Emergency Contraception Pills

In the United States, up to 95 percent of teenage pregnancies are unintended. At the same time, at least 40 percent of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. This can occur when a woman’s regular method of contraception fails or she uses it incorrectly. For example, she might forget to take her birth control pills for two or three days in a row. She might be unable to get her contraceptive injection on time. Her diaphragm might slip, or she and her partner might accidentally tear a condom. Unintended pregnancy can also occur after a couple has had unprotected sex. Finally, unintended pregnancy can occur as a result of rape or sexual assault. In fact, experts estimate that at least 25,000 pregnancies occur each year in the United States as a result of forced sex. There is a contraceptive method that works after unprotected sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy. This method is known as emergency contraception pills, commonly called the morning-after pill. There are two types of pills:

• Levonorgestrel pills, including the brands Next Choice One Dose and Plan B One-Step. This is a female hormone that prevents ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). This medication also causes changes in your cervical mucus and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus.
• Ulipristal acetate, known by the brand name ella. It’s a non-hormonal pill. It contains ulipristal, a non-hormonal drug that blocks the effects of key hormones necessary for conception.

Anyone — no matter how old you are — can get Plan B One-Step, one brand of emergency contraception, over the counter without a prescription at a drugstore, Planned Parenthood health center, or family planning clinic. Plan B One-Step usually costs about $40-$50, and the generics cost about $35-$45. All other brands of emergency contraception require you get a prescription from a doctor, nurse, or other health care provider if you're 16 or younger. All women need a prescription for ella, regardless of age. Ella can also be ordered through an online prescription service for $59, including shipping. Since emergency contraception works better the sooner you take it, it’s a good idea to get emergency contraception before you need it just in case. That way you’ll have it on hand if an accident happens, and you won’t have to worry about running out to a drugstore or waiting to get an appointment for a prescription.

Both kinds of emergency contraception pills can be used up to five days (120 hours) after unprotected intercourse. You may want to use it if:

• you weren't using any birth control when you had sex
• you forgot to take your birth control pills, patch, ring, or other birth control method
• your partner's condom broke or slipped off
• your partner didn't pull out in time or
• you were forced to have unprotected vaginal sex

In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized the use of oral contraceptives as being safe and effective as emergency contraception. Emergency contraceptive pills are effective in preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex. They are especially effective when begun within 12 to 24 hours after sex. Levonogestrel pills, including the brands Plan B One-Step and Next Choice One Dose, are up to 89 percent effective when taken within 72 hours (three days) after unprotected sex. They prevent pregnancy by temporarily blocking eggs from being produced, by stopping fertilization, or by keeping a fertilized egg from becoming implanted in the uterus. They continue to reduce the risk of pregnancy up to 120 hours (five days) after unprotected sex, but they are less effective as time passes.  Ella is 85 percent effective if taken within 120 hours (five days) after unprotected sex. It stays just as effective as time passes after sex. The morning-after pill will not prevent pregnancy for any unprotected sex you may have after taking the pills. Levonogestrel pills may not work as well for women who have a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25. The IUD or ella are better options for overweight women who need emergency contraception. Plan B One-Step will not affect an existing pregnancy or cause harm to a fetus. Lastly, ella should not be used by women who are already pregnant or suspected to be pregnant.

Side effects are uncommon, and usually stop within a day or two. Possible side effects include:

• an earlier or later, heavier or lighter period than usual
• breast tenderness, dizziness, or headaches, and 
• nausea or vomiting. If you vomit within two hours of taking the pill(s), it won't be effective and you need to take it again.

Frequent use may cause periods to become irregular and unpredictable. Your period also may be heavier, lighter, or more spotty than normal. If you do not get your period in 3 weeks or if you think you might be pregnant after taking ECPs, get a pregnancy test to find out for sure. Emergency contraception should not be used as a form of ongoing birth control because there are other forms of birth control that are a lot more effective and less expensive. Emergency contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted infections! You may want to consider getting tested if there is a possibility that unprotected sex put you at risk. If you’re worried about side effects or have a history of side effects when taking ECP, talk with your health care provider about your concerns. He or she may prescribe additional medicine that can help you prevent or treat side effects, such as nausea, if they occur.

Emergency contraceptive pills are sometimes confused with medical abortion. Whereas mifepristone (RU-486) terminates an existing pregnancy, emergency contraception is effective only before the pregnancy is established (that is, before implantation). If a woman is already pregnant, emergency contraception will not cause an abortion. By contrast, mifepristone is an entirely different medication, unrelated to hormonal contraception. Emergency contraceptive pills do not cause birth defects. Over 40 years experience with oral contraceptives has shown no risk of birth defects if a woman is already pregnant when she takes them. Emergency contraceptive pills are contraindicated for pregnant women only because the medication will not end a pregnancy. Studies of older, higher-dose oral contraceptives have shown that emergency contraception confers no increased risk to an established pregnancy or harm to a developing embryo.

