Emergency Contraception Pills (ECP's) or "The Morning After Pill"

What are ECPs?

Emergency Contraception Pills are a form of emergency contraception that, when taken within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected sex, can prevent pregnancy before it begins, it is NOT the same as abortion. Although it is not widely publicized, this form of birth control is available in many doctors' offices and clinics.

When do I need ECPs?

ECPs are meant to be used as emergency contraception. Some situations where this method would be appropriate include:

• If a condom breaks, slips, leaks, or falls off during intercourse
• If you diaphragm slips out of place during intercourse
• If you forgot to take your birth control pills
• If you had sex when you did not expect to and did not use any birth control during intercourse
• If you were forced to have sex

If you experience any of the above situations, your risk of becoming pregnant depends on which day in your menstrual cycle that you had sex. The days when you are most likely to get pregnant are right in the middle of your menstrual cycle--about 14 days after the start of your last period. If you have unprotected sex during these days, there is a high chance that you could get pregnant.

ECPs can cut down the risk of pregnancy to about 80% if taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse. ECPs can also be used for an additional 2 days, however the effectiveness rate declines with each passing day.

This time period is very important. If you have had unprotected sex more than once since your last period, and at least one of those times was more than 5 days ago, you may already be pregnant. If you are already pregnant, ECPs will not work. For instance, if you had unprotected sex on Saturday night, you could use ECPs until Thursday night. In general, however, the sooner you use them, the more effective they are.

What is Plan B®?

At the Allentown Women's Center, we use Plan B® for emergency contraception. Plan B is the first progestin-only emergency contraception to be approved by the FDA.

Plan B (levonorgestrel) may prevent pregnancy by temporarily stopping the release of an egg from a woman's ovary, or it may prevent fertilization. It may also prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. Plan B will not work if you are already pregnant.

Plan B does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. It should not be used in place of regular contraception. Correct and consistent use of regular contraception is more effective.

How do I take Plan B®?

Plan B can be provided by AWC through a scheduled office visit. Upon arrival, you will complete a brief medical history and then be given a package of Plan B (two pills). You should swallow the first dose (one pill) from the package, up to 5 days after intercourse, but optimally within 72 hours. The second pill should be taken 12 hours after the first pill. You also have the option of taking both pills at the same time.

We recommend that you schedule an appointment for a complete gyncological exam, including a breast exam and a pap test, after your next period, if you have not done so in the past year.

Side Effects

It is very common to have side effects when using ECPs. Some common side effects are nausea and vomitting, breast soreness, a headache, dizziness, break-through-bleeding, bloating, abdominal pain, tiredness and menstrual irregularities. These side effects are not long-term and are not to be considered serious. Your next period may start a few days earlier or a few days later than usual.