Handouts of emergency contraception angers anti-abortion supporters

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – A free giveaway of emergency contraception doses at Planned Parenthood health centers in Indiana cities that have large college populations has angered an anti-abortion group, whose leader calls it “irresponsible.”\nThe giveaways are timed to remind young adults of the importance of responsible sexual behavior as spring break nears for many colleges and universities, said Steve Carr, a spokesman for Planned Parenthood of Indiana.\nCarr stressed that emergency contraception should not be relied on as a main source of birth control, just for emergency situations to prevent an unintended pregnancy.\nPlanned Parenthood announced Friday that between Feb. 26 and April 8, its health centers in Bloomington, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Hammond, Lafayette, Madison, Mishawaka, Muncie, Terre Haute and Valparaiso will be giving out emergency contraception doses, while supplies last.\nIndiana Right to Life executive director Mike Fichter said Planned Parenthood’s actions are “irresponsible.”\n“They’re giving kids a false sense of security for those who are potentially going to engage in risky sexual behavior,” Fichter said.\nHe said emergency contraception does not prevent disease and there’s little evidence it has any significant impact on abortion or unintended pregnancy rates.\n“This is all about Planned Parenthood gaining free advertising to build its customer base among sexually-active teens,” Fichter said in the statement.\nPlanned Parenthood officials recommend that women and couples back up their birth control, keeping emergency contraception in their medicine cabinets in case “the condom breaks, you miss your regular dose of birth control or have unprotected sex.”\nThe pills can prevent ovulation or a fertilized egg from implanting into the uterus and leading to pregnancy.\nFichter said that if implantation of a fertilized egg is prevented, the drug kills a human life, which is abortion.\nHe said Indiana Right to Life will work with its chapter in Saint Joseph County to get the word out about the negatives of emergency contraception. He said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration licensed it, but is “doing a disservice.”\nCarr said many people confuse emergency contraception with the RU486 abortion pill, or mifepristone – which ends a pregnancy. He said “emergency contraception is contraception. It’s right there in the name. It’s contraception.”\nHe said most of the emergency contraception services are accessed by young adults, with the median age being 23.