[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 128 (Saturday, August 4, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1742-E1743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION EDUCATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 3, 2007

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, today I am proud to reintroduce the 
Emergency Contraception Education Act. By improving education among the 
public and health professionals about emergency contraception (EC), my 
bill will help protect women's reproductive health, reduce unintended 
pregnancies, and prevent abortions.
  Each year in the U.S., 3 million women face an unintended pregnancy, 
MORE than any industrialized nation. One in four of these end in 
abortion. Widespread and correct use of emergency contraception could 
prevent a significant number of unintended pregnancies, reducing the 
number of abortions in this country.
  Emergency contraception is simply a concentrated form of the daily 
birth control pills taken by millions of women in the U.S. It does not 
cause abortion, but instead stops the release of an egg from the ovary. 
EC is a safe and effective means of preventing pregnancy--it has low 
toxicity and no potential for overdose or addiction; and because there 
are no important drug interactions, there is no need for medical 
screening, allowing for self-identification of the need. Furthermore, 
EC will not harm an established pregnancy. If taken within 72 hours 
after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure, EC can reduce the risk 
of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent. But because of the narrow window 
of effectiveness, timely access to EC is critical.
  In light of its safety and efficacy, the American Medical Association 
and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have 
supported more widespread availability of EC. The Food and Drug 
Administration has approved over-the-counter access to the emergency 
contraceptive Plan B for adults. Yet, many patients and health care 
providers remain uninformed about this important contraception option. 
Only 1 in 3 women of reproductive age in the U.S. are aware of EC. In 
2003, the Kaiser Foundation conducted a survey to examine teens' and 
adults' knowledge and opinions of EC in California. What they found was 
very disconcerting--nearly 40 percent did not know that EC 
was available in the U.S., and half of adult women who had heard of EC, 
mistakenly thought that it was the ``abortion pill,'' also known as RU-
486. Only 7 percent of adults who have heard of EC learned about it 
from their health care professional. Even women who had a gynecologic 
exam in the last year were no more likely to have learned about EC from 
their doctor.

  Unfortunately, lack of knowledge and the failure to provide patients 
with information on EC is a familiar trend throughout this country. 
Only one in four ob/gyns in the U.S. routinely discuss emergency 
contraception with their patients. Less than 18 percent of hospitals 
provide emergency contraception at a woman's request without 
restrictions. And, tragically nearly 50 percent of hospitals do not 
provide EC to a woman who has been sexually assaulted, even though it 
is often the only contraceptive option for the 300,000 women who are 
raped each year.
  Healthy People 2010, published by the Office of the Surgeon General, 
establishes a 10-year national public health goal of increasing the 
proportion of health care providers who provide emergency contraception 
to their patients. My bill will move us much closer toward achieving 
this goal. The Emergency Contraception Education Act will initiate a 
large-scale education campaign to better inform women and health care 
providers about emergency contraception. Specifically, this bill will 
direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and 
disseminate information on EC to health care providers, including 
recommendations on the use of EC in appropriate cases, and how to 
obtain copies of information developed by HHS for distribution to 
patients. The Secretary will also be required to develop and 
disseminate information on EC to the American public.
  EC could help women prevent unintended pregnancies and therefore 
reduce the need for

[[Page E1743]]

abortions in the United States. However, barriers to information and 
access hinder this preventative contraceptive method from reaching its 
full potential. We can and we must do more to protect women's 
reproductive health by increasing knowledge of emergency contraception 
and expanding access to this critical preventative solution.
  Madam Speaker, I urge Members to cosponsor my bill today.

                          ____________________