Emergency contraception given to rape victims
By Ame Phitwong
Catholic hospitals in Connecticut recently complied with the state's order for hospitals to distribute Plan B, an emergency contraception pill, to rape victims. The new state law, which took effect Oct. 1, is still causing controversy within the Catholic Church.
Paul Myers, director of the Health Center, explained that federal and state laws can regulate how private hospitals operate, especially if they receive federal funding.
"But when it comes to religious practices, then they're competing with constitutional considerations," Myers said.
Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, a republican, signed the bill ensuring that all licensed health care facilities make emergency contraception available to victims of sexual assault. This requires health institutions to provide victims with medically accurate and objective information about emergency contraception as well as have it available to administer.
"We can violate our principles and faith," said the Rev. William Dorwart, C.S.C., director of Campus Ministry. "For some Catholic hospitals, there are certain procedures they just won't do. They think 'if we step into the arena, issues like this could come up.' But when you have someone come to the ER looking for help, you have to open your door."
The Catholic Church operates four hospitals in Connecticut. The new state law requires medical personnel to administer Plan B to rape victims, even if the women are ovulating. The law was originally contested because Roman Catholics believe that life begins at conception and Plan B could be considered a mechanism of abortion if conception was made.
However, because the pill is intended to work after sexual activity but prior to conception, the ethical reasons regarding the pill were complicated.
"From the Catholic perspective, the bottom line is the protection of life, especially an innocent life, and who's defending this life regardless of how it came about," Dorwart said.
Philosophy professor Thom Faller, a medical ethicist, said that based on the Church's standpoint and his research on Plan B, he has deemed its use as unethical.
"The Church standpoint is based on medical, and as a medical ethicist, I would also say it appears unethical," Faller said. "I think it's interesting the bishops (of Connecticut) have taken the stand that they have."
One major component of the law that creates great objection from the Church is that hospitals can provide Plan B without ovulation tests. The new law requires only a pregnancy test before the drug is given. According to the Associated Press, Church officials want Catholic hospitals to perform ovulation tests first and believe the state law should be changed to accommodate that.
"I think the biggest concern is about the accuracy and timeliness in one test versus the other," Myers said. "In the absence of the ovulation test, a fertilized ovum could occur without implantation."
Myers explained there is concern that pregnancy may not be accurately detected if there's been conception if the test only determines implantation. From the Catholic perspective, Myers said that without the ovulation test, there is the risk of an accidental abortion.
Conception is the act of becoming pregnant. Ovulation occurs when the egg is released from the ovary. After its release, the body secretes hormones to thicken the lining of the uterus to prepare for implantation. Fertilization occurs when the female egg and male sperm unite in the uterus.
Faller said that if a woman was raped and was then immediately taken to the hospital to have a dilation and curettage or a douche-type procedure performed, these processes would be ethically acceptable. Dilation and curettage is the process where the woman is dilated and a knife - the curettage - is used to scrape out the womb.
Plan B is made up of high doses of certain chemicals found in birth control pills. According to the FDA, Plan B works by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation). It could also work by prevent fertilization.
However, if fertilization occurred, Plan B could prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the womb (implantation). If a fertilized egg is implanted prior to taking Plan B, it will not work.
According the Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc., the company that distributes Plan B, it can lower the risk of pregnancy by 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex because the drug stops ovulation.
However, it is not recommended for women who are pregnant because it can be detrimental to the fetus. Last year, the FDA approved Plan B to be sold over the counter to women 18 and older without a prescription.
Although he doesn't know how the situation will turn out, Dorwart believes it is important for students to reflect about the situation.
"For students grappling with this, it's good to get out of the feeling level and look at the issues," Dorwart said.
Dorwart believes it is important to consider both how an individual feels about the situation and the actual complexities of the issue from both sides.
In order to move towards action, he wants students to come to conclusions using an "informed conscience" by working with faith, community and mind to discern and discover the truth.
