If You Need Emergency Birth Control
What do I do if I think I need it?
You should know at what point
in your menstrual cycle unprotected sexual intercourse occurred.
If the unprotected sex occurred two weeks after the first day
of your most recent period, you are at a great risk for pregnancy.
You should take a urine pregnancy test to make sure that you are
not already pregnant. If you discover that you are pregnant, do
not use the Emergency Birth Control.
Contact your health care provider in order to discuss the treatment
and any questions or concerns you may have.
Most combination (estrogen and
progesterone) birth control pills can be used (Ovral, Levien,
Lo--ovral, Nordette, Tri Levlen, Triphasil).
The next step would be to follow
the instructions below after discussing them with your
health care provider. The following is a list of oral
contraceptives which the FDA have found to be effective as emergency
contraception. The pills are taken in two doses, twelve hours
apart.
| Birth
Control |
1st Dose |
2nd Dose
|
| Ovral* |
2 pills |
2 pills |
| Levlen |
4 pills |
4 pills |
| Lo-ovral* |
4 pills |
4 pills |
| Nordette* |
4 pills |
4 pills |
| Tri Levlen** |
4 pills |
4 pills |
| Triphasil** |
4 pills |
4 pills |
* Take pills from the first three weeks of the birth control
packet. ** Take pills from the third week of the birth control
packet (pills are yellow). Be certain to see your health care
provider in conjunction with using this series of pills.
First Dose:
* Swallow the pills in the first dose no later than 72 hours -
three days - after having unprotected sex. The treatment is most
effective if the first does is taken immediately after unprotected
sex.
* In order to prevent nausea, you may want to eat saltines or
soda crackers while taking each dose.'
* If you vomit within three hours of taking the first dose, take
the second dose immediately.
Second Dose:
* Swallow the second dose 12 hours after taking the first dose.
* If you vomit after taking the second dose, call your healthcare
provider immediately.
If you are not currently taking
oral contraceptives there are certain drugs that your doctor can
provide. The Food and Drug Administration has approved two prescription
medications for use as emergency contraception: Proven (approved
09/01/98) and Plan B (approved 07/28/98). Contact your health
care provider to obtain a prescription or information about these
drugs.
After taking the pills, be sure
to use another form of contraception (condoms plus a spermicide
is best) if you have vaginal intercourse before your next period.
If your regular form of birth control is the pill, you should
start a new pack on the first Sunday of your next period.
Side Effects:
Women have complained of nausea
and vomiting after starting the "Morning After Pill".
Your health care provider can prescribe medication to help control
the nausea. Despite these symptoms, it is very important that
you complete the entire treatment to ensure that the treatment
is successful. If the nausea becomes unbearable, contact your
health care provider.
Using this emergency birth control
method may also delay the start of your next period. Not all women
experience this side effect.
Did it Work?
If the pills worked, your regular
period should start at about the expected time. Although the treatment
could delay the menstrual cycle, you should get a regular period.
If you do not get a regular period, contact your health care provider.
Cost:
Despite the fact that the full
"morning after" treatment consists of taking only four
(4) to eight (8) pills, the entire packet of pills may be dispensed.
You will be required to purchased the entire packet of birth control
pills. One pack of combination pills will cost approximately $20.
Not the Abortion Pill!
Emergency birth control works by
preventing the possibly fertilized egg from reaching the uterus.
The Abortion Pill (RU486) works after implantation has occurred
and pregnancy is established. Therefore, you are not aborting
a fetus that has already started to develop.
Related Links
STD's
Emergecy Birth
Control
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