According to a survey recently conducted by the UB chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, 38 percent of UB students have never heard of emergency contraception. As a result, the organization has launched an awareness campaign on campus.
"I think there hasn't been a good job disseminating information," said Joshua Glasgow, vice president of the UB chapter of the ACLU. "I think that a lot of people don't know that there is anything that they can do after they have unprotected sex. The options are out there for women, it's just making sure that they know it and that they are accessible to them."
Emergency contraception - most commonly known as the "morning-after pill" - can be taken by women no more than 72 hours after she has engaged in unprotected sex, according to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America's Web site.
The pill, which is administered in two doses, 12 hours apart, contains hormones that can inhibit ovulation, alter the transport of sperm and prevent an egg from implanting itself in the uterus walls, the Web site states.
According to Dr. Frank P. Carnevale, director of Health Services at UB, the Student Health Center provides students with Plan B, a brand-name variety of the morning-after pill, free of charge.
Although the pill is 66 to 75 percent effective in preventing a pregnancy, Carnevale warned against abuse of the pill.
"It isn't foolproof, and it doesn't protect against sexually transmitted diseases," he said.
As part of the campaign to educate students about the existence and availability of emergency contraception, the UB chapter of the ACLU posted flyers around campus and will set up a table in the Student Union in November to provide information about contraception options.
According to Glasgow, the survey was conducted as part of a legal battle over reproductive choices for women.
"It started out as lobbying for laws that would require SUNY schools to provide emergency contraception and, on the state level, to require hospitals to provide rape victims with information about emergency contraception," Glasgow said.
According to Carnevale, the Health Services office has supported the campaign by providing the organization with pamphlets and information.
"We're trying to get the word out as well," Carnevale said. "It's a wonderful resource that we provide here for the students, and it's free."
He said if a student takes advantage of the free pill, she must make an appointment with Health and Human Services to attend a birth control information session to discuss more reliable forms of contraception.
Jennifer Anderson, associate director of Health and Human Services, said she is not shocked that almost half of the students attending UB are in the dark about emergency contraception.
"Students think that they know everything in regards to their sexuality, and sometimes they're too embarrassed," she said. "They think that people are going to judge them if they use contraceptives."
Anderson said that at the birth control information sessions, students are informed about different birth control methods, including how they work, possible side effects and whether the student is an appropriate candidate for each method.
According to Anne Tuper, a minister with the Catholic Campus Ministries, although the Catholic Church only recognizes sex in the context of marriage for the purpose of reproduction, ultimately the choice to use birth control lies with the student.
"We encourage students to make life-giving choices, but also to examine the stance of the Catholic Church and how it applies in their own lives," Tuper said.
Maryann Clune, a sophomore pre-pharmacy major involved with the Catholic Campus Ministries, said that while having the available option is a benefit, students need to be responsible for their actions.
"I think it's a good idea that it is there for people who need it, but I think that it's a better idea not to put yourself in that situation to begin with," Clune said.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
