So. It’s the day after Valentine’s Day. I know, it sucks that it was a Monday, right? Maybe you went and saw your partner over the weekend like I did. And, well, it being Valentine’s Day weekend, maybe you and your partner had a little fun.
But then the fun ended abruptly when the condom broke. Or when you realized you missed a pill. Bummer, right? But luckily, a bummer is all it has to be. You have plenty of options when it comes to emergency contraception.
What is emergency contraception, anyway? First off, it is not the abortion pill. They are totally different things. EC only prevents ovulation – when the egg is released from the ovaries – and fertilization – when the sperm and egg join in the uterus. It also thins the lining of the uterus, where the joined sperm and egg would implant and begin to develop into a fetus, but science at this point cannot tell if EC affects implantation. It does not harm an existing pregnancy at all.
That is why it’s so important to take emergency contraception as soon as you can. A lot of people think of EC as the “morning-after pill,” and assume that EC is only effective the morning after. In reality, you have up to 120 hours, or five days, to take it. This is great, especially if, say, it’s the weekend and you can’t access a pharmacy because it’s closed. However, like I said, the sooner you take it, the better. This is because the efficacy – how well it works – decreases after the third day. For the first three days, EC is 89% effective. After that, it slowly decreases, but is still effective enough to be worth taking if you need it. So, pretty much, don’t wait until day five to go out and pick some up! Because of this, it’s a good idea to keep a pack in your medicine cabinet. I do, just in case I ever have an “accident.” I’ll be able to just grab it and use it right away, when it’s most effective, instead of needing to wait and go out and get some.
There are several different brands of emergency contraception on the market right now. Plan B One-Step and Next Choice are available at pharmacies or at Planned Parenthood health centers. They’re available over the counter, so you don’t need a prescription, as long as you’re age 17 or older. Both men and women can get EC, too – so feel free to send your partner to pick it up if you want to! If you go to the Planned Parenthood on campus (located in Health Services), EC only costs $20, as opposed to pharmacies, where it can cost upwards of $40!
There is also a new brand of EC called ella that is coming onto the market. ella is currently only available by prescription, and is not available at our local Planned Parenthood centers. What makes ella different is that it’s efficacy is the same for all five days after unprotected intercourse, meaning that you’ll be just as protected if you take it on the fifth day as you would be on the first.
Depending on the brand you get, the pack comes with one or two pills. For brands with one pill, like Plan B One-Step, just take the pill when you get it. Brand with two pills, like Next Choice, can be taken in two doses twelve hours apart, or both at the same time. Most women don’t experience any side effects. It used to be that taking EC would guarantee you some nausea, but as the years have gone by, this side effect occurs less and less. Your breasts might also feel a little tender, and you might feel a bit dizzy or headache-y. Your period might also be affected – you might get it earlier or later than you usually do.
On the whole, emergency contraception is totally safe, and very effective if you take it as soon as possible. It’s definitely worth it if you had a slip-up during sex.
For more in-depth information, check out Planned Parenthood’s website at http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/emergency-contraception-morning-after-pill-4363.asp.
Source: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/emergency-contraception-morning-after-pill-4363.asp