Emergency contraception stands for methods which can be used for successful prevention of pregnancy up to 5 days after the unprotected sex. Yet, none of these methods can be effective in 100% of cases. Nevertheless, taking the emergency contraception within the first 24 hours or the first 3 days after the intercourse increases your chances of evading pregnancy greatly.
Facts about Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception consists of pills which can be taken after the unprotected sex or an intrauterine device which can be implanted, preventing pregnancy from taking place. Almost all pharmacies have these pills and you can purchase many variants of emergency contraception over-the-counter. Also, health clinics have these pills so you can get them after you have been examined. You can purchase these pills and keep them with you, for preventive purposes as well.
When it comes to emergency contraceptive pills, these usually come in a form of a single or two pills, which are taken together, preferably up to 72 hours after the unprotected intercourse.
The Effectiveness of Emergency Contraception
As it was mentioned above, the drugs may fail and are not 100% capable of preventing pregnancy. If taken within the first 25 to 48 hours after the unprotected sex, they will be effective in 85% of cases. Later, when taken between 49 or 72 hours, the effectiveness decreases to about 58%. Finally, if the pills are taken after this period, their chances of preventing pregnancy will be minimal.
The only way of knowing that these pills failed to protect you from pregnancy is paying attention to any symptoms of the pregnancy itself. Thus, if you happen to vomit or feel nauseous after taking the pills, you should seek medical assistance and advice.
Note that once you have taken the pills, these will not protect you from any future occurrences of unprotected sex. Therefore, you will have to take them again whenever you indulge into unprotected relationship of this type. So, regular contraception pills are more advisable to be used in the long run.
Side-Effects of Emergency Contraception
Commonly, emergency contraceptive pills trigger mild side-effects such as headaches, fatigue, breast tenderness, dizziness or stomach pain. Also, these pills may shift your regular menstrual period and make it come sooner or later.
All in all, the effectiveness of these pills is not affected by age, smoking or drinking alcohol. Thus, these pills will not cause any intolerable pain or side-effects. However, if you are already taking certain medications, you may want to consult with your doctor before taking these pills.
Finally, having an intrauterine device implanted keeps you safe from pregnancy for up to 10 years, making it one of the best choices of this type.
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