# Do Hormonal Birth Control Methods Cause Abortions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 29, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725 "2005-04-29T15:57:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/1 "2005-04-29T15:57:09Z")
I’m aware of the recent flap about pharmacists who refuse to dispense birth control pills and emergency contraception because they might cause an abortion. The more I think about it, the more I wonder where this information is coming from. My understanding is that hormonal birth control methods usually work by preventing ovulation and thickening the cervical mucous so sperm can’t get through. The people who oppose the use of such methods say they also prevent fertilized eggs from implanting, thus causing abortions. The problem is, the only people I’ve come across who say this are the ones who are very much opposed to abortion. How was it determined that hormonal birth control methods prevent fertilized eggs from implanting in a woman’s uterus? How often does this happen (times per 1,000 or 1,000,000) and how does that compare to fertilized eggs not implanting when the woman isn’t using birth control? Does anyone have a link to information about this which doesn’t come from a staunchly anti-abortion website? In a recent Pit thread on anti-abortion protesters, I went out to Planned Parenthood’s website looking for statistics on the effectiveness of birth control methods. Since I use hormonal birth control myself, I also looked into descriptions of how they worked to see if anything’s changed in the past several years. I didn’t see anything on that website about hormonal methods preventing implantation. Thanks for your help. If people are going to be making claims like this, I really would like to know what the evidence behind those claims is. Respectfully, CJ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/2 "2005-04-29T16:54:51Z")
OK—BC pills keep your ovaries from producing eggs. Failing that, if an egg is released and fertilized, the pills may also prevent the egg from implanting in your uterus. The morning after pill does the same things, and is basically just a higher-dose BC pill. Now, if you consider the non-implantation of a fertilized egg an abortion, then I guess there is a chance that the pill may give you an abortion. But I think except for the most rabid of the pro-life group, people would agree that unless the egg implants it’s not an abortion. [Guide to the BC pill](http://www.nyabortion.com/birthcontrol/thepill.shtml) [Guide to the morning after pill](http://www.nyabortion.com/birthcontrol/themorningpill.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/3 "2005-04-29T17:50:02Z")
Since medically speaking a pregnancy begins at implantation, and an abortion is the termination of a pregnancy, BCPs cannot cause abortions. Here’s more info, from [www.womens-health.co.uk](http://www.womens-health.co.uk), although their use of the term “pregnancy” is misleading as they take it as starting from conception, rather than the medically accepted start point of implantation. > [@](#): > > How common is miscarriage? > When considering this question, it is helpful to ask how often pregnancy occurs on average each cycle. Studies looking at very sensitive pregnancy tests suggest that pregnancy will occur in at least 60% of natural cycles in fertile couples. > The risk of miscarriage decreases as pregnancy progresses. It is possible that as many as 50% of pregnancies miscarry before implantation in the womb occurs. Early after implantation, pregnancy loss rate is about 30% (ie this is still before a pregnancy is clinically recognised). After a pregnancy may be clinically recognised (between days 35-50), about 25% will end in miscarriage. The risk of miscarriage decreases dramatically after the 8th week as the weeks go by. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/4 "2005-04-29T23:13:21Z")
The problem is some of the most rabid of the pro-life group are now refusing to dispense the birth control pill because it may cause abortion by preventing implantation. What I want to know is is there a realistic chance of this happening or is this another way of cutting back on birth control and/or women having sex. Since the failure rates for non-hormonal birth control except for sterilization are 4 times higher than they are for hormonal, I’m concerned. If up to 50% of fertilized eggs don’t implant without using birth control then this seems like a canard to me. I’d like to have some hard facts when I argue with these people, even if the hard facts amount to “There is no evidence that using the pill increases the odds that a fertilized egg will implant” or “There is evidence that using the pill increases the odds that a fertilized egg won’t implant from 50% to 50.0001%.” CJ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/5 "2005-05-01T18:59:01Z")
In the interest of keeping this discussion in GQ, shall we rephrase the question? I think that what the OP wants to know is just whether hormonal birth control can or does prevent the implantation of a fertilized ovum, and to what extent. The question of whether prevention of implantation constitutes an abortion, or whether this or any (other) sort of abortion is justifiable, properly belongs elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/6 "2005-05-01T19:24:34Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m aware of the recent flap about pharmacists who refuse to dispense birth control pills and emergency contraception because they might cause an abortion. My understanding of the flap in question was that it involves pharmacists refusing to prescribe the special triple-dose BC pill, the “morning-after” pill (which is actually just the same thing as three regular BC pills), not the normal-dose, regularly prescribed BC pills. So you may be barking up the wrong tree here. **Are** there pharmacists who are refusing to fill prescriptions for regular BC pills just on the off-chance that some woman who was pregnant might take one and thereby induce a miscarriage/abortion? 'Cause I hadn’t heard anything about that. If so, then never mind me and carry on… ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/7 "2005-05-01T19:26:59Z")
