Does Birth Control Cause Abortion?
Question
I hear that during his confirmation hearing, Brett Kavanaugh referred to birth control as “abortion-inducing drugs.” Does birth control cause abortion?
Answer
Simply put – no, birth control is not an abortion-inducing drug. Pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg is implanted in the wall of a person’s uterus. Different methods of contraception work in different ways, but they all prevent pregnancy.
For example, the combination hormonal pill (“the Pill”) uses estrogen and progesterone to prevent ovulation and thicken the cervical mucus. By preventing ovulation, there is no egg released from the ovaries to be fertilized. Furthermore, the thickening of the cervical mucus makes it hard for the sperm to enter the uterus and reach an egg. Through both of these mechanisms, fertilization is prevented and pregnancy never occurs.
Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) work similarly to the pill while the copper IUD kills sperm before they can reach the egg. Even emergency contraception, commonly referred to as the “morning-after pill,” acts by preventing pregnancy, not ending a pregnancy that has already begun.
Kavanaugh’s reference to contraceptive methods as “abortion-inducing” reflects the non-scientific rhetoric of anti-choice activists rather than the real way that contraceptive drugs and devices work.
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Evita Almassi, MSW, served as the Communications and Digital Marketing Manager for the NWHN. Her 10+ years in nonprofit communications – especially with social media advocacy campaigns – enabled the NWHN to reach and empower more women in their health education and advocacy journeys.
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