Educate patients on emergency contraception

There are various methods of contraception available and many people use these regularly. However, many individuals are not adequately informed about their possible choices in these cases, commonly paying a high price for their ignorance.

Namely, contraception can take many different forms. Yet, apart from condoms, being the most commonly used form of pregnancy and STD prevention, birth control pills are one of the most common choices too.

Emergency Contraception Pills

Currently, there are two different versions of contraception pills available for women. Apart from these forms of contraception, women can also opt for an intrauterine device. Either way, contraception is used after the unprotected sex or after a sexual intercourse which was ended up with contraception issues such as a broken condom or a skipped pill.

One type of contraception pills is the progestogen pill, bearing this name due to the fact that it contains the progestogen hormone. These pills can be purchased without prescriptions, over-the-counter. The form of the hormone that these pills contain is levonorgestrel and the quantity inside of a single pill is 1.5mg. The dosage of these pills varies, depending on its purpose.

Basically, as far as the effectiveness of the pill is concerned, the sooner you take it the better. Thus, it is recommended to take the pill immediately after the unprotected sex. The pill will prevent or delay your ovulation or will prevent the fertilization of the egg. However, the pill cannot terminate pregnancy if it has already happened. Thus, these pills are best to be taken within 72 hours after the unprotected sexual intercourse. The pills of this type are usually taken in pairs, the second one taken about 12 hours after the initial one. Yet, some types are available in a single pill form.

Apart from progestogen-only pills, there are types which are combinations of some other hormones two. These are always taken in two doses and the doses themselves depend greatly on the brand of the contraception pill. These need to be taken up to 5 days after the intercourse, since they prevent ovulation.

All contraception pills have certain unwanted side-effects. These adverse occurrences vary, depending on the type of contraception used. Vomiting and being nauseous are the two most common occurrences.

If you have had unprotected sex without taking any birth control pills beforehand, you are best to seek emergency contraception. As it was mentioned above, some pills you can use are available over-the-counter while some others may require your doctor's prescription. Make sure you react timely and use the contraception form which is the safest and the most effective. Bear in mind that none of the available means of contraception are effective in 100% of cases. Thus, consult with your doctor before using any of the above mentioned, just to make sure that you are completely aware of the effects of these drugs and the side-effects you might experience.

How Effective Is the Progestogen Pill?

Keep in mind that, regardless of the effectiveness of these pills, they are not considered to be the means of regular contraception. Rather, these are meant to be used only in emergency situations. Moreover, the progestogen pill loses its effectiveness in time, more and more as the period after the unprotected sex becomes longer. Nevertheless, when taken on time, these pills prevent 85 out of every 100 pregnancies.

If any side-effects of progestogen pill appears you are advised to take the second pills as soon as possible. This should be the case if vomiting takes place. Also, if you fail to stop the pregnancy through the usage of pills, you are advised to have an intrauterine device installed. Of course, if any adverse symptoms appear and remain prevalent, contact your doctor immediately, seeking advice and, possibly, treatment.

Bear in mind that chances of suffering from side-effects are greater once you take combination emergency contraception pills. Also, if you are planning on taking some other types of medications in order to help you deal with the nausea, do this at least one hour after taking the contraception pills. On the other hand, if you vomit within 2 hours after taking the pill, contact your doctor and report this problem.

Seeking medical opinion on the types of pills and the dosage is also a recommended step to take. Staying informed about the alternatives and being aware of the differences between various types of contraception are always useful things to bear in mind.

All in all, among all methods of contraception, emergency contraceptive pills and intrauterine devices are the most commonly used ones, mainly due to the high levels of their effectiveness. Nevertheless, many unwanted pregnancies and STDs can be prevented through education on contraception. This form of education can be obtained either through research or through consulting with your health providers. So, do not hesitate and get informed, your future may depend on it.