Want to know how does emergency contraception work? You’ve come to the right place! Go on reading to know more.
Emergency contraceptive pills are taken to prevent an unwanted pregnancy after unprotected sex or if your method of birth control fails. Emergency contraceptive pills are also known as Morning-After Pill, or by their brand names (Plan B in the US and iPill or Unwanted 72 in India). All of these pills have one common active ingredient, a hormone called Levonorgestrel. Emergency contraceptive pills have to be taken within 72 hours, or three days after unprotected sex to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Based on where you are in your menstrual cycle, the emergency contraceptive pills work differently to prevent pregnancy. If you have not yet ovulated, it prevents you from ovulating. This in turn would push back the ovulation cycle which eventually will prevent or delay the release of an egg. If you have already ovulated, these pills create a hostile environment in the uterus with respect to fertilisation and implantation. If an ECP is taken after 72 hours (3 days), it may not be effective in preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex. Please note that the emergency contraceptive pill has a failure rate of 10-18%.
If you find yourself in a situation where 72 hours have passed, but not 120 hours (5 days), you can use the Intrauterine Device (IUD) as an emergency contraception. Another option also exists, which is the ulipristal acetate pill (Ella). This also needs to be taken within 5 days of unprotected sex. However, India has still not approved of ulipristal acetate, so the IUD is the option for those in India, after 72 hours but before 120 hours. The copper in the IUD works to prevent pregnancy even if you get it inserted after sex. However, you cannot insert the IUD on your own and you would have to visit a doctor or nurse, or any other women’s health provider who can insert it for you.1
