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HOW do "morning after pills" Work? They prevent a fertilized egg from attaching itself to the uterus. They may even prevent a fertilized egg from getting to the uterus.
HOW are they USED? Only as an emergency measure after unprotected sex. Before it is prescribed by a doctor, a highly-sensitive urine pregnancy test is given to the woman to make sure that she isn't already pregnant. Strong doses of hormone are given within 72 hours (preferably within 12-24 hours) of a single act of unprotected sexual intercourse. A second dose of hormones is taken 12 hours after the first dose. A follow-up pregnancy test is done 3 weeks later.
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Can I Use Regular Birth Control Pills in an Emergency? The hormones used in this emergency method of birth control are the same ones found in regular birth control pills. The only difference is that a single morning after pill is equivalent to a large dose of birth control pills. How many pills does it take? That depends on the brand of birth control pills. Don't guess about the right amount. Too few will have no effect in preventing a pregnancy. Too many could be very dangerous. Instead of guessing, contact your doctor, Planned Parenthood clinic, other women's health and family planning center, or use one of the contacts we list for you on our Emergency Contraception page. |
Benefits to using morning after pills: It is a form of emergency contraception. This method can be used for victims of rape.
Concerns connected to the morning after pills: Intended only for emergency contraception. They cannot be used if woman has had more than one act of unprotected intercourse in a cycle. Side effects include: nausea, bloated feeling, tender breasts, mood changes, severe cramping, heavy menstrual-like bleeding. It may temporarily change a woman's menstrual cycles. They do not provide ongoing protection against pregnancy. The medical risks are similar to those of birth control pills. Those include: increased risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke in women with certain risk factors, medical conditions, or in those who smoke. Call the clinic or your doctor right away for severe leg, chest, or stomach pain; blurred vision; bad headaches; numbness; shortness of breath.
Morning after pills offers zero protection
against STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases).
Effectiveness.Morning after pills offer a 98.4%-99.4% effectiveness rating. There is a 0.6-1.6% failure rate that will result in an unwanted pregnancy.
