Plan B not abortion

In Mindy Wright’s July 27 letter to the editor about the Hobby Lobby lawsuit, she unfortunately perpetuates a common misunderstanding about the morning-after pill. She describes it as a pill that “if a child were conceived, would be the equivalent of a quick and easy abortion of life.”

In truth, the morning-after pill, which has the brand name of Plan B, works by preventing ovulation, preventing fertilization, or preventing the implantation of a fertilized egg by altering the lining of the uterus. All of these effects are the same as those provided by other commonly used methods of birth control.

Plan B is not the same thing as RU-486, which is an abortion pill. Plan B does not cause a miscarriage or abortion. In other words, the morning-after pill does not work if the woman is already pregnant when she takes it.

With overpopulation being probably the most important issue our planet faces, not to mention the devastating effects on both a mother and a child of an unwanted pregnancy, it is unfortunate that the right to life movement has demonized this safe, effective and relatively inexpensive back-up method for other types of birth control.

Karen Williams

Liberty Lake