The Trump administration香蕉视频直播檚 new birth control rule is raising questions among some doctors and researchers, who say it overlooks known benefits of contraception while selectively citing data that raise doubts about effectiveness and safety.

香蕉视频直播淭his rule is listing things that are not scientifically validated, and in some cases things that are wrong, to try to justify a decision that is not in the best interests of women and society,香蕉视频直播� said Dr. Hal Lawrence, CEO of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a professional society representing women香蕉视频直播檚 health specialists.

Two recently issued rules 香蕉视频直播� one addressing religious objections and the other, moral objections 香蕉视频直播� allow more employers to opt out of covering birth control as a preventive benefit for women under the Obama health care law. Although the regulations ultimately address matters of individual conscience and religious teaching, they also dive into medical research and scholarly studies on birth control.

It香蕉视频直播檚 on the science that researchers are questioning the Trump administration. They say officials ignored some recent research and stretched other studies.

香蕉视频直播淭he interpretation is very selective in terms of the science that they use,香蕉视频直播� said Alina Salganicoff, director of women香蕉视频直播檚 health policy at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 always possible to find one study that validates your claim, but you have to look at the quality of the study and the totality of the research. You can make an argument that you don香蕉视频直播檛 agree because of your religious or moral objections, but that is a different discussion.香蕉视频直播�

In a statement, Health and Human Services Department spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley responded to critics, saying: 香蕉视频直播淭he rules are focused on guaranteeing religious freedom and conscience protections for those Americans who have a religious or moral objection to providing certain services based on their sincerely held beliefs.香蕉视频直播�

The administration also says some parts of the rules are meant to illustrate the sorts of concerns that religious objectors may have, and don香蕉视频直播檛 necessarily reflect government policy.

Here香蕉视频直播檚 a look at examples from the Trump administration香蕉视频直播檚 birth control rules that are raising questions:

THE MORNING-AFTER PILL

Emergency contraception is birth control for use after unprotected sex, often called the 香蕉视频直播渕orning-after pill.香蕉视频直播�

Referring to the morning-after pill as well as intrauterine devices or IUDs, the regulations state that the Food and Drug Administration 香蕉视频直播渋ncludes in the category of 香蕉视频直播榗ontraceptives香蕉视频直播� certain drugs and devices that may not only prevent conception (fertilization), but also may prevent implantation of an embryo.香蕉视频直播�

Because of that, 香蕉视频直播渕any persons and organizations香蕉视频直播� believe emergency contraception methods cause 香蕉视频直播渆arly abortion,香蕉视频直播� the regulations add.

But Princeton researcher James Trussell said that while studies years ago suggested the morning-after pill might affect the lining of a woman香蕉视频直播檚 uterus and interfere with the implantation of a fertilized egg, more recent studies have not found such an effect.

香蕉视频直播淭he preponderance of the evidence, and certainly the most recent evidence, is that there is no post-fertilization effect,香蕉视频直播� said Trussell.

That香蕉视频直播檚 not included in the administration香蕉视频直播檚 rule.

香蕉视频直播淭he actual medical evidence is that it blocks ovulation,香蕉视频直播� or the release of an egg from the ovaries, explained Lawrence, the ob-gyn. 香蕉视频直播淚f you don香蕉视频直播檛 ovulate, there is no egg to get fertilized. It香蕉视频直播檚 not blocking implantation.香蕉视频直播�

EFFECTIVENESS OF BIRTH CONTROL

The Trump administration香蕉视频直播檚 rule takes issue with the science behind the Obama-era decision to require most employers to cover birth control as preventive care.

It suggests that some studies cited in a key 2011 report did not show a direct cause-and-effect link between increased birth control use by women and a decline in unintended pregnancy.

But Adam Sonfield of the Guttmacher Institute said solid research does in fact exist. The organization does studies on reproductive health that are cited by opposing sides in the political debate.

For example, Sonfield cited a Guttmacher report which found that women who used birth control consistently year-round accounted for only 5 per cent of unintended pregnancies in 2008.

香蕉视频直播淭he vast majority of women use birth control at some point in their lives,香蕉视频直播� said Sonfield. 香蕉视频直播淎s a medical service, it香蕉视频直播檚 far more universal than almost anything covered by insurance.香蕉视频直播�

George Washington University public health professor Susan Wood, a former women香蕉视频直播檚 health chief for the FDA, said there香蕉视频直播檚 very clear clinical data that contraception prevents pregnancy. Why else would the FDA approve birth control pills?

香蕉视频直播淭hey are just using this as a smoke screen,香蕉视频直播� Wood said of the administration. 香蕉视频直播淭hey are picking out things that they like, and leaving out (studies) that support access to contraception.香蕉视频直播�

THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION

The Trump administration香蕉视频直播檚 rule suggests there may be a link between birth control and promiscuity.

It cites a study finding that between 1960 and 1990, 香蕉视频直播渁s contraceptive use increased, teen sexual activity outside of marriage likewise increased.香蕉视频直播� (The administration added a caveat that the study did not prove a cause-and-effect link.)

Lawrence, the ob-gyn, said he thinks that香蕉视频直播檚 a stretch.

香蕉视频直播淭here were a whole lot of other things going on in the 香蕉视频直播�60s,香蕉视频直播� he said, such as changing social mores about sex before marriage. Also, many people relied on condoms, diaphragms and spermicides.

香蕉视频直播淭he world of birth control in 2018 is about as similar to the world of birth control in 1960 as a Ralph Nader Chevy Corvair is to a space shuttle,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, The Associated Press