Women who have unprotected sex with their partner or who have multiple sexual partners are at a higher risk of becoming pregnant against their will. Married women can also face this problem at times, when their chosen contraceptive method does not work and prevents pregnancy. In such cases, you can always use commercially available emergency contraception and avoid an unwanted pregnancy. As such, you have two options for avoiding pregnancy after having unprotected sex. One uses the morning after pill, while the other uses an IUD, a small piece of plastic or copper in the shape of a T that is placed at the opening of your uterus to prevent sperm from entering it. But oral contraception is the most popular method for preventing pregnancy for women and can be effective for up to 3-5 days after unprotected sex.
Emergency contraceptive pills
The most popular emergency contraceptive pills available on the market are Levonelle and ellaOne; of which Levonelle is effective for up to 3 days after unprotected sex, while ellaOne is effective for up to 5 days. ellaOne, due to its effectiveness, is becoming a preference among women.
Both pills work by releasing the female hormone progesterone, which naturally, when a woman is pregnant, prevents the egg from being fertilized, and if an egg is fertilized, it prevents it from implanting in the uterus.
Levonelle – The Morning After Pill
Levonelle is more commonly known as the “morning after pill,” which has been shown to be 95% effective in preventing pregnancy in women, but is most effective when taken within the first 24 hours. This pill can be taken by women over 18, but women who are already pregnant and those with severe liver dysfunction should avoid it. This pill, with the help of its active ingredient levonorgestrel, tricks your body into believing that ovulation has already occurred so that an egg is not produced. It also thickens the natural mucus in your uterus so that a sperm cannot enter and fertilize an egg. You can take this pill with or without food. If you vomit within two to three hours after taking the pill, you should take another one as soon as possible and also contact your doctor or nurse for advice. Some of the most common side effects of Levonelle are headaches, stomach pain, diarrhea, and fatigue.
ellaOne: the latest development
ellaOne is an emergency contraceptive pill that can be used to prevent unwanted pregnancy for up to 5 days or 120 hours after unprotected sex. This pill has been shown to be nearly 98% effective in preventing pregnancy in women, but it is considered to be most effective when taken in the initial 3-day period. Women over 18 can take this pill. It is also safe for you if you are breastfeeding, but you should avoid it for 36 hours after taking the pill. The pill should not be taken if you are taking medications for conditions such as HIV, bacterial infections, and if you are taking herbal remedies such as St. John’s wort, as the effectiveness of the pills may decrease. The most common side effects are irregular bleeding, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, pain in the lower abdomen, dizziness, and a late period.
Women who are concerned about gaining weight can now avoid this situation with the help of emergency contraceptive pills.