A second chance at birth
control … and how many second chances do we get?
What is
Emergency Contraception?
Emergency Contraception is sometimes called
Morning After Treatment or the Morning After Pill, or often merely
abbreviated as EC. It consists of the same kind of synthetic hormones
used in most birth control pills, taken in a specific dosage and
within a specific time frame. EC is not the same thing
as Mifeprex (RU-486), which is sometimes called the “abortion
pill.”
How does
EC work?
EC may work in one of several ways. First, it
may change ovulation, thus preventing fertilization from occurring.
Secondly, it may change the lining of the uterus to prevent the
implantation of a fertilized egg. Thirdly, it is possible that
EC alters the transport of sperm or ova. EC is not intended to
interrupt an already established pregnancy, and any unprotected
intercourse following the EC regimen will put you at risk of pregnancy.
About 50% of women treated have bleeding like
a period within a week of EC, and the rest will usually have bleeding
within 21 days. If you have not had bleeding within 21
days from treatment, you must have a pregnancy test.
In any case, we recommend that you have a pregnancy test 14 days
after unprotected intercourse.
What are
the possible risks or side effects of EC?
The most common side effects of EC are temporary
nausea and/or vomiting. Other less common, though possible, side
effects are fatigue, breast tenderness, headache, abdominal pain,
and dizziness. To help prevent nausea, we recommend that you eat
a meal 30 minutes prior to taking the medication. You should expect
any side effects to subside within one or two days after completing
the treatment.
If you have ever had any of the following problems,
the doctor or nurse will evaluate your medical history to decide
whether you will be able to receive EC:
- Blood clotting disorders
- Stroke/Heart attack
- Thrombophlebitis
- Breast/Uterine cancer
- Diabetes
- Impaired liver function
- Undiagnosed genital bleeding
- High blood pressure
- Kidney disease
How effective
is EC?
Published studies have shown this method to
be 98-99% effective, when taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected
intercourse. The success rate of EC when taken more than 72 hours
after unprotected intercourse is slightly diminished, but it is
still highly effective in preventing pregnancy for up to 120 hours
(5 days) afterward.
How likely
is pregnancy after having sexual intercourse one time?
The risk of pregnancy when you are most likely
to be fertile (6 days before ovulation and ending the day after
ovulation) is estimated at 10-30%. However, recent research indicates
that the time of ovulation is less predictable than previously
believed, and that some women may have the potential to ovulate
more than once during each monthly cycle.
What will
happen when I come to the clinic?
You will be asked to complete a medical history
form and a consent form. We will perform a pregnancy test to be
sure that you are not already pregnant. EC cannot be administered
if you are pregnant.
After we review your medical history, take your
blood pressure, and get the result of the pregnancy test, you
will receive the first dose of the medication. You will take the
second dose at home exactly 12 hours later, immediately following
a meal. You can expect to be in the clinic one hour or less.
What if
I become pregnant after using EC?
If you become pregnant even after using EC,
you have the same decisions to make as if you had not used the
treatment. You have the choice of continuing the pregnancy or
having an abortion. If you plan to continue a possible pregnancy,
current research indicates that using EC should not increase the
risk of a negative outcome.
