EllaOne, the new "post coital" or "morning after" pill

Few people know that there is a group of Pro-life OB-Gyns within the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This group has been invaluable for their expertise in OG/Gyn, and for their defense of life and the right to practice medicine in defense of “First, do no harm.”

AAPLOG sends out an informative newsletter by e-mail, one or two times a week.  Physicians and med students – not just OB-Gyns- can sign up at the Yahoo Group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aaplog/.

Earlier this month, AAPLOG posted a video concerning EllaOne, the new “emergency” or “post coital” “contraceptive,” and “3 quick items, and a 4th longer one.”

When discussing “EC,” we must consider the post-ovulatory effects, and especially, the post-fertilization effects. In a normal early pregnancy, the follicle containing the egg or oocyte forms the corpus luteum, which influences and joins in the manufacture of the hormones that support the life and implantation of the new embryo. The good news up to this time has been that the doses of hormones in the Yuzpe method and Plan B/Plan B One were small compared to the hormones produced by the corpus luteum.

EllaOne, ulipristal acetate, which is proven to delay ovulation up to 5 days, is also very likely to be abortifacient, since it is a progesterone receptor modulator. Progesterone – like that used in Plan B and the newer form, PlanBOne, supports the implantation of a new embyro, and there is more evidence that this sort of “EC” does not prevent implantation than there is that it does cause loss of very early human lives.

However, the research simply has not been done – or at least not published – that proves one way or the other whether or not the low dose PRM, ulipristal acetate, will cause loss of life. A study published in September’s Human Reproduction, Vol.25, No.9 pp. 2256–2263, 2010, may indicate that there will be new evidence one way or the other in the future.

In their usual meticulous manner, the data (“Immediate pre-ovulatory administration of 30 mg ulipristal acetate significantly delays follicular rupture.” Brache V, Cochon L, Jesam C, Maldonado R, Salvatierra AM, Levy DP, Gainer E, Croxatto HB. Hum Reprod. 2010 Sep;25(9):2256-63. Epub 2010 Jul 15.PMID: 20634186 [PubMed – in process]) from the Brazilian group indicates that Ella does, indeed, effectively delay ovulation in women. (This is the same group that published several excellent double-blinded randomized reports on Plan B-type EC, Levonorgestrel, in ovulating women who had previous tubal ligations.) There is no report yet about animal experiments (human experimentation would not be ethical and would be illegal in Brazil) on the effects after ovulation and fertilization, on the wall of the uterus and the potential for blocking the metabolism of the young embryo at and soon after implantation.