Contraceptive Pill to be available without prescription in Argentina

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#Argentina, June 12, 2023 –  The morning after pill will be more accessible in Argentina as it will no longer be required to bring a prescription to get the emergency contraception.  The Government says this will remove an important barrier for women seeking termination.

As expressed by the health ministry, the new rule will aid in preventing unwanted pregnancies by overcoming the difficulties of access to health service and contraception supplies and education.

Additionally, feminist groups expressed content with the decision highlighting it as a progressive move in Argentina, a mostly Catholic Country.

Vanessa Gagliardi, leader of the feminist group Juntas y a la Izquierda, maintained that the move would help “de-stigmatise” the morning-after pill, further informing that the unwanted pregnancy rate is Argentina is high, that is seven out of 10 adolescents with unwanted pregnancies, according official data.

However, despite the praise given to the new implementation by the Government and feminist groups, critics had the opposite to say.

Argentine pro-life group DerguiXlaVida  is of the opinion that the rule is worrying, expressing that the Government is supporting abortive measures.

Additionally, DerguiXlaVida said it is indicative of the “failure of pregnancy prevention [and] sex education”.

The freeing up of the rule under contraception access follows the legalization of abortion up to 14 weeks which was implemented in 2020 and was opposed by the church, who requested that senators reject the bill.

Terminations previously, were only  allowed in cases of rape or when the mother’s health was at risk.

Despite the common views of critics, according to WHO, emergency contraception, in this case the pill, can prevent up to 95 percent of pregnancies when taken within five days of intercourse.