Roundup: Anti-Choice Bemoan ella Approval, Demand Useless Pregnancy Tests

A blatocyst is an embryo!  A pregnacy test is effective at 4 days except that no test is!  No wonder the anti-choice movement seems so confused.

Yesterday, the FDA met and approved the use of ella, a new emergency contraceptive pill that can provide a greater window of use than Plan B, which must be used within 72 hours.  Effective for up to 120 hours after intercourse, ella can offer a wider time frame for preventing pregnancy after contraceptive failure, sexual assault, or unprotected sex.

Sadly, the extended period of possible use seems to reflect exponentially on how outraged the anti-choice crew is over advances in reproductive freedom.

First, the Cardinals reacted, via press release:

Concerns have been raised over other drugs considered for “emergency contraception,” such as the “Plan B” regimen, because they might act not only to prevent ovulation but also to prevent implantation of the developing embryo in his or her mother’s womb.  However, such drugs were thought to have no post-implantation effects.  Ulipristal is a close analogue to the abortion drug RU-486, with the same biological effect – that is, it can disrupt an established pregnancy weeks after conception has taken place.  

This drug is contraindicated for women who are or may be pregnant.  Yet its proposed use here is targeted precisely at women who may already have conceived, as it would be administered within five days after “unprotected” sex or contraceptive failure.  No existing pregnancy test can exclude the possibility that a new life has been conceived in this time frame.  Indeed, advocates praise this drug as an advance precisely because it seems to retain its full efficacy five days after intercourse – that is, after the opportunity to prevent fertilization has passed. 

It seems that Cardinal DiNardo’s solution would be for the woman to wait until after she sees if she is pregnant before she takes the drug, since no test can exclude that early that she in fact is not. Also, the Cardinal seems to have forgotten developmental biology — an embryo is at least 21 days post-fertilization.  Before that, you have a blastocyst or a zygote.

During the trial, testimony, based on scientific studies, was given showing that ella in fact had “little effect on established pregnancies.”  Yet, according to the New York Times, scientific study isn’t good enough for the Concerned Women for America, either.

Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, a conservative group, called ella an unsafe abortion pill that men might slip to unsuspecting women.

“With ella, women will be enticed to buy a poorly tested abortion pill in the guise of a morning-after pill,” she said.

But Wendy Wright didn’t just stop there.  Even better, she claims that the panel is trying to “fool women” by not allowing them to have a pregnancy test before they get the drug.  From Lifenews:

“The drug sponsor couldn’t provide information on whether Ella can cause birth defects, or what happens to women who are pregnant who take it. And yet the committee strongly recommended not giving a woman a pregnancy test,” she told LifeNews.com after the hearing.

“In Europe, Ella is contra-indicated (not to be used) in pregnancies. But the FDA committee voted to not to test women to detect if they’re pregnant. They are telling doctors to be willfully blind when giving the drug,” Wright continued.

“The committee voted to deceive women,” Wright complained.

Um, Ms. Wright?  Cardinal DiNardo says that “No existing pregnancy test can exclude the possibility that a new life has been conceived in this time frame.” 

I think you anti-choice spokespeople need to go over your talking points better before you start hitting the media circuits.

Mini-Roundup: The FACE Act is used against a man who entered a clinic in San Antonio, parents in Iowa claim a sex-ed class used “sex toys” in their demonstration, and one politician claims God is providing economic prosperity to cities that refuse to allow abortion.

June 17, 2010

Rossi on Murray’s abortion votes – Seattle Post Intelligence

Tories absent as MPs call for abortion funding at G8 – Toronto Star

Anti-Abortion Activist Wins Free-Speech Ruling – Courthouse News Service

Abortion bill on Jindal’s desk – KPLC-TV

Louisiana To Require Forced Medical Rape Ultrasounds Before Abortions – Blue Wave News

mcCollum supporters drop the A-bomb (abortion) on Scott – Orlando Sentinel

Alaska health department releases abortion figures – CNBC

FDA Panel To Decide On New Morning After Pill – CBS 4

Parents voice concern of Shenandoah sex ed class – SW Iowa News

Canadian Women Protest Lack of Funding for Family Planning and Abortion in … – Ms. Magazine

McCollum Team Continues to Attack Scott on HCA/Columbia and Abortion – Sunshine State News

Top Catholic Bishop Blames Catholic Health Association for Pro-Abortion HCR – LifeNews.com

Liberties at the Liberty Bell – Wall Street Journal

Louisiana Approves Wave of Anti-Abortion Legislation – Ms. Magazine

US panel approves French morning-after pill – AFP

FDA Advisory Committee Gives Thumbs Up to New Abortion Drug Ella – LifeNews.com

Alaska health department releases abortion figures – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

5-Days-After-Sex Pill Gets FDA Panel Nod – WebMD

Pro-Life Chair Voices ‘Grave Concern’ over FDA Plan to Approve Abortion Drug … – PR Newswire

Hepatitis Gone Viral: 100 Times More Infectious Than HIV, Over 40 Americans …  – Huffington Post

June 18, 2010

Feds sue abortion opponent from SA – San Antonio Express

Lawmakers say take 24 hours to think over an abortion – WCBD

Patricia Blair files wrongful death lawsuit – Bennington Banner

Abortion rates shock lawmakers – Dickinson Press

Panel Recommends Approval of After-Sex Pill to Prevent Pregnancy – New York Times

Court rules women can’t be charged for taking drugs during pregnancy – Lexington Herald Leader

Antiabortion message for specialty plate – Boston Globe

Bitter pill for Muslim women – Asia Sentinel

Abortion laws slash sales of ‘Morning After’ pill – The Portugal News

Fireworks over New “Morning After Pill”? – CBS News