“Refusing to dispense”, not “refusing to prescribe”… ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/8 "2005-05-01T19:59:11Z")
> [@Duck Duck Goose](#): > > **Are** there pharmacists who are refusing to fill prescriptions for regular BC pills just on the off-chance that some woman who was pregnant might take one and thereby induce a miscarriage/abortion? 'Cause I hadn’t heard anything about that. If so, then never mind me and carry on… Yes there are - there have been threads on it here. And it hasn’t just happened in America: there was a (muslim, IIRC) pharmacist in the UK who refused to fill out a prescription (that _may_ have been the morning after pill though) and a pharmacist in Australia in a small country town who refused to fill out birth control prescriptions, leaving women to travel hours to the nearest other pharmacy to get their pills. FYI: if you do need the morning after pill and a pharmacist refuses to prescribe and time is running out (because the earlier you take it the better, obviously) you can take a certain dosage of your regular birth control pills instead. IANAD and am not going to suggest the number - it probably depends on the brand - and you should always consult a doctor first anyway if you can. But if you do have a disaster and you are stuck somewhere remote, this is an option. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/9 "2005-05-01T23:17:14Z")
Was the guy in Australia refusing to fill BC prescriptions because he was worried that a pregnant woman might take one and so abort or miscarry, or did he just think women shouldn’t take BC pills in general? ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/10 "2005-05-02T01:26:24Z")
From Planned Parenthood: [http://plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/medicalinfo/ec/fact-contraception-abortion.xml](http://plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/medicalinfo/ec/fact-contraception-abortion.xml) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/11 "2005-05-02T01:54:27Z")
Briefly: Many birth control formulations can also be used as a “morning after” pill. It will be effective in preventing implantation. I don’t consider preventing implantation to be an abortion, but most of the pro-lifers do. Which is why the pro-life forces (at least in my area) are turning their eyes towards not only banning the pill, but also the IUD. So yes, your basic 21 day pack of something like Lo-Ovral or other BCP product can, with the proper directions, be used as emergency contraception after unprotected intercourse. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/12 "2005-05-02T01:58:32Z")
Actually, one pro-life website I visited while looking for information on this also considers Depo-Provera an abortifacient. That’s one reason I’m asking. CJ ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/13 "2005-05-02T10:07:04Z")
**Siege** -I just don’t think the research has been done. The drug companies might not wish to do it, in case it adds support to the pro-life claims and loses them customers, and the pro-lifers don’t seem to have the means or resources avaiable to study this. If you’re comfortable using a contraceptive method that may, in part, work by preventing implantation, then keep using it. I believe most women fall into that bracket (witness the widespread use of IUDs). If someone wasn’t happy using that method, by all means they should use another one, but you can have my BCP when you pry it from my cold, dead hands! ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/14 "2005-05-02T10:46:16Z")
My attitude exactly. I use Depo-Provera myself and I intend to continue using it. If someone’s going to tell me it’s immoral for me to use it, well, that’s their problem. If someone is going to try to stop me from using it, either by refusing to fill a prescription or by making it illegal, I’m going to want to see some hard numbers on why it causes abortion. So far, I haven’t seen any. Thanks for the ammunition. CJ ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/15 "2005-05-02T11:32:23Z")
**Duck Duck Goose** - ordinary BCPs CANNOT cause a pregnant woman to miscarry. That is, if the embryo has already implanted, the action of the BCP will not cause it to shed. Pregnancies have resulted from “missed pills” where the woman missed one pill, but kept taking all the others in the packet, and only realised she was pregnant when her expected “period” didn’t appear. In women who “bicycle” or “tricyle” their packets- that is, run them together without a break, they can be 2 or 3 months pregnant before they miss a “period” and realise their situation. Most women in that situation who choose to continue the pregnancy deliver healthy babies. Taking ordinary pills as emergency contraception (Morning After Pill) is known as the Yuzpe method. It consists of 2 doses, each containing 100mcg Ethinyl estradiol and 0.5mg Levonorgestrel administered 12 hours apart (marketed ready-made as PC-4 or made up from a combination of ordinary BCPs). Yuzpe is not as effective (75% prevention as opposed to 89% prevention of pregnancy) as the newer, Levonorgestrel only method (1.5mg as a single dose, marketed as Levonelle or Plan B). The newer method also has fewer side effects (especially nausea and vomiting). ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hormonal-birth-control-methods-cause-abortions/301725/16 "2005-05-02T17:52:45Z")
> [@Duck Duck Goose](#): > > Was the guy in Australia refusing to fill BC prescriptions because he was worried that a pregnant woman might take one and so abort or miscarry, or did he just think women shouldn’t take BC pills in general? IIRC it was a woman, and she wouldn’t prescribe any BC, for her personal moral/ethical reasons. I don’t think someone should be able to hold a job like that, in the sole pharmacy in a small country town, if they have those concerns.