Emergency Contraceptives

Q: How long after having unprotected sex can I take the emergency pill?

Emergency contraception (morning after pill) is most effective when taken within 12-24 hours after unprotected sex. Efficacy changes over time: while it’s 95% effective within the first 24 hours after unprotected sex, that number drops to 58% when the pill is taken within 49-72 hours. For the best chance for it to work, you should take the emergency pill as soon as possible.

Q: Can I use the morning after pill with any other forms of contraception, e.g. if I have forgotten to take my contraceptive pill?

Yes, you can use the emergency pill if something has gone wrong with your usual form of contraception, for example a forgotten pill (only if the intake is more than 48 hours ago) or split condom.

Q: How long does emergency contraception protect a woman from pregnancy for?

Women who take ECPs should understand that they could become pregnant the next time they have sex unless they begin to use another method of contraception at once. Because ECPs delay ovulation in some women, she may be most fertile soon after taking ECPs. If she wants ongoing protection from pregnancy, she must start using another contraceptive method at once.

Q: Is it safe to use the emergency pill more than once a month?

Repeated administration within a menstrual cycle is not advisable because of the possibility of disturbance of the cycle and a very high hormone dose. The emergency pill (morning after pill) should not be relied on as a regular form of contraception, and it is not as effective as other forms of hormonal contraception specifically made for regular use - it is only intended as a back-up.

Q: Does emergency contraception disrupt an existing pregnancy?

No. Emergency contraceptives (morning after pill) do not work if a woman is already pregnant. When taken before a woman has ovulated, emergency pills prevent the release of an egg from the ovary or delay its release by 5 to 7 days. By then, any sperm in the woman's reproductive tract will have died, since sperm can survive there for only about 6 days.

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
WHEN and HOW?

Emergency contraceptives are often called the morning after pill. They can offer you a second chance to prevent pregnancy after having had unprotected sex.

The efficacy of emergency contraceptives change drastically depending on how long after unprotected sex you take them. To be as effective as they can be you must take them during the 24 hours after you had sex, after this time, their ability to be effective declines.

Efficacy of emergency contraceptives changes over time as follows:

95% effective within first 24 hours after unprotected sex
85% if taken within 25-48 hours
58% if taken within 49-72 hours

How to use emergency contraception?

For the best results with emergency contraception, be quick. Taken 12 hours after unprotected sex it is a lot more effective than after 24 hours. You just need to take the morning after pill like any other tablet with some water. After using emergency contraception you should use another form of contraception for the rest of your cycle to protect yourself if you do not want to become pregnant.

Emergency contraception (the morning after pill) is not made for regular use - it is only intended as a back-up.

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Pros / Cons

Emergency Contraception PROS

It helps prevent pregnancy after birth control failure or unprotected sex
Most effective only when used within 24 hours after unprotected sex

Emergency Contraception CONS

It contains a high dose of hormones (>10 times higher compared to the pill) in one pill
Using it repeatedly can interrupt the natural menstrual cycle
It may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, menstrual pain, tiredness, dizziness, fatigue
Does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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COMING TO THE RESCUE

Emergency contraceptives are often called the morning after pill. They were invented for exactly that, the morning after the night before when something did not quite go to plan. Accidents happen in all walks of life and sex is no different. Emergency contraceptives (morning after pill) can offer you a second chance to prevent pregnancy after having had unprotected sex.

An emergency pill typically contains hormones that are similar to oral contraceptives, but are much higher dosed. It works mainly by stopping or delaying the ovaries from releasing an egg. It may also work by changing the lining of the womb that may prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. For the best chance for it to work, you should take the emergency pill as soon as possible after unprotected sex. Ideally you should take it up to 12 hours after you’ve had unprotected sex but if it’s taken more than 24 hours after unprotected sex, it’s already much less effective.

Emergency contraception is most effective when taken within 12-24 hours after unprotected sex. There are 2 types of emergency pills in the market: the emergency contraceptive pill containing levonorgestrel (LNG) and the emergency contraceptive pill containing ulipristal acetate (UPA). For the best chance for it to work, you should take the emergency pill as soon as possible. Efficacy changes over time: while it’s 95% effective within the first 24 hours after unprotected sex, that number drops to 58% when the pill is taken within 49-72 hours.

The levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pill should not be used in the same menstrual cycle as ulipristal acetate. After using emergency contraception you should use another form of contraception for the rest of your cycle to protect yourself if you do not want to become pregnant.