Ulipristal acetate. A new emergency contraceptive: ethical aspects of its use
Current presentations ot the morning-after pill can be used effectively for up to 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse. However, in some cases, the period can be shorter. For that reason, a pill, ulipristal acetate (Ellaone), which is licensed tor postcoital emergency contraception up to...
| Autor: | |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2010 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir |
| Repositorio: | RIUCV. Repositorio de la Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:riucv.ucv.es:20.500.12466/1482 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12466/1482 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Contraceptives Emergency contraception Abortion 32 Ciencias Médicas 3104.11 Reproducción 71 Ética |
| Sumario: | Current presentations ot the morning-after pill can be used effectively for up to 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse. However, in some cases, the period can be shorter. For that reason, a pill, ulipristal acetate (Ellaone), which is licensed tor postcoital emergency contraception up to 120 hours (5 days) following unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure, has now been marketed for the first time. An important aspect to be consider in the ethical assessment of any drug used in emergency contraception is its mechanism of action, as this assessment will be very different if the drug acts by inhibition or delaying the ovulation or by preventing the implantation of the blastocyst in the maternal uterus, since in the lalter case would exert its action by terminating the life of an already living embryo, Le. by an abortive mechanism. In relation to the Ellaone's mechanism of action, when the pill is taken five days before ovulation its action will be basically anticonceptive, and the same if it is taken four days betorehand When it is taken three days before ovulation, it may be anticonceptive or by preventing implantation, but from then on, the mechanism by which Ellaone may prevent unwanted pregnancies will be by an anti-implantation mechanism, in ott-Ier words, abortive. In summary, between 50% and 70% of the time, EI!aone will act by an abortive mechanism. It seems to us that this is the objective reality about the mechanism of action of uliprital acetate (Ellaone), and therefore its anti-implantation effect will have to be taken into consideration when issuing an ethical judgement on its use. |
|---|