Regardless of age or province of residence, all Spanish women will have access to the emergency contraception pill (EC) without a prescription. It will be in pharmacies by August.

The morning-after pill was authorized in Spain in 2001, and it is distributed for free by public health centers in some regions, while in others, it is more difficult to obtain due to the particular ways of implementing the national norms by the regional administrators of the health care system.

Socialists leaders argue that the measure will contribute to eradicating the territorial inequality regarding the access to family planning methods.

Currently, the pill is sold in pharmacies for 20 euros (about 27 US Dollars) with prescription. But, according to Concha Martín, director of the Family Planning Association of Madrid, women often have to go to several doctors before finding one who will prescribe the EC.

That is why, for the Socialists, the announcement is part of a package of measures promoting “the development of the fundamental right to sexual and reproductive health for all citizens.”

“The aim is to make it available to anyone who wants it without any difficulty,” said the Ministry of Health’s Trinidad Jimenez, who made the announcement May 11th.

Jimenez underscored that EC use is aimed to “avoid unwanted pregnancies” and “unexpected sexual relations without protection,” therefore it cannot be regarded as routine method of contraception.

Nevertheless, the General Secretary of the Sociedad Española de Ginecología y Obstetricia (Gynecology and Obstetric Spaniard Society), Luis T., called the governmental measure “frivolous.” Mercé Alberto argues that there is a risk, especially among young women, of using EC as a regular contraceptive method for occasional sexual intercourse.

Mercé Alberto added that the generalization of its use as conventional contraceptive “could increase the number of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmission diseases as well.”

In addition, this measure did not address sexuality education, which is a problem to be solved by the school system, Mercé Alberto pointed out.

“Emergency contraceptive pills are for emergency use only and not appropriate for regular use as an ongoing contraceptive method because of the higher possibility of failure compared to modern contraceptives. In addition, frequent use of emergency contraception results in more side-effects, such as menstrual irregularities. However, their repeated use poses no known health risks,”

According to an official document of the World Health Organization.

Some associations of consumers have asked for more information in order to avoid the use of the morning-after-pill as a conventional contraception method.

The conservative forces, such as the Catholic Church and the conservative opposition, the Popular Party, have reacted by arguing that the number of abortions will increase as a result of its implementation.

Socialist leaders said statistics in countries that have made the pill available over the counter, such as the United States and France, show it has helped reduce the number of abortions significantly.

According to official data of the Ministry of Health, of the 112,000 women who had abortions in Spain in 2007, 6,000 were minors.

For many people, sexuality education and access to contraception are the ways to diminish unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

A Spanish blogger stated that this measure will reinforce sexist behaviors. “Probably many men from their male condition will say “Thanks.” Once again, the consequences of a not thought-out act can be stopped with just a pill. I am worried because day by day it is getting harder to explain to a daughter that a woman is equal to a man, and she deserves respect.”

So far, pharmacies have not expressed any objection. The Ministry of Health is confident that its managers will not argue conscience objection, since the pill is not abortive.

According to the World Health Organization, “Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pills have been shown to prevent ovulation and they did not have any detectable effect on the endometrium (uterine lining) or progesterone levels when given after ovulation. ECPs are not effective once the process of implantation has begun, and will not cause abortion.”

“Emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy. They should not be given to a woman who already has a confirmed pregnancy. However, if a woman inadvertently takes the pills after she became pregnant, the limited available evidence suggests that the pills will not harm either the mother or her fetus.”