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Emergency contraception more commonly known as “the morning-after pill” is two large doses of hormones, similar to the ones in the birth control pill. The first dose must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected or inadequately protected intercourse, followed by a second dose 12 hours later. It is meant only as a back-up method of birth control to be used on an emergency basis only if you believe there has been a failure in your current method of birth control (i.e. when a condom breaks, if you have missed 2 or more days of the pill, etc).
Make sure that you understand the difference between the “morning after pill,” and “the abortion pill.”
If you take the “morning after pill,” make an appointment within a couple of weeks to be examined by our medical staff to ensure that you are not pregnant.
If you find out that you have an early pregnancy and choose the abortion pill (Mifiprex) as your method of pregnancy termination, make sure that you follow the guidelines in the web site for a non surgical-medical abortion.
The morning-after pill will prevent or delay the release of an egg from the ovary if given prior to ovulation, or it will help prevent the egg from traveling down the fallopian tubes and implanting in the uterus if you have already ovulated. The morning-after pill reduces the chance of getting pregnant; it does NOT cause an abortion.
The morning-after pill is approximately 98-99% effective. However, the statistics of being pregnant rests greatly on where you are in your menstrual cycle. You are only fertile at the time of ovulation. If 100 women each had a single act of unprotected intercourse on one day in the middle of their cycle and then take the morning-after pill, only 2 to 3 will get pregnant.
Almost all women can use the morning-after pill, including most women who were told not to take the birth control pill on a regular basis. This includes women with past history of breast cancer, women over 35 who are smokers. You may decide to use the morning-after pill if:
Yes, if you are currently pregnant. The morning-after pill will not work if you are already pregnant. Otherwise, the morning-after pill is safe for most women. The final decision is between you and your doctor.
The morning-after pill is provided in 2 doses. Take the first dose within 72 hours of unprotected sex, followed by the second dose 12 hours later. Use a back-up method until your next period. Do NOT have unprotected sex after treatment. Your next period may be early, on time, or late. If your period does not come within 21 days of treatment, you may be pregnant and you should repeat a pregnancy test.
You should start using a method such as condoms immediately after you start the morning-after pill. If you desire to start a hormonal form of birth control, such as the pill or the shot, make an appointment with our medical staff so that they can make sure that you are not pregnant and that you are a good candidate for a hormonal form of birth control.
There is no increased risk of birth defects if you take the morning-after pill and still become pregnant or even if you are pregnant when you take it. We will give you a pregnancy test before dispensing it to you, mostly because this the method will not be effective if you are already pregnant.
There is no effect on your future chances of getting pregnant. Your fertility returns after your next period.
