state of the reproductive union

[wavyarms]

I don't think I posted about this at the time, but I probably should have. Regardless, some of you were probably aware of the problems that blogger BB at the Den of the Biting Beaver (who lives in Ohio) had when she tried to get emergency contraception. She eventually did get her hands on Plan B, but worried that the delay would interfere with the drug's efficacy. And it turns out she worried with cause, because now she writes that the EC failed.

She deserves mad props for being willing to publish her experiences on her blog. She obviously set herself up for a great deal of hate-mail, in all possible forms. And it's worth signal-boosting this story, I think, so that people know what kinds of problems women are still facing, even though the FDA approved Plan B.

I got this story from Broadsheet on Salon.com. They provide a pretty good summary of the situation. I advise going there for details.

Comments

[2h2o.livejournal.com]

People suck.

[ltlbird.livejournal.com]

While I can understand an argument stating that access to emergency contraception shouldn't be universal or red-tape-free (such a simple, as-needed pregnancy preventative could easily lead to an increase in the spread of HIV and STDs), it is ridiculous that people are threatening and abusing this poor woman. I applaud her courage in writing about the situation, though I do take issue at her resentment of the fetus - it isn't the fetus' fault that people are being horrible, and the fetus isn't claiming its life is better than hers. Yes, the fetus is a burden that she didn't want or need and tried to prevent, but it isn't malicious. That, to me, is going a bit far.

One other quibble: what is the efficacy rate of EC, anyway? It's possible, I presume, that it wouldn't have worked even if she had been able to get it immediately, right? Either way, she has a valid argument about the runaround, but blaming the pregnancy on the delay may not be fair.

Please note that the icon is used ironically rather than seriously.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

When this was posted in one of the choice LJ communities I read, I found a link that told you where to get EC. Some places will give it to you in advance so that if you need it, it's already on hand. Go to this site and enter your zip code. (This is a different link than the one I found before, but a good source.)

pimp mah blog

[ex-a517dogg70.livejournal.com]

http://a517dogg.blogspot.com/2006/10/still-unacceptable.html

Some people forget that it takes to to twango. The best point she makes is how the male becomes invisible when the blame game starts. Like they teach in 10th grade bio, sperm are cheap, eggs are expensive. Who cares about where the sperm goes... BUT YOU BETTER PROTECT THOSE EGGS OR ELSE YOU'RE A MURDERER.

[meranthi.livejournal.com]

I would like to read this, but the blog is offline as far as I can tell right now.

I read the first article and just about blew a fuse!