T3h morning after pill: Abortive or Contraceptive?

[Zeltaris]

Ok, so I've got this little essay thing. It's supposed to be a choose-your-topic sort of thing, so I decided to choose this particular subject. Thing is... I'm kinda neutral right now and my teacher requires us to pick a side on our essay.

Damn.

So I decided to ask you WBers for help yay! [Not to mention the fact that this'll make for some nice discussion... I hope]

so...

What do you think about this pill. Is it just a way to fix things up when you screwed up along the way? Or is it cold, cruel, heartless abortion [or murder]

[Grom_Icecream]

It is not the same as abortion (im pro choice). "The pill" works by blocking conception by altering hormone patters and just stopping some hormone creation altogether. It is not at all similar to abortion, as the female cannot be sure if she is pregnent. Most likely she is not pregnent as the chance of pregnency from unprotected sex is actually quite low.

The pill is fine. Its just like using a condom, or spermacide, or any other type of protection. It can't be murder if you aren't killing anything.

[Cygnus]

"Every sperm is sacred..."

Good ol' Monty Python. Anyways, it's protection against pregnancy. It's another form of contraceptive, which I have no problem with (of course I have no problem with abortion either).

But you're still preventing possible babies right? ;)

[EdvardMunch]

Actually, he's talking about the Morning After pill, which you take the morning after sex to kill any fertilized eggs. It seems to be the absolute earliest form of abortion.

[Modred]

And here we get into a debate over when exactly a developing embryo can be considered a seperate life. Consider that at the time the morning after pill is taken, the embryo is nothing more than a small number of cells. It isn't shaped like a baby, it has no organs, and it most definitely cannot feel pain, as the nervous system has not developed.

So, can we call a small mass of cells a seperate life? It has the potential to become a seperate life, but at what point does this group of multiplying cells cease to be a part of the mother and become a seperate being?

[Grom_Icecream]

I would say no. A small number of cells cannot be considered life. A human is the result of a number of systems. An embryo is not a human, it just has the potential to become a human. By the time the morning after pill is taken, the egg will have been fertilised for roughly a day. Within this time, the embryo will have split multiple times, till it is roughly 64 cells in size. At this stage, it will not have started differentiating into different cell types. It is around this stage that it is killed.

What is being killed (in most cases) is a bunch of stem cells that are only beginning to differentiate into sections.

Theres also the fact that sperm will only fertilise an egg something like 10% of the time (correct me if im wrong, couldn't find actual stat). If you take the morning after pill there is only a slight chance you will actually be killing something.

[Demosthene5]

Theres also the fact that sperm will only fertilise an egg something like 10% of the time (correct me if im wrong, couldn't find actual stat). If you take the morning after pill there is only a slight chance you will actually be killing something.
Ha ha, but if that percentage is right, theres another sperm behind it, and wait... theres millions of sperm cells following it. Unless you were talking about the collective being 10%? that doesn't seem right, thats alot of failure millions of times over. Wussy sperm.

Dr. Drew of Loveline said that it takes 3 entire days for fertilization to occur in the first place. It doesnt happen right when you jump bones. So i f that is true, the morning after pill would actually prevent, rather then exterminate.

[chibi]

The morning after pill isn't bad. It goes against everything I've been taught and believe in but I think there are situations that require that kind of action. Although I've been told it just tears your stomach apart... not fun.

[Basan]

It's a life saver, 4 later troubles on non-wanted children (unprogramed by ur setting a family plan).
Once I had 2 search a few pharmacies, 'cause she hadn't the usual pill with her.

I know that my old folks used the pill (be4 u get funny ideas, it was only my mom) 2 keep their family plan controlled.

I know that I'll probably get a few fingers pointin' at me but... then I'll explain it better. ;)

[TheGreatBrain]

Well, I suppose it is a form of abortion, killing a fertilized egg. Not that I have any problem at all with it, and certainly no loss of any significant life is occurring. But it is the same in concept as abortion. The fertilization has already occured, and is being neutralized.
It is not at all similar to abortion, as the female cannot be sure if she is pregnent.
I don't see how that's relevant in the event that she is pregnant.

