Emergency Contraception

That is, the condom broke, or someone has been waiting for sex, but it was the right time, or add your story. And now?

Enter the “morning-after pill”

“Morning-after pill” also known as emergency contraception or post-coital contraception, is “officially” available in the U.S. in late 1990. When Plan B was approved by the FDA. Emergency contraception, however, research began in 1960, and the first hearing system were reported in 1974 Yuzpe et al [i]. The search for what would become modern, morning-after pill for women only had occasional reports also began at that time.

There is currently only one product marketed for postcoital contraception in the United States is “Plan B”, although there are 21 brands of contraceptive pills that can be used for emergency contraception in the United States, although not being marketed for this use.

Emergency contraception is sometimes confused with medical abortion (abortion pill, RU486), however, medical abortion is the termination of pregnancy by means of medicine, while the morning-after pill prevents pregnancy, and did not have any impact on pregnancy.

OK, how is it used?

First, timing.

Treatment should begin as soon as possible after an episode of unprotected sex because its effectiveness decreases as time passes. Most package inserts recommend no more than 72 hours after intercourse, but recent studies show that it is effective up to 120 hours after intercourse (5 days)

Second: How do you take? I’ll take now, to use Plan B because it is the only commercially for this use, and also the most effective.

Plan B has two white tablets containing 0.75mg levonorgestrel. The preferred method is one tablet as soon as possible after intercourse and the second after 12 hours, but research has shown that the tablets can be taken at the same time, which makes things easier.

Now the side effects:

Nausea occurs in approximately 18% of women and vomiting 4%.

Irregular bleeding: menstruation after treatment should be started one week before the expected duration or the week after. In short, the next season, both at the beginning of the week or a week late. Some women believe that the observation of the first weeks or months after treatment, and 16% of women say they bleed in the first week after use. No treatment is necessary, because of this bleeding is resolved.

Other less common side effects were breast pain, abdominal pain, dizziness, headache and fatigue.

Although no studies have specifically addressed the effects of emergency contraception in an ongoing pregnancy, our experience with birth control pills with much higher doses showed no effect.

Emergency contraception is particularly useful for women who are not in a regular relationship and not have sex regularly.

It goes without saying that any woman who is a victim of sexual assault should be routinely offered emergency contraception.