Citation

Raviele KM. Linacre Q. 2014; 81(2): 117-129.

Affiliation

Dekalb Medical, Tucker, Georgia, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Catholic Medical Association)

DOI

10.1179/2050854914Y.0000000017

PMID

24899748

PMCID

PMC4028726

Abstract

The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services allows the use of an emergency contraceptive for a woman who has been raped, as a defense against her attacker's sperm, provided the drug prevents fertilization and does not act against a conceived human life. Catholic emergency rooms around the country have been pressured to provide Plan B (LNG-EC) to patients seeking help after a sexual assault. Catholic bioethicists have supported the use of this drug based on their interpretation of the scientific literature regarding its mechanism of action. This paper presents a review of the mechanisms of action of LNG-EC when given during the fertile window, showing a high probability that it acts against human life rather than preventing fertilization, and proposes another class of drugs as a possible alternative.

Language: en