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The Definition of "Abortifacient."
A true contraceptive agent prevents conception by one or more of four specific actions. It can: - place an actual mechanical barrier such as a condom or cervical cap between the sperm and ovum to prevent them from uniting;
- thicken the cervical mucus;
- inhibit ovulation, thereby preventing the release of a mature ovum; and
- block the Fallopian tube or vas deferens through sexual sterilization.
All of these means prevent a new human being from being created.
By contrast, an abortifacient destroys the preborn child who is already conceived. The general definition of "abortifacient" is "a drug or agent that induces an abortion." [4]
Depending upon the type of abortifacient, this killing can take place at virtually any stage of pregnancy, by preventing implantation of the blastocyst (the very early developing human being), by killing the unborn child shortly after implantation, or by killing the child later in pregnancy.
Pro-abortionists are now distorting even the meanings of the terms "abortion" and "abortifacient" in order to blur the distinction between true contraceptives and abortifacients. The Different Types of Abortifacients
It has been said that man's greatest ingenuity is displayed in time of war.
This is especially true in the war against his own fertility.
At this moment, extensive research is being conducted on a bewildering array of more than 200 actual and potential abortifacient agents, covering the complete alphabet from alcyonacean soft corals to zoapatle aqueous crude extract, or ZACE.
The research trend in "family planning" is towards pure abortifacients. The ultimate objective is to develop a monthly pill that will not only ensure sterility, but will also cause a cessation of menstruation. The most effective of the many abortifacients currently under research include progestin-carrying IUDs, steroid-containing vaginal rings and diaphragms, and progestin-only creams that could be rubbed on the skin (in other words, an abortifacient skin lotion).[5]
As one cartoonist noted a few years ago, scientists whose product killed preborn children used to moan "We're ruined!" Now they happily exclaim "We're rich!"
There are generally two classes of abortifacient in existence and under research today, as shown in Figure 2-2. | Figure 2-2
Types of Abortifacients | | The first type of abortifacient includes drugs and devices designed to continually maintain a certain level of hormones in the woman's body and repeatedly kill early preborn children before or at implantation (without the woman's knowledge). These include; (1) Oral contraceptives (OCs); (2) Intrauterine devices (IUDs); (3) Depo-Provera; and (4) Norplant and Norplant-2 (Jadelle).
The second type of abortifacient kills a preborn child who is known or suspected to exist. These abortifacients include;
(5) The RU-486 abortion pill; (6) The methotrexate/misoprostol (M&M) combination; and (7) "Emergency contraception." This type of abortifacient regime has many forms, including; • the "Yuzpe Regimen," which consists of taking combined ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel pills at a higher than normal dose; • taking pills specifically designed to cause early abortions. These are often called "emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs)," "morning-after pills (MAPs)" and "postcoital contraception," and consist of high doses of the artificial steroids found in oral contraceptives. Two examples are Plan B and Preven. |
The remainder of this chapter describes these abortifacients and their effects in detail.
Go to Next Topic: (1) Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs)--Part 1 Return to Abortifacients Table of Contents Footnotes for "The Definition and Types of Abortifacients" [4] Benjamin Miller and Claire Keane. Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health (Third Edition) [Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 1983]. [5] "New Contraceptives." United Press International, August 3, 1995. Also see Susan Aucott Ballagh, et.al. "A Contraceptive Vaginal Ring Releasing Norethindrone Acetate and Ethinyl Estradiol." Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey, September 1995, pages 607 to 610.
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