The morning after

By Dr Brigid Monda

The Emergency contraceptive pill contains the hormone progestogen, which is similar to the natural progesterone secreted by the ovaries.

The most commonly used is the ‘Morning after Pill’, also called the E-pill or P-2. It is readily available in the market. Though it is supposed to be taken on prescription, with the porous system that we have, it is being abused widely. The regular oral contraceptive pill and the coil can also be used to prevent conception.

How Do They Work?

By stopping or delaying ovulation, the E-pill and coil prevent fertilisation or a fertilised egg from settling in your womb.

How effective are they?

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The sooner it is taken after sex, the more effective the E-pill is. It is about 95 per cent effective when taken within 24 hours of sexual intercourse, 85 per cent if taken between 25-48 hours and 58 per cent effective when taken between 49-72 hours. However, even if taken within 24 hours, it is not as effective as using the other regular methods of contraception.

Also, the closer to ovulation a woman is during unprotected intercourse, the less likely the method is to succeed.

Coil is best

The coil though, is very effective as an emergency contraceptive — up to 99 per cent foolproof. It can be used up to five days after unprotected sex any time during the menstrual cycle, as long as this is the only unprotected sex that has occurred since your last period. If you have had unprotected sex more than once since your last period then a coil can be fitted up to five days after the earliest time you could have ovulated.

Who can use contraception?

Most women can use the E-pill, including breastfeeding mothers and women who can’t use estrogens found in the regular pill.

The coil is not advised for women who are at risk of sexually transmitted infections, women with multiple sexual partners, those with new partners and women who have been sexually assaulted.

Can one use the emergency pill more than once?

This is not advised because it disrupts your regular menstrual cycle. Also, you can never be quite sure after using it when you are safe. If you are sexually active, you need to use a consistent form of birth control.

You will experience nausea, dizziness, headaches, breast tenderness and abdominal pain.

It can also disrupt your cycle. your period comes a few days early or late. You may also have irregular bleeding between periods.

Can the E-pill fail?

Yes, especially if you delay taking it, vomit within two hours of taking it, if you use it several times especially during one cycle and if you have sex after taking the E-pill. Some women conceive even when they take it correctly.

Does alcohol make the E-pill less effective?

No, but because alcohol makes it harder for anyone to make sound decisions, drinking too much could put you in a situation where you are more likely to need emergency contraception like having unprotected sex or wearing the condom incorrectly.

What are the pros of the coil?

It is the most effective method of emergency contraception, more effective than the E-pill. It has no serious side-effects, will protect you against pregnancy as soon as it’s fitted it and will provide ongoing contraception until it is taken out. If you want to, you can carry on using this method as your regular contraception.

Does emergency contraception cause an abortion?

No. Emergency contraception works before pregnancy begins to prevent pregnancy. It will not work if a woman is already pregnant.

Some people get confused and think that the E-pill is the same as the ‘abortion pill’. It is not. Abortion can only take place after a fertilised egg is implanted in the womb.