Slaughter Introduces Emergency Contraception Edu. ActBill Would Help to Prevent Unwanted Pregnancies and Lower Abortion Rates Washington, DC – Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, introduced the Emergency Contraception Act along with 48 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives this week. “By improving education among the public and health professionals about emergency contraception, my bill will help protect women’s reproductive health, reduce unwanted pregnancies, and prevent abortions,” Rep. Slaughter said. Emergency contraception (EC) is a concentrated but safe form of the daily birth control pills taken by nearly 12 million women in the U.S. Unlike RU-486, EC does not cause abortion. If taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure, EC can reduce the risk of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent. “EC could safely and drastically reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions in the United States,” said Rep. Slaughter, “but unfortunately, barriers to information and access hinder this preventative contraceptive method from reaching its full potential.” She concluded, “We can and we must do more to protect women’s reproductive health by increasing knowledge of emergency contraception and expanding access to this critical preventative solution.” BACKGROUND Many patients and health care providers remain uniformed about this important contraception option. Only 1 in 10 women of reproductive age in the U.S. are aware of EC. Only one in five OB/GYNs in the U.S. routinely discusses emergency contraception with their patients. FACT SHEET: EC vs. RU-496 On the differences between Emergency Contraception (EC) and RU-486 (or medication abortion) |
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