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Emergency
Contraception
What is emergency contraception?
Emergency contraception is a
treatment to prevent pregnancy in adolescent girls and adult women
who have had unprotected sex in the past 72 hours. Emergency
contraception uses a high dose of birth control pills. This method
is sometimes called the "Morning After Pill."
How does emergency contraception
work?
Emergency contraception gives a
strong, short burst of hormones. This breaks the hormonal cycle
your body would need to get pregnant.
How is emergency contraception taken?
You should consult your Gynaec for
emergency contraception.
How effective is emergency
contraception?
It is important to remember that
emergency contraception does not always work. It does not
guarantee that pregnancy is prevented. Emergency contraception
decreases your risk of pregnancy by 75-88%. The risk of getting
pregnant depends on where you are in your menstrual cycle when you
have sex and which method you use. You are most likely to get
pregnant during ovulation, when the ovary releases a mature egg.
Ovulation usually happens 14 days after your period starts. The
best way to prevent pregnancy is to use a regular birth control
method, such as condoms, or not have sexual intercourse.
Where can I get emergency
contraception?
You can only get emergency
contraception from a health care provider. Call Dr. Kiran
Mehndiratta’s Clinic at (91-11) 26683388 if you have any questions
about Emergency Contraception or if you need to find out where you
can go to get Emergency Contraception. Before you take emergency
contraception, your provider will need to know:
-
the first
day of your last menstrual period
-
the exact
date and time of unprotected sex
-
types of
birth control you have used in the past, and when
-
if you have
ever had high blood pressure, migraine headaches, blood clots in
your legs or lungs, a stroke, or any serious medical problems
Once your health care provider has
all of this information, he/she will be able to decide if you
should take emergency contraception. You cannot take
emergency contraception if you are already pregnant.
Are there any side effects of
emergency contraception?
Yes. Possible side effects of
emergency contraception hormones include nausea and vomiting,
breast tenderness, dizziness, or headache. The emergency
contraception pill can also be taken with food to help prevent
nausea.
Can I use emergency contraception as
my regular form of birth control?
Emergency contraception is not meant
to be your regular method of birth control. It is meant to be a
one-time emergency treatment. Emergency contraception can be used
when a condom breaks, when your diaphragm or cervical cap gets
moved, after you are sexually assaulted, or any time unprotected
sex does occur. You should not use emergency contraception as your
only protection against pregnancy, because this method is much
less effective than other forms. Also, emergency contraception
does not protect against STD's.
When can I expect my
next menstrual period after I have taken emergency contraception?
Your period should start within 7 to
9 days after treatment. Your next period may start a little early
or a few days later than expected.
What if I have problems after I have
taken emergency contraception?
If you have any problems after you
take emergency contraception, you can contact your health care
provider. You definitely should contact your health care provider
if you experience any of the following:
-
do not get
your period
-
severe
abdominal (belly) pain
-
spotting
(small amount of blood on your underwear in between your menstrual
periods)
-
very light
menstrual period
-
dizziness
Do I need to do anything
else to prevent pregnancy after I have taken emergency
contraception?
Yes. You should see your health care
provider for a follow-up appointment two weeks after treatment to
discuss effective contraceptive methods and to get a pregnancy
test. Also, avoid intercourse or use a barrier method, such as a
condom, consistently and correctly until the end of your next
menstrual period. As soon as possible, begin using a method of
birth control that you can use regularly. Some health care
providers will want you to start birth control pills right away
after the 2 doses of Emergency Contraception. Find out more on
Birth Control Methods so you can start thinking about what would
be best for you. |