subject: How Do Emergency Contraceptive Pills Work? [print this page] You can prevent pregnancy in different ways and one of them is use of birth control pills. Most doctors, after proper clinical tests, have found these pills reliable. They are also known as oral contraceptives or emergency contraceptive pills. These pills do not have many potential side effects. They are convenient to use and easy to buy. These pills should not be confused with abortion pills. Emergency contraceptive pills do not harm the foetus. The best way to prevent a pregnancy is abstinence from sex and if you are planning a pregnancy, you should stop taking contraceptive pills.
These pills are of two types, one containing progestin while others have estrogen. More than 30 brands of emergency contraceptive pills are available on the market. You can differentiate between these brands based on the type and amount of hormones they contain. Millions of women use this pill to prevent an undesired pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. These pills do not protect you against sexually transmitted diseases.
You can see great results if you use this medication in the right dosage. The most common side effects of these pills are headaches, blood clots, weight gain/loss, nausea and sleeplessness. Most companies, trying to sell these pills, claim that they are 99% effective but there have been no studies so far that can prove the effectiveness of over the counter emergency contraceptive pills. The effectiveness of the pill will reduce if you do not take it as prescribed.
If you are using birth control pills, you should avoid use of antibiotics along with it. The efficiency of birth control pills reduces when you take antibiotics. Contraceptive pills work best if the person taking it does not take any other medications with it. If you do not use these pills regularly, you may not see the desired results. Take these pills at the same time everyday and if you fail to do so, the effectiveness will drop by 4-5%.
ellaOne
ellaOne is a recently launched emergency contraceptive pill. It contains 30 mg of ulipristal acetate, which is a progesterone receptor modulator. This pill can be taken up to 120 hours after unprotected vaginal intercourse. Efficacy studies have shown that it is 98% effective in preventing pregnancy. You can take this pill if your partner's condom has split or if you forgot to use contraception. It works by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg. It is available in 30mg dosage and it needs to be taken within 5 days of sexual intercourse. The sooner you take it, the more are your chances of preventing a pregnancy.
Levonelle
Another emergency contraceptive pill, Levonelle, which contains a female sex hormone progesterone, is used by many women as well. It works by suppressing the ovulation and preventing fertilization. This drug is extremely effective, if taken within 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse. Out of 100 women who take this drug, only 5 get pregnant. It works by stopping the sperm from fertilizing the egg. For best results, take it within 24 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse.
