Emergency Contraceptive

EC or emergency contraceptive is your last resort to avoid unwanted pregnancy. If taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, EC pills produce the risk of pregnancy by 89%. Since an EC does not stop ovulation like an OC pill the rate of failure is higher. It cannot be replaced for regular birth control measures. In 100 women one can still get pregnant after taking an EC.

Although you are not interested in a pregnancy, but still due to unavoidable circumstance you indulge in unprotected sex. EC prevents the sperms from fertilizing the egg. If taken occasionally it has no side affects. Moreover, a normal birth control pill contains hormones called oestrogen and progestagen. It works by blocking the ovulation. However, EC makes the mucus plug thick and sticky preventing implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus.

The pill is effective if the condom broke or slipped off your diaphragm, slipped out of place, you forgot to take birth control pill, he was not able to withdraw in time, or you miscalculated your safe days or even when you were forced to have sex. However, you must realize that it does not protect you from any sexually transmitted diseases and it also does not prevent pregnancy for any unprotected sex after taking the pill.

Usually two types of EC are available in the market, single dose- it is one tablet of 150mcg of levonorgesterol and the other is two tablets of 75mcg of levonorgesterol each. Both the pills are taken 12hours apart within 3 days of unprotected sex.

Using EC frequently not only becomes less and less affective but cause many side affects like tenderness of the breast, dizziness, headaches etc. It can also cause your periods to become irregular. Some women even feel nausea and vomiting after taking the pill. You can prevent this after taking anti nausea medicine an hour before EC.