Morning-After Pill: Uses, Side Effects, and Warning Symptoms

2023-11-07 23:56:55

Morning-after pills, which are made up of levonorgestrel or ulipristal acetate, are an emergency contraceptive method to prevent pregnancy if you have had unprotected sex or if the main contraceptive method used has failed.

For example, it is used if you missed or stopped taking your birth control pill, if your barrier method was broken, or if you were a victim of some kind of sexual assault.

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According to the Mayo Clinic, these pills work mainly by delaying or preventing ovulation, so if the woman is already pregnant, they do not work as abortion pills.

Doctors recommend using it only for emergencies, hence the name, and they should never be used as a regular planning method. In addition, the pill does not offer protection against sexually transmitted diseases and can fail, even if used correctly, according to the aforementioned portal.

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Although this product can lead to fewer humans inhabiting the planet (generating less pressure on natural resources), they can harm the environment.

Side effects of the pill

At Mayo Clinic they also recommend not taking it if the person is allergic to any component of the pill or takes other medications that can reduce the effectiveness of the pill, such as barbiturates or St. John’s Wort. Also, it may be less effective in women who are overweight or obese.

Before taking it, make sure you are not pregnant, as doctors do not know the effects of ulipristal on developing fetuses.

Side effects that may occur in any woman after taking the pills include: nausea or vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, headache, breast tenderness, bleeding between menstrual periods or heavier menstrual bleeding, and pain or cramps. in the lower abdomen, notes the Mayo Clinic.

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Warning symptoms to go to the doctor

If you experience bleeding or spotting that lasts more than a week or if pain in the lower abdomen persists three to five weeks after taking the pill, it is best to consult a doctor.

“These could be signs of a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy (when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube),” explains the Mayo Clinic.

Also, you should consult a professional if you vomit within two hours after taking the pill, to find out if you need to take another dose.

Additionally, if your menstrual period has not arrived within three to four weeks after taking the pill, it is better to take a pregnancy test, specialists recommend.

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If pain in the lower abdomen persists three to five weeks after taking the pill, consult a doctor.

Remember that for the morning after pill to be most effective, you should take it as soon as possible, within 72 or 120 hours after having unprotected sex, depending on the brand you take and the ingredients in each one. You can take it at any time during your menstrual cycle.

Finally, it is best not to have sex until you start or resume using the birth control method of your choice; since, after taking the morning after pill, you still run the risk of having an unwanted pregnancy if you do not protect yourself.

ELIM J ALONSO
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