[Kozak]

We are only allowed to prescribe it at our hospital in cases of alleged rape.

[phil1750]

Still in-excusable. Rape was not the fault of the baby. Killing a baby is still killing a baby.

[hispanichoosier]

We are only allowed to prescribe it at our hospital in cases of alleged rape.

How can you tell with any degree of certainty that fertilization hasn't occurred? A woman's HcG levels--the usual way pregnancy is determined--don't start rising until after implantation. Hence, a drug that interferes with implantation is still abortifacient in nature.

[St. Johann Tetzel]

The GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Of the
CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
72nd Annual Meeting & National Conference
October 17, 2003
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS WERE ADOPTED:

A Resolution in favor of prohibiting all "emergency contraception" in Catholic Hospitals.

Whereas women who are victims of a sexual assault should be treated with compassion and provided with all the legitimate means to prevent health consequences from the assault, And

Whereas pregnancy is a rare outcome of rape, occurring in less that 5% of cases, And

Whereas ample evidence exists that "emergency contraception" which can be given up to 120 hours after the act, adversely affects the function of the corpus luteum and affects endometrial development, making implantation of the blastocyst less likely, And

Whereas "emergency contraception" given prior to ovulation does not consistently prevent ovulation or pregnancy, and still has an effect on the corpus luteum and the endometrium, preventing implantation,

Therefore be it resolved that "emergency contraception" is a misnomer as it does not consistently prevent fertilization, And

Therefore, be it further resolved that as "emergency contraception" has the potential to prevent implantation whether given in the pre-ovulatory, ovulatory, or post-ovulatory phase, that it cannot be ethically employed by a Catholic physician or administered in a Catholic Hospital in cases of rape.

----- (Reference: Kahlenborn, Stanford and Larimore, "Post fertilization effect of hormonal emergency contraception" Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 2002; 36: 465-470)