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| Doubts voiced over emergency pill | Doubts voiced over emergency pill |
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| Making emergency contraception more available has failed to reduce abortion rates, a family planning expert says. | |
| The morning-after pill has been available from chemists for five years, but Edinburgh-based Anna Glasier said abortion rates were rising. | |
| The professor believes the focus should shift to encouraging people to take precautions before or during sex, the British Medical Journal reported. | |
| The government said the emergency pill was not targeted at cutting abortions. | The government said the emergency pill was not targeted at cutting abortions. |
| However, Professor Glasier, who is director of family planning at the Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust, disagreed, saying emergency contraception had been heralded as the solution to rising abortion rates by many experts. | However, Professor Glasier, who is director of family planning at the Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust, disagreed, saying emergency contraception had been heralded as the solution to rising abortion rates by many experts. |
| Emergency contraception is no substitute for correct, regular use of contraception. It is not, and was never intended to be, a panacea for abortion Tony Belfield, of the fpa | Emergency contraception is no substitute for correct, regular use of contraception. It is not, and was never intended to be, a panacea for abortion Tony Belfield, of the fpa |
| The morning-after pill, which can be used up to 72 hours after sex, was made available over the counter in the UK five years ago. | The morning-after pill, which can be used up to 72 hours after sex, was made available over the counter in the UK five years ago. |
| About 6% of women use it each year, although the numbers buying it from chemists has almost doubled in the last year. | About 6% of women use it each year, although the numbers buying it from chemists has almost doubled in the last year. |
| In the US, authors have claimed that 43% of the reported drop in abortions between 1994 and 2000 was down to emergency contraception, and that around 51,000 pregnancies were prevented by it in 2000/01. | In the US, authors have claimed that 43% of the reported drop in abortions between 1994 and 2000 was down to emergency contraception, and that around 51,000 pregnancies were prevented by it in 2000/01. |
| But Professor Glasier, who was an advocate of emergency contraception in the 1990s, said: "Despite the clear increase in the use of emergency contraception, abortion rates have not fallen in the UK." | But Professor Glasier, who was an advocate of emergency contraception in the 1990s, said: "Despite the clear increase in the use of emergency contraception, abortion rates have not fallen in the UK." |
| Contraception | Contraception |
| In 1984, 11 women per 1,000 aged 15 to 44 had abortions, compared with 17.8 in 2004. | In 1984, 11 women per 1,000 aged 15 to 44 had abortions, compared with 17.8 in 2004. |
| She said research had shown that women did not always use the contraception at the right moments because they were unaware they had put themselves at risk and as a result it had no impact on pregnancy or abortion rates. | She said research had shown that women did not always use the contraception at the right moments because they were unaware they had put themselves at risk and as a result it had no impact on pregnancy or abortion rates. |
| She also questioned whether it was as clinically effective as it was claimed to be. | She also questioned whether it was as clinically effective as it was claimed to be. |
| Professor Glasier added: "If you are looking for an intervention that will reduce abortion rates, emergency contraception may not be the solution, and perhaps you should concentrate most on encouraging people to use contraception before or during sex, not after it." | Professor Glasier added: "If you are looking for an intervention that will reduce abortion rates, emergency contraception may not be the solution, and perhaps you should concentrate most on encouraging people to use contraception before or during sex, not after it." |
| But Val Buxton, acting chief executive of Brook, a sexual health charity for young people, said: "Easy access to emergency contraception is an essential part of the picture, and abortion rates might be higher if it weren't for the fact that emergency contraception is more easily available than in the past." | But Val Buxton, acting chief executive of Brook, a sexual health charity for young people, said: "Easy access to emergency contraception is an essential part of the picture, and abortion rates might be higher if it weren't for the fact that emergency contraception is more easily available than in the past." |
| Toni Belfield, of the fpa, formerly the Family Planning Association, said: "Emergency contraception is no substitute for correct, regular use of contraception. It is not, and was never intended to be, a panacea for abortion." | Toni Belfield, of the fpa, formerly the Family Planning Association, said: "Emergency contraception is no substitute for correct, regular use of contraception. It is not, and was never intended to be, a panacea for abortion." |
| And a spokeswoman for the Department of Health said emergency contraception had never been heralded as the answer to rising abortion rates in the UK. | And a spokeswoman for the Department of Health said emergency contraception had never been heralded as the answer to rising abortion rates in the UK. |
| "Our policy has always been that safe sex, using reliable contraception on a regular basis, is the best way for women to protect against unwanted pregnancy." | "Our policy has always been that safe sex, using reliable contraception on a regular basis, is the best way for women to protect against unwanted pregnancy." |