2006年VOA标准英语-Doctors Tell Women to Take Emergency Contr

By Pat Harris
Washington, DC
18 May 2006
 
watch Morning After Pill report

A new advertising¹ campaign in the U.S. tells women to get a prescription² for emergency contraception before they need it.  VOA's Carol Pearson has more, in this report produced by Pat Harris.

--------------------------------------------------

 
Morning after pill, Plan B 
  

The morning after pill, also called Plan B, is a high-dose of regular birth control medication, and is normally taken after a woman has unprotected sex.

The pill can reduce a woman's chances of getting pregnant by up to 89 percent if she takes it within 72 hours of having sexual intercourse³.

A new campaign started by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises women to get a prescription for Plan B well in advance of when it might be needed.  Doctors say Plan B is even more effective when taken before sex.  

 
Dr. Susan Wood 
  
Dr. Susan Wood is the former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Women's Health. "When women need emergency contraception, they need it now.  They don't need it tomorrow or three days from now."

This is a form of contraception. There is another pill, RU-486, that terminates pregnancy⁴. Political conservatives oppose both.

Wendy Wright   
  
Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, says the campaign for the morning after pill is inappropriate. "It's very 'in your face' and it's meant to be a political statement."

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists wants the morning after pill to be available over the counter and not by prescription only.

Nine states currently allow the pill to be sold over the counter (without a prescription) , but Wendy Wright cautions, “In any circumstances in which a woman would be using this drug, she needs to have medical oversight⁵, especially in case of rape⁶."

A scientific advisory⁷ committee told the Food and Drug Administration the morning-after pill is safe enough to be sold over the counter, yet the agency refused to make it available without a prescription because of concern  that young teens would be using the pill without a physician's supervision⁸.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says easier access to this pill could help prevent half the three million unplanned pregnancies⁹ in the U.S. each year.
 
 

1 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

2 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

3 intercourse   

n.性交；交流，交往，交际

参考例句：

• The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。
• There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。

4 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

5 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

6 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

7 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

8 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

9 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。