Browse the Online NewsHour's coverage of health . As an Australian, I recently had a conversation which someone from Ireland - I had never realized that there was an ethical issue with drugs that prevent implantation of a fertilized embryo. Avoiding pregnancy is a serious issue and is viewed differently by various religions and cultures. It would be wise to carefully consider your religious and ethical beliefs before taking medication to prevent implantation of a fertilized ovum. This consideration might be done with a pharmacist or a physician, but might also require other input.
Contraceptive choice is a personal decision.
All women who contemplate using emergency contraceptive pills need to understand the various mechanisms by which the pills are known or theorized to act. Only after being provided with this information can a woman make an informed decision that is consistent with her religious and cultural beliefs. In the pilot project, pharmacists counsel women on emergency contraceptive use including all possible mechanisms of action, and women sign informed consent, prior to receiving the emergency contraceptive pills. Currently available emergency contraceptive pills are regular birth control pills taken in higher doses and they work in essentially the same way as daily birth control pills. While all mechanisms of action of emergency contraceptive pills have not been clearly established, the balance of evidence suggests that they work mainly by inhibiting or delaying ovulation.