On reading the article by Staci Hupp on Planned Parenthood’s upcoming involvement in an international research project for upgrading emergency contraceptive pills (ECP), I was dismayed at the amount of misinformation being presented.

First, a distinction between a contraceptive and an abortifacient must be made. The oral contraceptive prevents conception, usually by preventing ovulation or thickening cervical mucus to prevent a sperm cell from reaching the egg.

Abortifacients CAUSE abortion by preventing the implantation of the conceived human person onto the uterus during the early days of pregnancy. ECP would fall into the abortifacient category of birth control. Dr. Charlotte Ellertson’s statement that, “Even people who are opposed to abortion like this method because it prevents pregnancy, therefore [preventing] need for an abortion” is a lie. The method of abortion has changed, true enough, but not the fact that an abortion has occurred.

Incidentally, because of the lower dosages of estrogen and progestin in the pill of today (which was lowered from the old days because of horrible side effects), breakthrough ovulation occurs at a much higher rate than that with the pills of old (whose breakthrough ovulation rate was up to 12%). In short, birth control pills of today are abortifacient in nature as well, as are IUDs and Norplant implants.

For further reading on this topic, I refer you to the Web site of the American Life League at http://www.all.org, which provides DOCUMENTED facts about contraceptives and alternatives to their use (such as information on natural family planning techniques).

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, one of the greatest women of this century, once said, “It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you can live as you wish.” Amen to that!

Patrick A. McLaughlin

Graduate student

Chemistry