Guest Post by Jennifer Ferris
This Wednesday, Dec. 6, Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina is participating in a national historic effort to prevent unintended pregnancy.
Every visitor to Planned Parenthood's Chapel Hill or Durham clinics will be offered a free pack of Plan B, the emergency contraceptive recently approved by the FDA to be sold without a prescription.
While the significance of this promotion is probably clear to almost any man or woman of childbearing age who has ever relied on a forgettable method of birth control (condoms, the pill, a diaphragm, etc.) to prevent pregnancy, I understand some of you reading might need a little more convincing.
Emergency Contraception (EC) is essential: It prevents pregnancy when used up to five days after unprotected sex. It is currently in use in many emergency rooms and urgent care clinics to help rape victims avoid carrying their predators' children.
EC is safe: This August the FDA approved EC for over-the-counter sales because it has proven to be safe for women of all ages. EC cannot damage an already implanted fetus. Instead it works by preventing ovulation or fertilization, much as hormonal birth control does.
EC is good for the community: Fewer teen pregnancies mean less reliance on taxpayer-funded social services. Teenagers who make it to graduation without pregnancy have a higher likelihood of going to college and giving back to their communities.
Stop by Planned Parenthood Dec. 6 and pick up your Free EC so peace of mind will be as close as the bathroom cabinet. And, please, tell a friend that EC is available in their community. If you want to learn more, find the Planned Parenthood location nearest you or of you would like to help us with this promotion, please visit http://www.plannedparenthood.org/centralnc/events-calendar.htm
Jennifer Ferris is the Communications Coordinator at Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina.
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