Uncovering myths and realities of contraception

By Suzanne Johnson, On-Line Forty-Niner

Thursday, October 22, 1998

"Contraceptive failures are not uncommon, yet emergency birth control is one of the best kept secrets," said Barbara Bragonier during Tuesday's Women's Forum entitled "Whoops ... the Condom Broke!" in the Women's Resource Center.

Emergency contraception has been available for the past 24 years, yet its use has been limited mainly to rape victims. Opponents do not want to promote promiscuity or easy ways out of the consequences that occur from being sexually active, she said to about 12 people.

For those who forget to take their birth control pills or experience a broken condom, dislodged diaphragm or unsuccessful withdrawal, emergency contraception is crucial.

According to the textbook "Contraceptive Technology," emergency contraception prevents 1.7 million unintended pregnancies.

Bragonier focused on two options women may pursue after sexual intercourse in order to prevent pregnancy: A regime of combined oral contraceptives, usually four taken as soon as possible and an additional four taken 12 hours later, and the insertion of a copper T intrauterine device (IUD).

Bragonier said she does not like to refer to oral contraceptives as "morning after" pills because that implies that immediate action must be taken. The reality is that women have 72 hours within to act, she said.

In 1997, the Federal Drug Administration approved regular birth control pills as a safe and effective method of emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception is meant to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, not to interrupt an established one, Bragonier said. The controversy regarding abortion arises when one considers whether it is abortion to end a possible pregnancy after an egg has been fertilized or only after implantation has occurred, she said.

Emergency contraception works in one of three ways. It either alters the transport of the sperm or egg, prevents the egg from being fertilized or prevents the fertilized egg from being implanted in the uterine wall.

All methods of emergency contraception exhibit reduced effectiveness after the egg has been fertilized and no effect once the egg has been implanted, Bragonier said.

Taking the pills after implantation has occurred will not harm the fetus or increase the risk of birth defects, she said.

Bragonier stressed that taking the pills does not protect one from the possibility of getting pregnant that same night. It is retroactive, not proactive.

The typical user of emergency contraception is between the ages of 15-25, single and has never been pregnant before, she said.

Oral contraceptives are effective 75 percent of the time, while IUDs are effective 99 percent of the time.

Side effects of oral contraceptives include nausea, fatigue, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain and breast tenderness. Use of IUDs can produce vaginal bleeding. Side effects should subside within one day, Bragonier said.

If vomiting occurs within the first hour of taking the pills, Bragonier recommends consulting a physician to determine whether a second dose should be administered.

Emergency contraception is free in the Student Health Center. One simply needs to schedule an appointment. Private clinicians, public clinics and Planned Parenthood are additional sources of emergency contraception.

"One of the biggest barriers to emergency contraception is ignorance," Bragonier said.

Women need to be well informed in order to make educated decisions about their lives and to be in control of their bodies, she said.

Bragonier has been a sex therapist for the past 25 years. She has lectured on human sexuality at the UCLA School of Medicine and is currently teaching "Women and Their Bodies" at Cal State Long Beach.