The advancing technology of emergency contraception is improving women's options, although several groups on campus agree that it is still misunderstood by many people.
In a forum Tuesday, titled "Back Up Your Birth Control with EC," the three methods of emergency contraception currently available within the United States were discussed focal points. Guest speakers explained the importance of UNM students educating themselves about their options for preventing unplanned pregnancies.
Connie Rossignol, a certified nurse practitioner at UNM's Student Health Center, said that during ovulation, a woman's most fertile period, odds of her becoming impregnated by any one encounter is 26 to 30 percent. Any of the four varieties of the emergency contraception pill, when taken within the suggested 72 hours of intercourse, reduces those odds by more than 80 percent.
"Although it is becoming such a popular option of birth control, there is still a great deal of ignorance surrounding the emergency contraception pill," Rossignol said.
She said the most damaging myth is that the emergency contraception pill is an abortion pill, which she claims to be "ignorant." Rossignol added that many local pharmacies refuse to fill prescriptions for the medication due to the lack of information available.
Rossignol noted that another popular myth surrounding the evolving birth control method is that women will abuse the privilege.
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Rossignol said that more than 60 percent of unplanned pregnancies that occur in the United States every year are among couples using some form of contraception.
"This is an important breakthrough, as it provides another option when the first form of birth control fails," she said.
Rossignol said that it is estimated that properly using emergency contraception options could prevent more than half of the unplanned pregnancies in the United States, which would be more than1 million births a year, "providing relief for the overburdened medical and financial components of our country."
According to UNM Student Health Center sources, the emergency contraceptive pill treatment consists of two high-dosage pills, the first taken 72 hours after sex. The pills provide short, strong bursts of hormones, which work primarily by preventing ovulation in the first half of a woman's cycle or inhibiting fertilization once ovulation has occurred. The second pill is to be taken 12 hours later.
Another form of emergency contraception is the IUD, or Intra-Uterine Device. It is placed inside the uterus and has a success rate of 99 percent in preventing pregnancies, although it is not recommended for college-aged women.
"Unless someone is in a committed, monogamous relationship we don't recommend it," Rossignol said. "It is very expensive, upwards of $400, and is hard to reverse its effects once it is inserted."
The third type of emergency contraception is Minipills. They perform similarly to emergency contraceptive pills, include the same pregnancy-preventing hormones and work on the same timetable, but are safe for women who cannot take estrogen.
According to Jeremy Jaramillo of Students Educating Peers About Sex, the success rate of emergency contraception pills has made them the standard of care for sexual assault victims.
"We urge people to realize that even though the pills are effective, that they are plan B, that they should have a plan A for birth control if they are going to be sexually active," Jaramillo said.
Jaramillo said that it is important to have events like this on campus because much of the population is sexually active and that in making that decision they must shoulder the responsibility of educating themselves about their options so that they can stay in school and focus on their goals for the future.
Sponsors for the event included SEPAS, Student Special Events, UNM's Women's Resource Center and the Albuquerque chapter of the National Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League.
