911BirthControl.org

Women’s Reproductive Health Coalition Launches Emergency Contraception Ad Campaign

On February 23rd, sixteen bus shelter ads promoting awareness of Plan B – a brand of emergency contraception – went up around Louisville, according to 911BirthControl.org, a coalition of community partners concerned about women’s health care.

“We chose to invest in the ad campaign because many women still don’t know that they have a second chance to prevent unintended pregnancy,” said Amanda Kreps-Long, Director of the ACLU of Kentucky Reproductive Freedom Project.  “Because EC is most effective in preventing pregnancy if taken within 120 hours after unprotected sex, contraception failure, or sexual assault, timely access is critical.”    

The ad campaign follows an August 2006 decision by the FDA to grant Plan B® over-the-counter status for women 18 and older.  Kreps-Long said that while there were many strings attached to the decision, over-the-counter status improves access for millions of women.  A public awareness ad campaign will help even more women, doctors, and pharmacists learn about Plan B®, she said. 

Many people still confuse Plan B®, also known as emergency contraception or the “morning after pill,” with RU-486 – the abortion pill.  The medical community agrees that Plan B® has no effect on an established pregnancy, but works just like regular birth control pills and other prescription contraception.  Kreps-Long said dispelling the myths about EC and increasing awareness about its availability will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies – which should be everyone’s ultimate goal. 

Sites for the bus shelter ads include Jefferson & 6th Streets, Broadway & 6th Street, Shelbyville Road & UofL Campus, Bardstown Road & Eastern Parkway, Bardstown Road & Gardiner Lane, Dupont Circle & Dutchmans Lane, Wesport Road & Accomack Drive, Eastern Parkway & Medical Arts Building, Preston Highway & Indian Trail, 4th Street & Winkler Avenue, Poplar Level Road & Taylor Avenue, 4th & Oak Streets, 4th Street & Friendship House, Muhammad Ali Boulevard & Roy Wilkins Avenue, US 22 & Lime Kiln Lane, and Frankfort & Bauer Avenues. 

The 911BirthControl.org coalition includes the ACLU of Kentucky Reproductive Freedom Project, A-Fund, Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, National Council of Jewish Women – Louisville Section, Planned Parenthood of Louisville, Planned Parenthood of the Bluegrass, and the Bluegrass Chapter of the National Organization for Women.   

The ads are paid for by a grant from the National Network of Abortion Funds, which also supported educational brochures in English and Spanish, a website – www.911BirthControl.org, and newspaper ads that ran in the University of Louisville Cardinal on February 27th and the Velocity on February 28th. 

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