Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs)
What are Emergency Contraceptive Pills?Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are hormonal pills (similar to birth control pills) that you take to try to prevent pregnancy after you have unprotected vaginal intercourse. Either your birth control method failed (for example your condom broke) or you didn’t use a method. How do they work?The pills either keep the ovary from releasing an egg, thicken cervical mucus or change the lining of the uterus in such a way that a fertilized egg may not attach and develop into a pregnancy. Do I have other choices?There are alternatives to ECPs. When a copper intrauterine device (IUD) is inserted within 7 days of a single act of unprotected intercourse, it may prevent pregnancy. It may also be left in place for ongoing contraception. Or you can choose to “wait and see.” Discuss all of the choices with your health care provider. How soon can I take them and how well do they work?The sooner ECPs are taken, the better they work to prevent pregnancy. It is best to start the pills within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected vaginal intercourse. When taken within the first 72 hours after intercourse, emergency contraception pills prevent pregnancy about 75-89% of the time. Studies have shown that even if ECPs are taken as late as 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected intercourse they may prevent pregnancy. It appears to be less effective the later it is used. How well the pills work depends on how soon after intercourse they are started and what day in your menstrual cycle unprotected intercourse takes place. This method fails to prevent pregnancy in some cases, because:
A sensitive urine pregnancy test should be done before taking ECPs if you think there is any chance that you could already be pregnant. (If your last period was late, light, or short, or if you feel pregnant.) You should not use ECPs if you are (or think you are) already pregnant. However, if you are pregnant, or if the pills fail and pregnancy occurs, there have not been any reports of serious side effects to the woman or to the fetus from taking the pills. Rare but serious problems or complications, particularly with blood clots, can occur with the regular use of birth control pills, as stated in the FDA information. It is not known whether blood clotting problems (or other complications) can also occur when birth control pills are used for emergency contraception, but medical experts do not think so because the exposure to the pills is so short. Do ECP's have side effects?Some reactions to these pills (for about 24 hours) may include:
After taking ECPs, your next period could be early or late, or could be lighter or heavier, or could be the same as usual. If you use ECPs more than once in a monthly cycle, the chances of having problems with your next period will be greater. If you see a clinician for any reason before you get your next period, you should tell him/her that you have taken ECPs. What if I'm not ready to be a parent?If you do not want to become pregnant, it is important to think of a more reliable form of ongoing birth control. After using ECPs, some women continue on birth control pills or use an IUD. Ask about the options at your Planned Parenthood clinic. Do ECP's help prevent STI's?No. Having unprotected sex may have put you at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and a serious infection could cause sterility. If you think you could be at risk for STIs, you should talk to your clinician about getting tested. You should come back to the clinic for a checkup four weeks after taking these pills if you have not had a normal period, or if you feel like you could be pregnant, or if you have any early signs of pregnancy (such as feeling sick to your stomach, feeling very tired, breast swelling or tenderness). To prevent feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up:
If you were given ECP by us, call the clinic if you:
There are two ways to take ECP's. You may choose to take a 2 pill regimen taken within hours of each other or you may choose the option that allows you take them all at once. Your health care provider can decide with you which is best for you. For more information on ECP's, please call any of our health centers.
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