17-year-olds seeking emergency contraception will soon be able to get it without a doctor's prescription. News 3's Anita Roman digs deeper into this controversial topic and reports that some say this is all about politics.
A U.S. district judge ruled last month that former President George W. Bush's appointees let politics - not science - drive their decision to restrict over-the-counter access to Plan B. Wednesday, the FDA accepted that ruling and lifted restrictions limiting over-the-counter sales to women 18 and older.
24-year-old Jozelyn Jones works as a health center assistant for Planned Parenthood. She counsels young women on the use of birth control. But her story was very different seven years ago.
"When I was 17, I was unfamiliar with any method of birth control at all. And I found myself becoming pregnant. I was really scared."
Scared and unsure of what to do next, Jones had her baby. But today, she wishes she knew then what she knows now.
"I probably would have waited before I had my daughter because I had her at 17. It was, like, a real struggle for me to finish school and take care of my daughter at the same time with no help."
Soon, young women who find themselves in a similar situation to Jones' will have more choices. The FDA has decided to allow 17-year-olds over-the-counter access to Plan B contraception.
Annette Magnus is a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada. Magnus says up until now, the emergency contraceptive was only available over-the-counter for women 18 and older.
"Young people are going to have sex and what we want them to do is have it safely. And if we can reduce the number of teen pregnancies by making this available to more people, than this is a great first step," says Magnus. "If you're going to do it, you should really be aware of the consequences. And you can't say that you don't know about it because they basically pound it into your head all through your education."
However, not everyone thinks 17-year-olds should be able to make the choice to take Plan B without parental consent. But women like Jones, who got pregnant at 17, think they should at least be educated about their options.
"When they come in, we give them birth control facts and we educate them on birth control and the importance of using birth control."
All of this doesn't mean that Plan B will be immediately available to 17-year-olds; the manufacturer must first submit a request. In the meantime, the FDA is also evaluating whether all age restrictions should be lifted.
According to Planned Parenthood, if taken within five days of unprotected sex, Plan B can reduce a woman's chances of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent. Plan B will not interfere with an established pregnancy.
