Emergency Contraception,
or the" morning after pill"

Emergency Contraception is a final option for women who have had unprotected sexual intercourse and do not want to get pregnant. Known initially as the "morning-after pill," EC consists of the same hormones found in ordinary birth control pills.

Emergency Contraception

Often confused with the abortion pill, EC will not abort an established pregnancy i.e. a pregnancy in which the fertilized egg has already attached itself to the wall of the uterus, according to the World Health Organization's definition of a pregnancy. EC prevents fertilization from occurring. This pill will not be provided to anyone who is already pregnant.

All hormonal contraceptive methods, depending on when during the menstrual cycle a woman initiates the method, act by delaying or inhibiting ovulation, inhibiting fertilization, or inhibiting implantation of a fertilized egg. In medical terms, the point at which implantation of a fertilized egg occurs is considered to mark the beginning of a pregnancy.

EC no longer requires a prescription--it's available up to104 hours after unprotected intercourse. Typically the first dose is taken as early as possible or within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse with the second being taken 12 hours after that. Each dose is either 1, 2, 4, or 5 pills, depending on the brand. EC is safe for nearly every woman and no physical examination is required. Effectiveness & failure--Depending on where a woman was in her menstrual cycle during sexual intercourse, how soon after intercourse she sought EC, and which of the two types of EC she took, a woman can expect between 75% and 99% reduction in chances of a possible pregnancy. If an egg as already been fertilized, EC will not adversely effect that pregnancy or harm the developing fetus.

Not only can EC prevent an unplanned pregnancy, but has accounted for as much as a 43% decline in abortion in the United States. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, in 2000, 1.3% of women having abortions had successfully taken EC to prevent the current pregnancy, which corresponds to 17,000 of the 1.3 million abortions that year. Hence, some 51,000 abortions were averted by EC in 2000. In contrast, 0.1% of women having abortions in 1994 had used EC in the month they became pregnant, accounting for 1,400 of the 1.4 million abortions in that year and about 4,000 averted abortions. There were 110,000 fewer abortions in 2000 than in 1994 and an estimated 47,000 of these abortions were prevented by increased use of Emergency Contraception, accounting for as much as 43% of the decrease in total abortions over that period. The change in the number of abortions prevented by EC could be higher or lower depending on the types of EC pills used and whether or not women used them correctly. Side effects--Most common side effects are nausea and vomiting.

Link to FAQ about: Emergency Contraception, or the" morning after pill"

By being frank with your healthcare provider, the two of you can work together to determine the birth control and disease prevention methods that best suits your health, your preferences and your lifestyle.

For more information, click on the hormonal and barrier click on the links below.

Back To
Obstetrics

LOCATIONS: