There has been much debate regarding levonorgestrel emergency contraception's (LNG-EC's) method of action since 1999 when the Food and Drug Administration first approved its use. Proponents of LNG-EC have argued that they have moral certitude that LNG-EC works via a non-abortifacient mechanism of action, and claim that all the major scientific and medical data consistently support this hypothes...

A new progesterone antagonist, ulipristal has been made available as an emergency contraceptive. Ulipristal's major mechanism of action as an emergency contraceptive has been ascribed to its ability to delay ovulation beyond the life span of the sperm. This paper analyzes the potential action of ulipristal (1) when unprotected intercourse and administration of ulipristal occur outside the ferti...

Freshly ground Utah juniper [Juniperus osteosperma (Torr.) Little] bark was given via gavage at a dosage of 2.3 kg per cow twice daily to three pregnant cows starting on day 255 of gestation. All three cows aborted the calves after 4, 5 and 6 days of treatment. A fourth cow was dosed with Utah juniper needles and this cow calved early on day 268 of gestation with complications consistent with p...

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of human gastrointestinal disease and small ruminant abortions in the United States. The recent emergence of a highly virulent, tetracycline-resistant C. jejuni subsp. jejuni sheep abortion clone (clone SA) in the United States, and that strain's association with human disease, has resulted in a heightened awareness of the zoonotic potential of this organ...

BACKGROUND Despite the availability of modern (orthodox) medicine, many developing countries, especially in the rural areas, still rely heavily on traditional healers and medicinal plants to meet their primary health care needs and that of their domestic animals. This has been attributed to easy accessibility and low cost of herbal medicine. In Eastern Nigeria, fresh leaves of Spondias mombin i...

The antifertility effects of Carica papaya were investigated by feeding adult cycling and pregnant rats with different components of its fruits. No attempt was made to force-feed the animals. The results indicate that unripe fruits of papaya interrupt estrous cycle and induce abortions. The abortifacient property seems to decrease as the fruit becomes stale or ripe. Exogenous progesterone count...

In the course of a study initiated to elucidate the role of known abortifacient in ruminants in Southern Africa, Coxiella burnetti was identified in smears prepared from bovine and ovine placental tissues obtained from 12 farms. The organism was also isolated in embryonated eggs, and specific antibodies were demonstrated in sera of animals originating from these farms. In 7 of the 12 herds in w...