Welsh girls to get morning-after pill for free

[CountAllVotes]

LONDON – Women and girls as young as 13 in Wales can get the morning-after pill free without a prescription from pharmacies, beginning Friday.

The legal age of consent for sex in Britain is 16, and some critics have slammed the policy as hypocritical and encouraging young girls to have sex.

The initiative is aimed at fighting teen pregnancy and was first announced last year by Welsh Health Minister Edwina Hart. She said new ways were needed for teenage girls to get access to emergency contraception. Wales has some of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Britain, which in turn has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in western Europe.

The morning-after pill contains hormones that stop women from becoming pregnant if taken within about three days of having unprotected sex. It is not suitable for women with certain health conditions like a history of blood clots or liver disease.

The morning-after pill is already free to women across the U.K. if prescribed by their doctor or a sexual health clinic, but Wales is the first region to offer the pill for free without a prescription in its more than 700 pharmacies, though there are similar small-scale policies in parts of England and Scotland. If bought over the counter, the pill typically costs about 25 pounds (US$40).


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110401/ap_on_he_me/eu_britain_morning_after_pill

[devils chaplain]

1. I think all contraception everywhere should be free.

The world would have a lot fewer problems without unwanted children.

[CountAllVotes]

2. it is too bad we have idiots here

They preach how valuable that fetus is but once that fetus is alive they forget its existence. :mad:

Glad the Welch women have a choice unlike some places I can think of.


:dem:

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Of course, it took a woman in office to initiate this.

Men are more worried about women's "honor" and "morality" than about their health.