Emergency contraceptives (ECPs) are sometimes called “morning after” pills or postcoital contraceptives.
Emergency contraceptives are one of the methods of family planning which helps to prevent pregnancy when they are taken within 5 days of unprotected sexual intercourse and their efficacy increase when they are taken as early as possible after the sexual act. The sooner ECPs are taken after unprotected sex, the better they prevent pregnancy.
These methods of contraceptives prevent pregnancy only from acts of sex that took place in the 5 days before. They will not protect a woman from pregnancy from acts of sex after taking the emergency contraceptive, not even on the next day. This means to stay safe from accidental pregnancies you should have to take other methods of contraception.
When to use the emergencies contraceptive
Ø Sex was forced (rape) or coerced
Ø Any unprotected sex
Ø Contraceptive mistake like
- Incorrectly, slipped, or broken condom was used
- For couples who failed to abstain or to use another method during the fertile days
- Man failed to withdraw, as intended before he ejaculated
- A woman has missed 3 or more combined oral contraceptive pills or has started a new pack 3 or more days late
- IUD has come out of place
- A woman is more than 2 weeks late for her repeat progestin-only injection or more than 7 days late for her repeat monthly injection
Types of emergency contraceptives
1. Hormone and Pill Type
Progestin-only
ü
Progestinonly dedicated ECPs----1.5 mg
levonorgestrel , 0.75 mg levonorgestrel
ü
Progestin only pills--- 0.03 mg levonorgestrel,0.0375
mg levonorgestrel ,0.075 mg norgestrel
Estrogen and
Progestin
ü
Estrogen and progestin dedicated ECPs---- 0.05
mg Ethinyl estradiol & 0.25 mg levonorgestrel
ü Combined (estrogen-progestin) oral contraceptives----- 0.02 mg Ethinyl estradiol & 0.1 mg levonorgestrel, 0.05 mg Ethinyl estradiol & 0.5 mg norgestrel……
2. Intrauterine device(IUCD )
copper-bearing IUDs can be used for emergency contraception. This is a good option for a woman who wants an IUD as her long-term method
next, we will see the common side effects
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