Plan B contraceptive does end life

David Brandao

Date published: 8/20/2006

NARAL's Ann O'Hanlon did not tell the complete story when she said that under "standard medical definitions," the Plan B emergency contraceptive does not terminate a pregnancy ["Plan B should draw pro-life cheers," Aug. 14].

These definitions, adopted by politicized medical associations beginning in the mid-1960s, insist that pregnancy does not begin until the living human embryo implants in the wall of the mother's uterus (Ms. O'Hanlon used the inaccurate term "fertilized egg," but that's another issue).

Plan B can act after fertilization but prior to implantation. Maybe it doesn't technically "abort," according to the practitioners of medical newspeak, but it still kills.

What is relevant is that a human being's life begins at fertilization, which occurs about a week prior to implantation.

While a drug such as Plan B, which prevents implantation, does not "end a pregnancy" under Ms. O'Hanlon's preferred definition, it does purposely end the life of a living human being.

That's a problem. A big problem. And that in a nutshell is what's wrong with Plan B.

Spotsylvania

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Date published: 8/20/2006