In conclusion, emergency contraception pills are used to help keep a woman from getting pregnant after she has had sex without using birth control or if the birth control method failed. If you are already pregnant, emergency contraception will not work. The sooner you use emergency contraception after unprotected sex, the more likely it will prevent pregnancy. But you must use it correctly. ECPs are only good to protect against one act of unprotected sex. They work by blocking ovulation, but only for a few days, so if you take them and have unprotected sex again afterwards, you’re significantly increasing your risk of a pregnancy. If you have unprotected sex again within a few days of taking the pills, there will be more sperm waiting in the fallopian tubes when the egg is eventually released. It’s important to talk to your doctor if you have an issues or concerns.

References:
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

Blogging as a learning tool

With the increased interest in introducing digital literacy skills in the classroom as a means of preparing students for the 21^st century marketplace, our teaching and learning center has had more questions from faculty about using blogs as a teaching tool. Student blogging can be a way to achieve several learning outcomes for a course, as it has been for this class. With these last few weeks I have left at Ohio University, I have found blogging to be an effective learning tool that allows me more control over the course than all my other classes. I think posting a commentary based on the class discussion is the best way to utilize the knowledge gained in class. Blogging encourages creativity and develops vital writing skills. Blogs can be shared and this gives students more incentive to write them and to write them well. Most importantly, one can study for days for an exam and fail for a variety of reasons. But with blogging, I know what is expected of me when writing a blog.

 In a 2013 speech to the American Educational Research Association, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that much of the criticism of standardized testing is warranted. “State assessments in mathematics and English often fail to capture the full spectrum of what students know and can do,” he said. “Students, parents, and educators know there is much more to a sound education than picking the right answer on a multiple-choice question.” Standardized tests, by virtue of being multiple-choice, don't allow for students to express themselves. Standardized tests place a heavy weight on students that can lead to anxiety. Test anxiety became such a serious issue that in 2002, California state tests included instructions for teachers on what to do if a student vomits on the test. For students who have to pass a standardized test in order to advance to the next grade or to obtain a diploma, test anxiety can soar. Because anxiety can be so paralyzing, students may forget facts they had memorized or how to perform simple mathematical operations. In this way, the pressure placed on students to perform well ends up impeding the very thing standardized tests is designed to assess: how much students know. On the other hand, blogging reduces that testing anxiety. So while students are cramming for exams and not really even learning, I am stress free and gaining information and technology skills.

Professors should work to discover what it really in their student's minds, to see what all they know or don't know. Yes, our mantra of "studying for exams" has created and nourished a monster—but it's not too late to kill it. Blogging has given me the power to choose my grade, decrease stress, and give me many benefits. I just wish all my teachers would have used this approach.

References:
1.
2.

GMO - Safe of Unsafe?

There is a great debate going on right now on the subject of genetically modified foods, or GMOs. The development of genetic modification involves inserting a gene from bacteria or a virus (or a gene that helps plants survive the application of highly toxic pesticides) into an organism where it would normally not be found. The idea is to alter the genetic code in plants and animals to make them more productive or resistant to pests or farming techniques, like being doused with chemicals that would ordinarily kill them.

Genetically modified food has quietly become second nature in the U.S. and it may surprise you just how many foods you are eating that you never knew contained a generically modified ingredient. GMO foods have been on the market for nearly 20 years, since 1996. During those years, most of us have eaten GMOs in many foods, from soybeans, beef, dairy products, corn, beets, sugar, cottonseed, and rapeseed. Experts say 60% to 70% of processed foods on U.S. grocery shelves have generically modified ingredients. The U.S. government’s position: genetically engineered crops are safe, resist disease better, and can provide much-needed food in starving nations.

The question is, are GMOs safe for us and the environment? Actually, the answers are not clear. There are raised concerns about GMO foods, and criticized agribusiness for pursuing profit without concern for potential hazards, and the government for failing to exercise adequate regulatory oversight. It seems that everyone has a strong opinion about GMOs. Most concerns about GMOs fall into three categories: environmental hazards, human health risks, and economic concern.

To label or not to label has also been a hot button with consumer advocacy groups. Currently, food companies aren't required by law to label foods containing genetically modified ingredients, so it's no surprise that most Americans don't know they've eaten them. One reason food companies may shy away from labeling genetically modified food is the possibility of consumer rejection. Our country is based on a free market economy. If you are supplying a product and we don't want it, then the market dictates it will go away. This is why the biotech companies and food manufacturers will probably spend over 25 million dollars to prevent the labeling of GMOs. If their products are beneficial and safe, why not label them? Why not be proud of your product? Over 60 countries, including China, label GMOs and some countries ban them. Why can't we have transparency in our food supply?

Genetically modified foods have the potential to solve many of the world's hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing dependence upon chemical pesticides and herbicides. Yet there are many challenges ahead for governments, especially in the areas of safety testing, regulation, international policy and food labeling. Many people feel that genetic engineering is the inevitable wave of the future and that we cannot afford to ignore a technology that has such enormous potential benefits. However, we must proceed with caution to avoid causing unintended harm to human health and the environment as a result of our eagerness for this powerful technology.

References:

1. 

2. 

3.