What Is the Morning-After Pill?

The emergency contraceptive pill, sometimes called the morning-after pill, can prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse without any contraception or when contraception has failed. The emergency contraceptive pill is not suitable for everyone. Depending on the type of pill, you need to take it within 3 or 5 days after intercourse. The sooner you take an emergency pill, the more likely it is to work.

These are medicines taken by mouth by women that are effective in preventing unplanned pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. Pills containing levonorgestrel contain a progesterone-like hormone (a progestin); pills containing ulipristal acetate are not progestins but a drug that modulates the effect of progesterone (a selective progesterone receptor modulator). Morning-after pills do not end a pregnancy; they work primarily by delaying or preventing ovulation.

• It does not require regular use; continuous and long-term use is not recommended.
• It is used only after sexual intercourse.
• It should not be regarded as a method of birth control, but rather as a method of emergency protection.
• Long-term use does not provide any protection. If needed, it can be used again within the same menstrual cycle; however, if you need it often, consult your doctor about a more effective regular birth control method.
• When pregnancy is not planned, using any of the effective birth control methods regularly should be preferred.
• The sooner it is taken after intercourse, the more effective it will be. The success rate will decrease as time passes after intercourse (pills containing levonorgestrel should be used within 72 hours and pills containing ulipristal acetate within 120 hours after intercourse; it is recommended to take it immediately after intercourse),
• It offers no protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
• Whether or not you are using a method of birth control does not matter for taking the morning-after pill. After taking the medicine, you should continue to use the birth control method you were using before.

Morning-after pills can be bought from pharmacies without a prescription. Because the way they are used varies by brand, the package leaflet must always be read (some are taken as a single dose, others as two doses).

Some studies suggest that morning-after pills may not be as effective at preventing pregnancy in women who are overweight or obese as in women who are not overweight.

Why is the morning-after pill used?

• After unprotected sexual intercourse,
• If a condom breaks,
• If a regularly used birth control method was skipped or forgotten,
• If you are not sure whether your current method of protection was adequate,
• After unwanted sexual intercourse.

What are the possible side effects of morning-after pills?

• Menstrual irregularity
• Breakthrough bleeding
• Spotting
• Breast tenderness
• Nausea and vomiting (if vomiting occurs within the first few hours after taking the medicine, the same dose needs to be taken again for the medicine to be effective)
• Headache, dizziness
• Abdominal pain, bloating in the abdominal area, cramps
• Tiredness, fatigue

Taking the morning-after pill can delay your period by up to a week. If you do not get your period within three weeks after taking the morning-after pill, you should take a pregnancy test. Normally, you do not necessarily need to see an obstetrician-gynecologist after using the morning-after pill. However, if you have bleeding or spotting lasting more than a week, or severe lower abdominal pain, three to five weeks after taking the morning-after pill, you need to have a checkup. These may be signs of a miscarriage or that a fertilized egg has implanted outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube (ectopic pregnancy).

When should the morning-after pill be taken?

For the morning-after pill to work best, it should be taken as soon as possible after intercourse. Pills containing levonorgestrel should be used within 72 hours (3 days) and pills containing ulipristal acetate within 120 hours (5 days) after intercourse. You can take emergency contraceptive pills at any time during your menstrual cycle.

For the morning-after pill to work best, it should be taken as soon as possible after intercourse.

Taking the morning-after pill can delay your period by up to a week. If you do not get your period within three weeks after taking the morning-after pill, take a pregnancy test. Most of the time, you will not need to see your healthcare provider after using the morning-after pill. However, you should call your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Heavy bleeding with pain in the stomach area.
• Ongoing spotting or irregular bleeding.

These may be signs of a miscarriage. They may also be signs of a pregnancy that develops outside the uterus, called an ectopic pregnancy. If left untreated, an ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening for the pregnant person.

How effective is the morning-after pill?

Emergency contraceptive pills can prevent about 85% of expected pregnancies.

The morning-after pill works best when taken immediately after unprotected sexual intercourse.

Is the morning-after pill safe?

You may experience some mild, short-term side effects, including:

• nausea
• sore breasts
• headache
• abdominal pain
• dizziness

If you vomit within 2–3 hours after taking the morning-after pill, you should take another pill.

Taking the morning-after pill can disrupt the timing of your period. Your next period may be early, on time or a little late.