The Morning After Pill
Written by Jane Carrasco
Where Can I Get The Morning After Pill?
Plan B is available online and to women 18 years and older without a prescription at select pharmacies. For women 17 years old and younger, Plan B is available only with a doctor's prescription.
Emergency Birth Control
When taken, it prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg and alters the lining of the womb so the fertilized egg cannot embed itself in the uterus during ovulation.
How Does The Morning After Pill Keep Me From Getting Pregnant?
Essentially the morning after pill is a high dose birth control pill. Birth control pills and the morning-after pills are similar in make up, except the morning after pills contain a higher dose of only one hormone, lovonorgestrel (Plan B). Other brands of the morning after pill, (Previn), contain two hormones, progestin and estrogen.
Progestin prevents the sperm from reaching the egg and keeps a fertilized egg from attaching to the wall of the uterus (implantation). Estrogen stops the ovaries from releasing eggs (ovulation) that can be fertilized by sperm.
Human conception rarely occurs immediately after intercourse. It can take as long as several days. During the time between intercourse and conception, sperm continue to travel through the fallopian tube, waiting for the egg to appear. Taking a morning after pill may help to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Who Should Take An Emergency Contraceptive?
# rape victims, who should insist they are given it
# couples who have a condom break during sex
# women who have been lured into having sex while under the influence of drink or drugs.
Check out more information about the Copper T discussed in the video.
How Effective Is The Morning After Pill?
According to the manufacturer, the morning-after pill, or three day after pill as some call it, is more than 80 percent effective in preventing pregnancy after a single act of unprotected sex. Just remember, taking emergency hormone birth control the "morning after" may keep you from getting pregnant, but it will not protect you from any STD's or HIV/Aids.
# Fact: A males condom will give better protection from pregnancy than the morning after pill.
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What are the Side Effects of The Morning After Pill?
Disclaimer
The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. The content provided is intended strictly for informational purposes to help patient understanding of medical terms and conditions.