A
healthy society needs healthy people. Medical reserarchers are engaged in finding
out new medicines and ways to give ‘Health’ to the people. ‘Emergency Contraception’
(EC) is a step in this direction. In today’s
society, crime against women is on the rise. Forced sex (of any kind) may leave
the girl pregnant with an unwanted child later. It also becomes a stigma on the
girl and the society taunts her and not the culprit. EC is a boon in such situations.
If taken within 72 hours of the intercourse, with attached conditions, it can
substantially reduce the possibility of unwanted pregnancy. What a relief to the
girl! But it is not so simple. There are many
questions that remain unanswered, many conditions that are difficult to follow
in our society which, by and large, is different from the Western society. The
fundamental questions that should be debated and to which effective solutions
must be found are : • Is our knowledge on EC
complete to take care of the health of the girl, after taking the day-after-pill?
• Is the pill easily available at an affordable price, at
places where it would be needed most, i.e. the rural India? •
Is the medical fraternity prepared to give reliable and correct guidance to girls
who might need the pill? • What are the after-effects
of the pill on the average Indian women? India’s
major population lives in villages, with very little education. These people must
know that such a pill exists. It should be available through medical centres which
can provide medical guidance. Last, but not
the least, it should not become a tool for light-hearted romance. It should not
be misused. Repeated use of EC may disturb the hormone build-up, causing many
medical problems. If the Government decides
to market EC, it should consider all these aspects carefully. Otherwise, a boon
can become a curse. | 
