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Sexual Health > Birth
Control > Emergency Contraception
Methods
of Contraception: Emergency
Contraception
Emergency
contraception is provided in two ways:
- using
increased doses of certain oral contraceptive pills within 72 hours
- insertion
of a copper intrauterine device (IUD) within five
to seven days
The
Morning After Pill*
*This
is not a form of contraception. For information
on the common contraceptive pill click here.
The
Morning After Pill can be taken:
- after unprotected intercourse
- if the usual method of contraception has failed
Treatment
consists of four pills
- two
taken immediately available
- two
more taken twelve hours after the initial dosage
which contain
a high dosage of the synthetic hormones estrogen and/or progestogen which
stops an egg from being released and prevents implantation of a fertilized
egg in the uterus.
One
of the newer Morning After Pill, Levonelle-2, contains only one hormone, a
progestogen, and is said to be more effective and with less nausea, and side
effects.
Treatment
consists of two pills
- one taken immediately later by a second.
- One
pill taken exactly 12 hours after the first pill
The
Morning After Pill's effectiveness is lessened by:
- certain
medications (consult your doctor regarding which ones)
- diarrhea
- vomiting
and
and are less likely to work if:
- you
take it over seventy-two hours after unprotected sex
- you
have unprotected sex after taking them
- you
forget to take the second set of pills
- you
vomit within two hours of taking the tablets (extra pills, plus something
to stop you vomiting may be given)
It
prevents about:
- 95%
of pregnancies developing if it is taken within 24 hours after unprotected
sex
- 85%
of pregnancies developing if taken within 24-48 hours after unprotected
sex
- 5%
of pregnancies developing if taken within 48-72 hours after unprotected
sex
The
Morning After Pill is designed solely for emergency use and is not a method
of contraception.
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
high
effectiveness rate if used within the recommended time period |
Side
effects* |
|
women
who are advised against using birth control pills should not use the
morning after pill |
|
if pregnancy does occur the hormones may adversely affect the fetus |
*Side
effects
include:
- breast
tenderness
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- headaches
- nausea
- tiredness
- vomiting
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IUD
The
other form of emergency contraception involves having an IUD fitted
within five days after unprotected sex, but the sooner an IUD is put in, the
better the protection.
This method has a variable success rate and, definitely
not 100%. Only standard IUD's are suitable not IUS's. More
information about IUD and IUS
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Spermicide
Another
form of emergency contraception which may reduce the the risk of pregnancy,
if your method fails or you have unprotected intercourse, is to immediately
insert two applications of spermicide into the vagina.
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|