Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP)

Emergency Contraceptive Pill:

Prevention of unplanned pregnancies will go a long way in improving the reproductive health of women in India. A woman faced with the prospect of an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy can, in many cases, avoid the pregnancy by using Emergency Contraception. Emergency ‪contraceptives act as interceptive agents i.e. ovulation, fertilization or implantation` is prevented depending on the phase of menstrual cycle.
Remember, these pills are not intended as regular forms of contraception. If you are looking for a regular contraceptive, there are many options available to you. Ask your doctor to help you find one, which works best for you.

Emergency Contraceptive Pill?

Emergency contraceptive pill is a pill used by a woman after having an unprotected intercourse (sex), to prevent her from getting pregnant. It is sometimes called "the morning after pill," "the day after pill," or "morning after contraception or postcoital pill. the term ”morning after pill” is misleading; ECPs may be initiated sooner than the morning after—immediately after unprotected intercourse—or later—for at least 72 hours after unprotected intercourse. ECPs are considered 96-98% effective in preventing pregnancy.
The word “Emergency” is important to note. If you are sexually active or planning to be, don't use emergency contraception as your only protection against pregnancy. Also, emergency contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted infections, like HIV .

When to take ‪#‎ECP‬?

Emergency contraception offers women a last chance to prevent ‪‎pregnancy‬ after unprotected intercourse. If you are not using any other contraceptive methods and you have had intercourse. The condom broke down or came off during the act. If you have missed at-least 2 or 3 of your regular birth control pills, or if you were forced to have sex.

Side effects of emergency contraception:

Side effects include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, breast tenderness, headache, dizziness, and fatigue. These usually do not occur for more than a few days after treatment, and they generally resolve within 24 hours. There are not much evidence of long term side effects of these medicines but there are some studies or beliefs that these pills have long term effects on the women’s body like irregular menses, mastalgia and infertility.

Effects on Pregnancy:

There have been no conclusive studies of births to women who were already pregnant when they took ECPs or following failure of ECPs
Whether to consult a doctor before taking ECP?
Not really! However if you suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, previous tubal pregnancy, it's a good idea to discuss it with your doctor when going for a health check.

When to contact a doctor after taking the ECP?

If you experience the following symptoms:
• Severe abdominal pain.
• Chest pain or shortness of breath.
• Severe headache.
• Eye problems like blurring of vision.
• Severe leg or arm pain.

How long effect of ECP last?

The use of ECP is only for 1-2 acts of unprotected sex and that too within 72 hours, if you happen to have sex after 72 hours you should be looking for alternative and regular form of contraception.

When to expect periods after taking ECP?

Your next period may come sooner or later than expected, however most women get their period within 7 days of expected date. Your period may also be heavier or lighter than normal. If you do not get your period within 21 days or if you think you could be pregnant, get a pregnancy test done.

Does Weight Affect Emergency Contraception effectiveness?

Yes,if you have a body mass index (BMI) that's higher than 25, it's less effective. If you have a body mass index (BMI) that's higher than 30, it may not work at all.

Dr. Jyotsna Gupta
#gynecologist #pregnancy #emergencycontraceptive #drjyotsnagupta #ECP #gynaecologist