Emergency contraception is a type of emergency birth control method used to prevent pregnancy in a woman who has had unprotected sex or whose birth control method has failed like having a condom break or slip off or has forgotten to take her regular contraceptive pill.
If a hundred women each had sex once during the second or third week of menstrual cycle, without using contraception, eight would likely become pregnant. Only few of these hundred women using emergency contraception would likely become pregnant.
There are two types of emergency contraception
The emergency contraceptive pills The Intra uterine deviceHow does it work?
The emergency contraceptive pill has to be taken within 72 hours to 5 days of unprotected sex or failed contraceptive method . The sooner it’s taken, the better it works. They work by stopping or delaying the release of the egg or some emergency contraception pill will prevent the natural progesterone in the body from working and thereby prevent pregnancy implantation.
Being a hormonal contraceptive, it can trigger headaches and nausea and some may have vomiting as well
In case vomiting has happened within 2 to 3 hours of taking the pill It is advisable to take another emergency contraception pill or to have an intra uterine device fitted which acts as an interceptive… preventing implantation of pregnancy if the egg is fertilized. The next menstrual cycle may also get irregular or there might be a withdrawal bleeding in a weeks time after taking the pill.
Here's what you need to know
It’s important to understand here that if ovulation has occurred, emergency contraception cannot prevent
fertilization or disrupt an already established pregnancy.
It’s advisable to continue using the regular contraceptive method whatever was used earlier or use condoms for the next one week even after taking the emergency contraceptive pill.
If need be emergency contraception can be taken again in the same cycle. Women on regular contraceptive pills can also take emergency contraception in case they have missed their regular pills .
Women living with HIV and on medication can safely use emergency contraceptionAdolescent might particularly need emergency contraception.Taking Emergency contraceptive pill is simple and medical supervision is not neededEmergency contraceptive pills are not dangerous to women’s health and does not increase risky sexual behaviour Emergency contraception do not make women infertile and can be used more than once in a menstrual cycle.
A woman can take these pills when needed without for seeing a health care provider and no test are required for taking the emergency contraception and are easily available over the counter.
All women can use them safely and effectively including women who are on regular oral contraceptive pills because of the short-term nature of the use. There are no medical conditions that make emergency contraception unsafe for any women.
(Author: Dr. Jayashree Nagaraj Bhasgi, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Fortis Hospital, Richmond Road, Bengaluru)
