Dr. Itisha Garg

Morning after pill is an emergency form of contraception. It is a type of birth control which can prevent unwanted pregnancy which is a potential risk after unprotected sexual intercourse. The typical name, “morning after pill”, is on account of the fact that it is usually taken on the morning after you have had unprotected sex the earlier night.

How does it work?

It primarily works by inhibiting or delaying ovulation. It does not cause abortion, but merely stops ovulation temporarily and thus, prevents fertilization of the egg with the sperm. It is required to be taken within 72 hours or 3 days after having unsafe sex for it to work effectively, but the sooner you take it, the better it is.

Risks associated with the Morning after Pill

Although the prospect of using this pill seems very useful and handy, there are risks associated with it as well.

1. It has temporary side effects such as nausea, headache, dizziness, lower abdominal pain or cramps.

2. It is not a reliable form of birth control like condoms, copper-Ts or IUDs as you might still get pregnant.

3. It can lead to bleeding between your periods or heavy menstrual bleeding can be experienced. It can even make your menstrual cycle irregular.

4. In serious cases, it can even lead to cerebral haemorrhage (bleeding inside the brain) and cerebral thrombosis (formation of clots in the brain).

5. It does not protect you from any sort of STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) or STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection).

6. It can even lead to hormonal imbalances if taken on a regular basis as it can interfere with your regular estrogen and progesterone levels.

7. If taken multiple times, it can even affect your fertility in the future as it can alter the pH levels of your uterus.

8. It is an emergency contraceptive and not recommended for routine use.

Menstrual cycles are a part and parcel of a woman’s life. Every woman knows the reasons behind these cycles and what to do during this time. But there are many other facets that are unknown to most women. This article highlights five important aspects of your menstrual cycle which you were probably not aware of till now.

1. Cycles do not protect women from pregnancy: For ages, it has been pointed out that a woman cannot get pregnant during the menstruation period. This is nothing, but a sheer myth. To be precise, these cycles occur only when an egg is released from the ovary. Thus, intercourse during this time would actually increase the chances of getting pregnant rather than reduce it. Male sperms can survive for up to three days in the female body and having intercourse when the female egg is released would allow for the fertilisation of the egg and the sperm, thereby making the woman pregnant.
2. False periods: Many times, you take contraceptive pills in order to make sure that you do not get pregnant. The process of contraception works in a manner that prevents the body from releasing an egg. This means that the process of ovulation is prevented for the month. But the lining of the uterus, which is formed due to layers of blood, cannot be prevented by the contraceptives. Hence, even though no ovulation occurs, one still gets their cycles as the uterus lining discharges itself.
3. Iron deficiency: Menstrual cycles cause loss of significant amount of blood from the body. This leads to the loss of iron from the body as blood is a rich source of iron. Especially, for women who suffer from any form of anaemia, it is in their best interest to take iron supplements.
4. Insomia is of concern: Sleepless nights and insomnia is a matter of concern during your menstrual cycles. Sleep is brought about by progesterone. But lack of sleep would mean that the level of progesterone is low in the body. It is a sign that these levels need to be checked by a medical practitioner. Sleeplessness can trigger additional problems related to menstrual cycles, including heavy bleeding.
5. Check oestrogen levels: High oestrogen levels could result to severe back pain and heavy bleeding during your cycles. This is an indication that the hormone level is high and needs to be controlled.

Thus, these are some of the interesting facts that you need to know about your menstrual cycles. None of them are really threatening and can be controlled via medicines or supplements under medical supervision.