It is important to remember that the morning-after pill is a form of emergency birth control or contraception. That way, you can prevent pregnancy after sex, especially in situation when other birth control methods do not function. Still, it should not be the primary method when trying to prevent pregnancy. Instead, it is a backup option created to consume just in case.
Most morning-after pills feature two types of medicine. It can either be ulipristal acetate or levonorgestrel. Remember that you can get Plan B pills without a prescription, while other options require prescription and prior medical advice.
You should know that morning-after pill is effective for preventing pregnancy in different type of people including the ones that do not use regular birth control such as condoms and other options. At the same time, if you have missed a dosage of birth control pills before sexual intercourse, think about finding pills.
Morning-after pills work by preventing or delaying the release of an egg from ovaries, which is a process known as ovulation. They do not end a pregnancy that has started, but prevent it from happening. It is vital to know that different medications are used to end an early pregnancy by consuming pills that are known as medical abortion.
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Potential Risks
We recommend you to know that emergency birth control is an effective way to prevent pregnancy after sex if you have not used proper protection. However, it is not as effective as other birth control options. At the same time, emergency contraception is not something you regularly consume.
Besides, morning-after pill may not function, which is why you follow a proper guide that will help you throughout the process. Remember that it cannot protect you against sexually transmitted infections.
Generally, morning-after pill is not for everyone. Therefore, you should avoid taking it in case you are allergic to specific ingredients used inside. At the same time, if you are consuming certain meds that can affect the way it works, such as St. John’s wort and barbiturates.
Remember that pills may not work for overweight or obese people the same way as it would for people that have regular weight. Besides, you should check out whether you are pregnant or not before taking the pill. The effect on developing baby can be problematic after consumption. The same thing works when you are breastfeeding.
Side effects of morning-after pill may last a few days and include vomiting and upset stomach, dizziness, fatigue, tender breasts, headache, cramps and pain in stomach area and light bleeding before periods, which is something you should remember.
Best Ways to Prepare
Suppose your goal is to ensure that the morning-after pill works perfectly, you should take it as soon after sex. The main idea is to do it up to a hundred and twenty hours or five days. You can take emergency birth control pills anytime during your menstrual cycle.
You will get comprehensive and detailed instructions inside. Therefore, you should read everything beforehand to understand how everything functions. Another important consideration is determining what you should do in case of vomiting within three hours after taking the pill. Ask a doctor to learn whether you should take another dose or not.
It is important to avoid sexual intercourse while on the birth control. The morning-after pill will not provide you long-lasting protection against unwanted pregnancy. Having sex without protection in the weeks or days after taking morning-after pill, you are risking of becoming pregnant. That is why you should use the contraception or birth control pills.
Besides, morning-after pill may delay your period up to a week. If you do not get a period within three weeks after taking it, you should take pregnancy test. In most cases, you do not need to contract your healthcare professional after using the pill. But you should do it in case you notice specific symptoms such as:
- Irregular bleeding or ongoing spotting
- Heavy bleeding with pain in stomach
These can be symptoms of miscarriage, which is a pregnancy that has already formed in uterus or ectopic pregnancy. Therefore, without a proper treatment, you should know that an ectopic pregnancy can be life threatening.
Check out this guide: https://www.wikihow.com/Take-Plan-B-One%E2%80%93Step to learn more about different options.
Final Word
After using emergency birth control pills, you can resume a regular method of contraception. For instance, you can use specific birth control pills that will provide you a peace of mind and regular protection. Still, you should talk with gynecologist and health professional to ensure you get the best treatment possible.
Generally, oral contraceptives are not completely safe and feature specific side-effects you should remember. Still, we recommend you to use different options of contraception during the sexual intercourse such as birth control and condoms, which will offer you long-lasting effect. It is as simple as that.