Comment on the decision of the german bishops regarding the use of emergency contraception in rape victims

Abstract

On 21st February this year, the German Episco- pal Conference published a document in which it stated that the morning-after pill (levonorge- strel) could be used in the case of rape, provided that the drug had a solely contraceptive effect. This report sparked intense controversy, since it appears that levonorgestrel has more than just contraceptive activity. In relation to this, we have written the arti- cle included herein, in which we evaluated the mechanism of action of levonorgestrel, reaching the conclusion that on certain occasions (possi- bly around 50% of cases), it prevents pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse by an an- ti-implantation, i.e. abortive mechanism. If this is this case, it seems unlikely that, from a moral point of view, the morning-after pill could be used to prevent pregnancy after rape.