Photo Courtesy Of PACHD.
Scientists want to investigate the feasibility and demand for a birth control pill that's routinely taken — after sex. Now, we know that emergency contraception like Plan B already exist, but this new kind of birth control would work in a different way: post-fertilization.
The authors of the new study tout the benefits of an after-fertilization contraceptive as being easier and less time-sensitive. A woman would only need to take this form of contraceptive once a month, no matter how many times she had sex, and wouldn't need to remember to take a pill everyday (perfect for the absentminded).
It all depends on how pregnancy is defined, as these medications could disrupt an implanted, fertilized egg. But, these researchers emphasize that for women who don't want to be pregnant, taking a medication in the privacy of their homes is often more appealing than going to a clinic to obtain a medical abortion.
Obviously, while this new form of contraceptive is not for everyone, it does represent an interesting take on what we want out of birth control and abortion services.
Lead author Elizabeth Raymond, a senior medical associate at Gynuity Health Projects in New York, acknowledges that all women want to make choices that are right for them: "[Post-fertilization] contraception doesn't have to be acceptable to every woman," she says, adding, "No method is acceptable to every woman now."