in nothing else but increasing the risks of unwanted teenage pregnancies and abortions in our country.

Undoubtedly, emergency contraception has a good potential for lowering the number of unwanted pregnancies. Recently, more and more women visit the pharmacists to buy the pills for emergency contraception. The FDA scientific advisers present morning-after pills as a very secure and important tool to decrease the amount of abortions in our country. But, at the same time, every woman has to be properly informed about the side-effects and restrictions for using Plan B, as well as understand the risks and responsibility she takes.

PCP can be taken as an effective method of contraception in the cases, when a woman had an act of unprotected sexual intercourse and does not want to get pregnant. Also, she can use morning-after pill when primarily applied method of contraception failed by some reason. For example, if the condom broke, or birth control pills were not taken in time, then emergency contraception can become a good decision to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

It also can be used when a woman, who takes regular contraception pills, has had a tummy upset, or when she is not certain if she may have ‘missed’ her pill (together with its effectiveness against possible pregnancy). Finally, in the situations when rape or other sexual assaults take place, emergency contraception offers an essential alternative to the prospects of abortion or undesired motherhood.

Possible side-effects of taking morning-after pill are not much different from usual side-effects of taking other contraception pills. Specialists say that PCP can cause nausea, headache, dizziness, pain or heaviness in breasts, and slight vaginal bleeding. Emergency contraception can affect regularity of menstruation. Also, doctors underline that pregnancy (as one of possible side-effects) can be avoided with very high probability only if the pill was taken within 24 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse.

Certainly, PCP can not protect from sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS/HIV, because emergency contraception belongs to hormonal methods of protection. Therefore, women must remember that only condom protects against STD, and such form of contraception still remains the safest. Another drawback of emergency contraception is limitation on using such pills. For example, Postinor must not be taken more than 2-4 times per month; otherwise it may lose effectiveness and become very harmful to female organism.

But, generally speaking, morning-after pill is quite safe and can be taken by the majority of women without any fear. Moreover, according to recent medical tests, PCP does not affect or harm fetus in cases, when a woman gets pregnant even after taking the pill. The only risk group is the females, who have serious liver disorders or suffer from a rare disease, called porphyria.

Undoubtedly, there are other advantages of emergency contraception. It is supposed to be a secure and quite affordable treatment women can use at any time and place. For the females, who got pregnant after a sexual assault, PCP can be an essential need. Any woman, who became a victim of rape, should definitely be offered such a pill as soon as possible. It is proved by the tests that the pill prevents about 89 % of unwanted pregnancies when taken within 24 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse.