Emergency contraception already tells you by its name that this type of contraception is only suitable for actual emergencies like accidental, unintentional or forced sexual intercourse or broken or slipped condoms, etc.
Learning about Emergency Contraception
Many people probably wonder how emergency contraception is the same as or different from ordinary birth control and whether or not it is dangerous. In reality, the use of emergency birth control is the same as other contraceptives in that they are useful only when used correctly and properly. Emergency contraception today is sold in a box with each box containing 1 pack of 2 emergency birth control pills that each contains a high dose of levonorgestrel.
The proper way to take them is to take the first pill as soon as possible after unprotected sex within 72 hours after sex and then take the second pill within 12 hours after the first pill. In addition, it is not recommended to take more than 4 pills or 2 boxes per month.
Emergency contraception may cause side effects.
When taking a high dose of hormone, some people might experience nausea or vomiting. Often, it can also cause period to arrive early or late along with abdominal pain, breast tenderness, spotting or heavy menstruation.
If this drug is taken during pregnancy, the fetus may develop disabilities such as heart defects, respiratory defects, spinal defects, esophageal defects, kidney defects or limb defects or even reproductive organ defects. In addition, this drug cannot be used in people with kidney disease or gallstones and breastfeeding mothers, and if your period is more than 1 week late after taking this drug, you should take a pregnancy test and consult a doctor for questions that you might have.
Can you take 2 emergency birth control pills at the same time?
It is possible to take 2 emergency birth control pills together at the same time without any difference in effectiveness and safety when compared to taking the pills separately on 2 occasions. Taking the pills all at once is more convenient than dividing the dose, but this might cause side effects in some people, including higher likelihood of nausea and vomiting than when taking the pills separately on 2 occasions.
Benefits of Emergency Birth Control
Because emergency birth control is a short-term drug, there are no complicated contraindications. Nevertheless, this birth control method is less effective than normal combined hormone birth control pills and offer no protective effects for subsequent sexual intercourses that occur after taking the pills, unless you take a new set of emergency birth control pills.
Misunderstandings about Emergency Birth Control Pills
Emergency birth control pills do not prevent sexually-transmitted diseases like many people understand. The best way to prevent sexually-transmitted diseases as well as pregnancy is the use of condoms. In addition, emergency birth control cannot induce abortion, so emergency birth control pills are not abortion drugs. They can only prevent pregnancy, because the drugs enter the body before an egg is implanted on the endometrium. However, if a fertilized egg has already implanted itself on the endometrium, the drug will be ineffective.
