The demand for Restart, one of the brands of ‘morning after’ pills available on the market, skyrocketed by 600% in the 24 hours following the Supreme Court’s decision, according to reports from the New York Times.
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The reason is clear: emergency contraceptives like these are a sure way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexsomething that becomes relevant now that abortion will not be an option in several parts of the country.
But to use them you have to understand some considerations and be able to get them.
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How do they work? What options are available? Are they easy to get? We answer these and other frequently asked questions.
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What is an emergency contraceptive?
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emergency contraception are used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex: either because a contraceptive method was not used or due to failures that compromise its effectiveness, such as having taken one of the contraceptive pills or a condom has broken.
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Remember that pregnancy does not happen as soon as you have sex, so there is a -short- window of time to prevent it.
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How does emergency contraception work?
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The National Women’s Health Information Clearinghouse explains that they prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation (the ovary from producing an egg), fertilization (stopping the sperm from fertilizing the egg), or implantation (stopping a fertilized egg from being produced). adhere to the uterus).
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When can you use emergency contraception?
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According to Planned Parenthood you can use them if:
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- You did not use a condom or another method when having vaginal sex
- You made a mistake when using the contraceptive you take (you forgot a pill or you forgot to put the vaginal ring for example)
- The condom broke or came off after ejaculation
- Your partner did not pull out the penis on time
- You were forced to have unprotected vaginal sex.
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What types of emergency contraception are there?
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In the United States there is two types of emergency contraception available: the pills emergency contraception and intrauterine devices.
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On its website, the Planned Parenthood organization explains both options in detail:
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Los intrauterine devices emergency can be used up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex. They are emergency contraceptives more effective (they reduce the chance of getting pregnant by more than 99.9% if inserted within the first five days) and work just as well on day 1 as on day 5. They require an appointment for a nurse or doctor to insert it .
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Emergency contraceptive pills, known as the ‘morning after pill’, can be taken up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex, but there are slight variations depending on the type you choose.
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Las ulipristal acetate pills they are the most effective (prevents pregnancy by 85%) and there is only one brand available (Ella). They require a prescription and can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex, although they work better the sooner they are used.
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The morning after pills that contain levonogestrel are from free sale (without prescription) and there are several brands such as Plan B One Step, Take Action, My Way, Option 2, Preventza, AfeterPill, My Choice, Aftera, EContra and others. They work best in the first 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex where they reduce the chance of getting pregnant by 75% to 89%, although they can be taken up to 5 days later.
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How do you know which emergency contraceptive is the most suitable for you?
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The answer depends on several factors such as the weather that has elapsed after unprotected sex, the weight (the Ella pill doesn’t work as well if you weigh more than 195 pounds, and the effectiveness of the levonogestrel pills is reduced in women weighing 165 pounds or more) and the lit (which one is easier to get in less time.
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Remember that any method of emergency contraception is better than using nothing, remember Planned Parenthood that offers a questionnaire that can help you choose the most suitable one for you.
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Are emergency contraceptives easy to get? How much they cost?
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Although in theory they should be easy to acquire, especially levonorgestrel tablets that are sold without a prescription to anyone – regardless of age – some factors can make them difficult to access.
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Now that the demand for emergency contraceptives has increased, there may be inventory problems, to which must be added the barrier of cost. The Plan B pill usually costs between $40 and $50; while some other brands tend to be cheaper (from $11 to $45 according to Planned Parenthood).
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emergency contraceptive pills are often covered by health insurance, including Medicaidalthough in those cases insurers may require a prescription to cover the cost.
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If you want to use the ulipristal pill, which is more effective, you must add the price of the medical appointment to obtain the prescription, since that does require a medical prescription. There are options on the Internet to make a virtual consultation and request the shipment of the medication.
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In some states like Texas, South Dakota or Arizona to name a few there are conscience protection clauses under which pharmacists or doctors can refuse to sell or prescribe emergency contraception pills.
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Some Reproductive Care centers like Planned Parenthood offer emergency contraception pills at no cost or at lower prices.
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Los intrauterine devices can cost anywhere from $0 (with health insurance) to $1,300 according to Plan Parenthood. The advantage is that they help save money in the long term since they are a contraceptive method that works for up to 12 years.
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Do they help stop an ongoing pregnancy?
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Nope; emergency contraceptive pills are different from abortion pills.
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Emergency contraception “will not have an impact on an existing pregnancy. What they do is prevent it from happening, ”he explains to USA TodayMeera Shah, medical director of a Planned Parenthood center in New York.
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Can emergency contraceptive pills be used frequently?
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Planned Parenthood explica que taking the morning after pill several times is safe and won’t hurtbut should not be used as regular contraception because it’s not as effective as other types of birth control, it’s more expensive and less convenient, and it can cause bothersome side effects.
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Do you necessarily have to take them the day after unprotected sex?
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No. Although they are popularly known as ‘morning after pills’, they can actually be taken up to five days after unprotected sex, although they are often more effective initially.
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Is it possible to buy them in advance and have them at home ‘just in case’ you need them?
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Yes and it is what many women are doing. The only thing is that you should pay attention to the expiration date, because if they expire they might not work.
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Can I combine two types of emergency contraceptive pills?
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Don’t use two types of morning-after pills (such as Plan B and Ella) at the same time or within five days of each other because their effect may cancel out and they may not work, Planned Parenthood stresses.
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Do emergency contraception pills have side effects?
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Emergency contraceptive pills are fairly safe, but they can cause minor side effects that, according to the Mayo Clinic, include nausea, fatigue, headache, bleeding between periods, or heavier periods.
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And if I take the emergency contraceptive pill, it doesn’t work and I get pregnant and decide to continue the pregnancy. Will there be harmful effects on the baby?
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In an informational brochure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that studies have been done with women who did not know they were pregnant and continued to take birth control pills, and that these studies have not found an increased risk of birth defects. birth
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