[Carnage]

"Every sperm is sacred..."

Good ol' Monty Python. Anyways, it's protection against pregnancy. It's another form of contraceptive, which I have no problem with (of course I have no problem with abortion either).

But you're still preventing possible babies right? ;)

Yup. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear the screams of millions of unborn geeks as they hit the tissue...

[Cygnus]

Yup. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear the screams of millions of unborn geeks as they hit the tissue... It's Genocide! Genocide I tell you! ;)

And it seems to have the amazing ability to resurrect threads as well.

[Carnage]

It's Genocide! Genocide I tell you!

I'm not on trial here! ... Am I? O_o;

And it seems to have the amazing ability to resurrect threads as well.

Basan did it. I saw him do it. I also so him eating puppies. Cute puppies. <<

[Basan]

Tks... if that's a compliment, Carny. :confused:

I just thought that I had 2 add my point of view here. I know that the day after pills are hell 2 ur stomach n' some other biorythm glitches but they can save u from unplanned childs.
In the case stated, I've searched my city n' surroundings (4 pharmacies) on a Sunday 'cause my (1 of my female) cousin forgot 2 take the pill the night be4, when she was with her boyfriend at the time.
What a headache she gave me... *Shruggs face*

[Valjean]

Basan, you seriously need to learn how to type better. After a few lines of your post, it just turned into a jumble of letters and numbers in my head. >_<

Anyway...

Ha ha, but if that percentage is right, theres another sperm behind it, and wait... theres millions of sperm cells following it. Unless you were talking about the collective being 10%? that doesn't seem right, thats alot of failure millions of times over. Wussy sperm.

I learned in sex ed that sperm get lost, a bunch don't even get out of the uturus or viginal area. XD

Plus there are 2 ovaries. So if there isn't an egg that's ready, some sperm go to the wrong ovary. And if they get the right ovary, I'm not sure about this next part, biut now they have to find the egg. So about now you only have a few thousand sperm left. Plus if I'm not mistaken, there are some white blood cells here and there which could encounter some sperm and kill 'em. :P

***

Back to the origanal question, I guess the pill the morning after could be considered abortive, but I see nothing wrong with abortion (at least the kind in this case because it' not really a baby yet...>_>), so either way no harm, no foul. :P

[Basan]

Off topic,
Basan, you seriously need to learn how to type better. After a few lines of your post, it just turned into a jumble of letters and numbers in my head. >_<

Mild IRC typing way. Not heavy coded as I've seen be4. It's readable anyway... not goin' over it again.
If u want translation, PM me. ;)

-------------
Back on track,

Agreed with most of ur opinions (Werewolf). That's why there are millions of spermatozoa cells amongst sperm...
And if u didn't know even our lubricant fluid, that comes be4 the sperm does, may have some spermatozoa amidst it, but in lesser numbers. So, we're not that safe even if we prevent the orgasm blow. ;)

I believe that all possible subject debate is done here, how about throwin' a lock at this thread?
Just a thought... :)

[Dark_Magneto]

The morning after pill isn't bad. It goes against everything I've been taught and believe...

How does the morning after pill go against everything you have been taught to believe?

What, were you brought up to think that a woman's menstrual cycle is an evil thing? Because they're both essentially the same thing: the body expelling an unfertilized egg. The pill is just an accellerated form of the monthly visitor.

[Basan]

What, were you brought up to think that a woman's menstrual cycle is an evil thing? Because they're both essentially the same thing: the body expelling an unfertilized egg. The pill is just an accellerated form of the monthly visitor.

But it messes with the women's biorythm balance... They get moody n' may react unpredictable (more than usual that is).
I'm refering more 2 the day after pill anyway... ;)