Emergency contraception (the morning after pill) is used to prevent a woman from getting pregnant after she has had unprotected sex. Emergency contraception can be used when a condom breaks, after a sexual assault, or any time unprotected sex occurs.
Emergency contraception (the morning after pill) works better the sooner you take it. If it is taken within 3 days (72 hours) after unprotected sex, emergency contraception will decrease the chance that you will get pregnant by up to 89%. On average, if 100 women have unprotected sex once during the second or third week of their cycle, 8 will become pregnant. Following treatment with emergency contraception, only 1 or 2 will become pregnant. Although it is less effective if taken after 3 days, studies have shown that emergency contraception may still reduce your risk of pregnancy when it is taken up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Our physicians, therefore, will prescribe emergency contraception for up to 5 days after unprotected sex.
It is important to know that emergency contraception (the morning after pill) is not RU-486 (the abortion pill). Because emergency contraception is used to prevent pregnancy, it will not work if you are already pregnant, and it will not affect an existing pregnancy.
Emergency contraception (the morning after pill) is intended for emergency use only and should never take the place of a regular method of birth control. There are more effective methods of birth control that should be used on a regular basis to prevent pregnancy. And it is important to remember that emergency contraception does not protect you from HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) or any other sexually transmitted disease (STD).
1) Plan B
2) Lo/Ovral, or the generic equivalent Low-Ogestrel
Plan B is our emergency contraceptive of choice because (1) it may be more effective than Lo/Ovral (preventing 89% vs. 75% of pregnancies), and (2) it appears to result in fewer side effects (50% less nausea and 66% less vomiting). Plan B, however, is a newer product and is not as widely available as Lo/Ovral. Lo/Ovral is a birth control pill that may be used for emergency contraception when taken as directed. Please understand that both products are very effective at preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex.
