The morning after pill is a type of contraceptive method that raises many questions for women. As the name tells us “the day after”, this medication is an emergency option to avoid a possible pregnancy resulting from factors such as failure or lack of condom use during sexual intercourse, forgetting the contraceptive medication and, in some cases, violence. and sexual abuse.
The fact is that many women do not have the correct understanding of this medication, and therefore end up using it incorrectly. Today, we at Eu Sem Fronteiras will teach you all about the morning after pill! Read the article and clear all your doubts about this method so misunderstood by society!
Contraceptive pill
The common contraceptive pill is a contraceptive method that consists of the combination of some hormones (estrogen and progestin) in order to inhibit ovulation and thus prevent pregnancy. In addition to this inhibition, this drug alters the cervical mucus, making it unsuitable for sperm.
This type of contraceptive must be taken daily, with intervals defined by a gynecologist for it to have full effect. Before buying a contraceptive, you need to consult a specialist to choose the right drug. The contraceptive for daily use is totally different from the morning after pill, which should be taken only once because it contains a greater amount of hormones and, in some cases, divided into two doses.
How does the morning after pill work in the body?
This pill acts in more than one way in the woman's body to prevent pregnancy. If the woman has not yet evolved, the pill causes ovulation to be delayed and even alters the thickness of the cervical mucus, acting in a way that makes it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg. This type of contraceptive still leaves the endometrium unsuitable for pregnancy, in addition to decreasing the ability of sperm to move to the egg. That is, the morning-after pill is used to prevent pregnancy, making it difficult for sperm to fertilize.
For the morning-after pill to be effective, a woman must take it as soon as possible after intercourse. But, in any case, the pill is effective within 72 hours after sexual intercourse. It is worth mentioning that in the first 24 hours the pill is 88% effective, and this percentage decreases as the hours pass.
Does the morning after pill work during your fertile period?
Yea! The morning after pill is effective every day of the month, regardless of your menstrual cycle. But it is important to emphasize that during the fertile period its effect may be reduced, especially if you have already ovulated before taking the pill. This is because one of the actions of the morning-after pill is to inhibit ovulation, and when it has already occurred, there is no way for the drug to act in this way. But as it also works by altering the cervical mucus to make it difficult for sperm to move, it remains having contraceptive action.
Does the morning after pill delay your period?
Yea! This type of contraceptive completely alters the menstrual cycle! In the month when a woman takes the morning-after pill, it is very likely that her period will be delayed and her cycle will be shorter or longer. This change in the cycle occurs because of the high amount of hormones ingested. The bad part about taking this pill is that until your period is regular again it will be practically impossible to calculate and control your fertile period, and the same goes for the start date of the next cycle.
In some cases, in a few days after taking this medicine, there may be a little bleeding or a delay in menstruation for about three weeks in a row. Therefore, the ideal is to do a pregnancy test, preferably blood, to be sure that the pill was effective. If used too often, the morning after pill can make the menstrual cycle totally unregulated, in addition to causing hormonal imbalances and even facilitating pregnancy.
Does the morning after pill miscarry?
No! As previously stated, the function of the morning-after pill is to prevent pregnancy by acting in three ways: inhibiting ovulation, making it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg, or preventing the fertilized gamete from being able to attach itself to the uterine wall. If the woman is already pregnant, the morning-after pill will not interrupt the pregnancy: it does not induce miscarriages!
I took the morning after pill and then I had sex, now what?
The morning after pill is effective only for the sexual intercourse that preceded its ingestion. It is no use taking the pill in order to be “immune” to pregnancy. As much as it contains a high level of hormones and acts to prevent pregnancy, it can happen that you ovulate and become pregnant if you have a relationship without condoms or contraceptive use.
I took the morning after pill, how should I take my birth control after that?
It is ideal that you wait for your next period to start before using your continuous contraceptive. This way it will be easier to regulate your cycle and be aware of your fertile period. It is important to point out that if you regularly use contraceptives or if you have an IUD (Intrauterine Device), it is not necessary to take this emergency pill.
Is bleeding common with the morning after pill?
Yea! Bleeding is one of the side effects of the medication. But if this symptom remains present for more than two days or if the flow of it is extremely intense, the ideal is to seek medical advice.
Can I take the pill more than once a month?
Continued use is not recommended! In addition to losing effectiveness with use and increasing the chances of pregnancy, the high hormonal amount of this drug can cause numerous adverse reactions in the body.
Do I need a prescription to buy the morning after pill?
No! This pill is sold in pharmacies and can be found in health centers. But be careful: it should only be ingested in cases of emergency! It should never be the only means of contraception!
Can the pill cause infertility?
No! Any infertility issue related to taking the morning after pill is a myth.
Do antibiotics inhibit contraceptive action?
There are some medications that can "interact" with this emergency contraceptive, but that doesn't mean they will lessen the power of the pill. If by chance there is an interaction between the two, it is likely that the morning after pill will increase or decrease the effect of the other medicine. This commonly occurs with antibiotics and some psychiatric drugs, which are in continuous use.
I'm breastfeeding, can I take the morning after pill?
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consult a doctor before taking any type of medication. But in any case, the hormones present in the emergency pill are similar to those present in contraceptives commonly prescribed to women who are lactating. And, therefore, with the use of this specific contraceptive, the risk of pregnancy is minimal.
What are the side effects of using this pill?
The main effects that can appear in the body after taking the morning-after pill are: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, irregularity in the menstrual cycle and minor bleeding.
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How do you know if the pill worked?
There's no way to know right away whether the emergency pill worked or not. It is necessary to wait for the next period or to perform a blood test after 5 or 7 days to rule out, or not, the chance of being pregnant.
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