1. The Sooner, the Better
Time is one of the most important aspects to remember regarding emergency contraception: the sooner you take it, the lower your chance of conception. Although you can take the morning after pill up to 72 hours after sex, clinicians still recommend you try to access it within a 24-hour time frame. After the first day, your chances of getting pregnant go significantly up. The way that the morning after pill works is it releases the hormones estrogen and progestin into your bloodstream. Since these hormones are present, you’re not likely to conceive.
2. Plan B at the Pharmacy
Since August of 2006, the Plan B morning after pill has been available over-the-counter. As long as you’re over the age of 18, you can ask your pharmacist for Plan B without a prescription. When you buy Plan B, the pharmacist will ask you for proof of age. Both men and women over the age of 18 can get the Plan B emergency birth control pill at the pharmacy. If you’re under the age of 18, you still need a prescription or you must visit a facility, like Planned Parenthood.
3. Birth Control Pills as Emergency Contraception
In certain cases, you can avoid taking the morning after pill or Plan B as a way to stop conception. Another option open to you involves the use of your normal birth control pills as an emergency contraception method. Your birth control must contain both progestin and estrogen and you need to take two doses of the recommended pills.Call your doctor to check about using your birth control pills for emergency contraception. He can also advise you on how many pills you should take for each dose. You may have to take between two and six pills for each dose to prevent pregnancy.
4. More Than the Morning After Pill
Many people are surprised to learn that you have another option besides the morning after pill to prevent conception after having unprotected sex. In fact, you can have an IUD inserted up to five days after sex and still prevent pregnancy. With an IUD, you have about a 99 percent chance of not getting pregnant compared to a 75 percent chance with the morning after pill. To get an IUD inserted, you’ll have to first set up an appointment with your doctor. It’s inserted through the cervix into the uterus. The IUD can stay in place and work effectively to protect against pregnancy for several years.
About this Author
Heather Topham Wood has written for several different Internet and print publications and is the author of a series of articles focused on senior health concerns. She pursues an active lifestyle through running, biking and skiing.
