The Food and Drug Administration approved sales and marketing of emergency contraceptive kits last week.

The “morning-after” pill, which will be manufactured by Gynetics Inc., helps block a fertilized egg from attaching itself into the lining of the uterus and prevents eggs from being released.

In the past, high doses of oral contraceptives (commonly known as “the pill”) have been recommended for women after unprotected sex, but last week marks the first time pills have been approved to be specially packaged and marketed specifically for “morning-after” use.

“Planned Parenthood has been providing emergency contraceptive since 1989, and will continue to do so,” said Penny Dickey, vice president of health services at Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa in Des Moines.

Dickey said the product is the same as when extra doses of daily oral birth control are administered after a daily pill is missed.

Now the pills have been packaged specifically for this purpose.

“This is another option available to make more choices available and more people aware of the product,” she said.

The package, titled the Preven Emergency Contraceptive Kit, includes two sets of emergency contraceptive pills, information on the effectiveness of the pills and a pregnancy test.

According to the FDA report, the emergency contraceptive is not as effective as proper use of regular contraceptive methods.

However, the report said Preven does significantly reduce the chance of pregnancy when used within 72 hours after unprotected sex.

But the pill is not effective after pregnancy has been established.

Several Planned Parenthood locations in Iowa are involved in a study to test the limits of the pills’ effectiveness outside the current 72-hour limit.

An FDA press release said the most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, menstrual irregularities, abdominal pain and cramps, breast tenderness and dizziness.

Dickey said there were about 2,000 women in Iowa who used emergency contraceptives from Planned Parenthood last year.

Iowa State students, however, disagree on whether the approval of the kits is a good thing.

“I think more women are going to take advantage of it instead of abortion,” said Camden Hodges, sophomore in business.

“But I do think it’s an easy way out,” she said.

Jill Bergerson, junior in zoology pre-medicine, said it would be OK if the pill is used responsibly for rape victims.

“It depends on how it is used,” she said.

Some students said the contraceptive is too similar to abortion.

“I don’t think it’s positive. I think it’s wrong to kill an already implanted zygote,” said Katie Bierma, sophomore in child and family services.

Magdalena Miranda, freshman in business, agreed.

“I don’t see any good in [the “morning-after” pill]; it’s basically a form of abortion,” she said.