Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Alarm bells as US abortion ruling fuels rush on morning-after pill

Alarm bells as US abortion ruling fuels rush on morning-after pill

When the US Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to abortion, Julie Crowe went straight online to do some shopping. She ordered 10 packs of the emergency contraceptive pill known as Plan B for immediate delivery.

Crowe, 52, is part of a larger trend of people who have rushed to purchase the so-called "morning-after" pill, often in bulk, following the loss of half a century of abortion rights.

Online reproductive and sexual health provider Wisp saw a 3,000 percent surge in emergency contraception sales in the 24 hours after the ruling -- and they have kept rising in the month since, it told AFP.

But health experts warn that bulk-buying a medication that is legally sold over the counter nationwide is unnecessary, and risks taking pills away from those most in need.

Crowe, a public school teacher from Nashville, Tennessee, was eager to see if her largely conservative state would even allow the delivery to go through. But most of all, she wanted pills on hand to help anyone "in need of control of their own life."

"It's utterly ridiculous that as a nation we're going backwards in time with civil rights and bodily autonomy," she told AFP.

Distinct from the pills used to terminate pregnancies, emergency contraceptives prevent fertilization from occurring. They can be taken within five days, but the sooner a dose is taken, the more effective it will be.

Calls to stock up have rapidly gained traction on social media, leading both online giant Amazon and drugstore chains like CVS and Rite Aid to temporarily limit purchase quantities to avoid a shortage of the pills.


'Really scary'


While healthcare professionals and reproductive health organizations like Planned Parenthood suggest having an extra emergency pill on hand, they do not advise stockpiling.

"I understand the urge," said Hayley McMahon, a reproductive health researcher.

Activists protest in New York in June 2022 against the US Supreme Court ruling that rolled back nationwide abortion rights


The prospect of being unable to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, she said, can trigger "a very visceral feel of having your body used against your will."

But "pharmacies often have a fairly limited supply," she told AFP. "You don't want to buy up packs that you don't need right now, when the next person who walks through the door could be running out of time."

McMahon believes misinformation is driving the rush to stock up.

Morning-after pills are sometimes conflated with forms of abortion, she said, sometimes intentionally to spread confusion.

That can lead to uncertainty about their legal status, despite there being no legislation in the works to restrict emergency contraceptives.

Savannah Norvell, a nanny in Richmond, Virginia, did worry it could amount to hoarding when she bought a six-pack of Plan B.

But she ultimately decided that because she plans on giving the pills away, buying them would be justified.

Since she lives in a low-income area with a large student population, she ordered from Amazon so as not to decrease the local, immediately available stock.

It's a particularly personal issue for Norvell, 27, who had to get an abortion at age 18 after she was raped.

She said she felt "ashamed" and alone, and didn't know where to get Plan B until it was too late.

While she doesn't regret her abortion, Norvell told AFP she wishes she'd had "another option."

Norvell wrote on Twitter that she had extra pills to give away, and has requested to join Facebook groups whose members donate morning-after pills to people in need.


'Reinvent the wheel'


However well-intentioned, experts say such actions are misguided.

US public health researcher Hayley McMahon warned against stockpiling morning-after pills, pointing out that pharmacies usually have a 'limited supply'


"As long as emergency contraceptives are available from regular vendors, I don't see the benefit of having individuals ship them to women out of state," said Caroline Moreau, a reproductive health specialist and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins school of public health.

While it is legal to mail over-the-counter medication, she cautioned it will always be safer to buy the pills from a reliable vendor than from a stranger online.

"There's no real reason to reinvent the wheel," agreed McMahon, pointing out that abortion funds were already working to ensure access to emergency contraceptives obtained directly from manufacturers.

In one such initiative, a group called Students for Reproductive Freedom recently installed a Plan B vending machine on site at Boston University -- and hopes to extend to other campuses.

Still, McMahon acknowledged that stockpiling was "an expression of autonomy" against the Supreme Court decision.

Norvell, meanwhile, wanted to feel she could somehow make a difference.

"It's such an isolating feeling, not to be able to choose what's best for you," she said. "I don't want anyone else to feel as alone as I did, and if I can help them, I will."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×