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EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE PILL
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| What is Emergency Contraceptive? |
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Emergency contraception is a way of preventing pregnancy when an individual had sex without using any contraception or had a contraceptive accident (such as a burst condom).
The most common method is the Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs).
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| Who Can Use ECPs? |
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Rape victims |
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Those who had unprotected sex |
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Those who have missed pills |
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Those who are more than two weeks late for Depo Provera Injection |
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If during sex, a condom is broken or torn |
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| How Do ECPs Work? |
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Depending on when one uses ECPs during her monthly cycle, the pill will stop the release of an egg, prevent fertilization of an egg or stop a fertilized egg from becoming attached to your uterus since pregnancy occurs only after the egg has become attached in one's uterus.
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| When Can ECPs Be Used? |
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A first ECP dose must be taken within 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex. A second dose should be taken 12 hours after the first dose.
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| How Effective are ECPs? |
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ECPs prevent most pregnancies but they are not 100 percent effective. The treatment fails in approximately 2 percent of the women using ECPs correctly. If a woman uses ECPs frequently, her chance of becoming pregnant is much higher than when she uses regular contraceptives. This is the reason why ECPs are not substitute for contraceptives. |
| Are ECPs Safe? |
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Most women use ECPs safely. Healthcare providers have prescribed ECPs since the mid-1970s. Talk to a healthcare provider in any reason you cannot use them. |
| Do ECPs Cause Side Effects? |
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ECPs sometimes cause temporary side-effects such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, and cramping or breast tenderness. However, the side-effects generally do not last more than 24 hours.
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| What Do You Expect After Using ECPs? |
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Normally, a woman will not notice any immediate signs as to whether or not the ECPs have worked. A menstrual period should come on time ( or a few days early or late). If an individual's period is more than a week late than expected or if there is any cause for concern, consult a healthcare provider.
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| If The ECPs Do Not Work And I Become Pregnant, Will The Pregnancy Be Normal? |
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Based on available information there is no reason to believe that the pregnancy would be abnormal or the foetus hurt in any way. |
| How to Use ECPs? |
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Take the required dosage immediately after having an unprotected sex. Make sure to take the first dose at a time when it will be convenient to take the second dose 12 hours later. Do not delay treatment unnecessarily as effectiveness may decline with time. |
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Take the remaining dosage 12 hours after taking the first tablet. |
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If you vomit within 2 hours of taking a dose, take another dosage as soon as possible. If the vomiting occurs after the first dose, proceed to take the second dose 12 hours later. To reduce the nausea, take the tablet after meal. |
If you vomit more than 2 hours after taking the pill, do not worry. The medication is already in your system.
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Emergency Contraception And Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) |
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ECPs do not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS.If you are worried of contracting an STI or HIV/AIDS after an unprotected sex visit your nearest BLM clinic for advice. |
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